Observations were made southeast of New Zealand from April 1978 to May 1980 with the objectives of investigating the dynamics of low-frequency motions and their effects on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current; and the formation of subantarctic mode water on Campbell Plateau. Self-recording instruments were deployed during a 7-month period from...
Measuring surface heat flow at the Hikurangi Trough is key toward characterizing the local thermal regime and the influence of thermally sensitive processes such as fluid flow and slow slip. Marine heat flow data were collected during May– June 2015 in the northern Hikurangi Trough at sites seaward and landward...
Species conservation depends on robust population assessment. Data on population abundance, distribution, and connectivity are critical for effective management, especially as baseline information for newly documented populations. I describe a pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda) population in New Zealand waters with year-round presence that overlaps with industrial activities. This...
Active faults in the Kaikoura region include the Hope,
Kekerengu, and Fidget Faults, and the newly discovered
Jordan Thrust, Fyffe, and Kowhai Faults. Ages of faulted
alluvial terraces along the Hope Fault and the Jordan
Thrust were estimated using radiocarbon-calibrated
weathering-rind measurements on graywacke clasts. Within
the study area, the...
Over the next quarter century there will be about
an eight-fold increase in the volume of wood harvested
annually from New Zealand's steep terrain radiata pine
plantations. With the move to steeper terrain it is
expected that there will be a trend towards considerably
smaller landings. With smaller landings final...
Skin condition assessment of wildlife can provide insight into individual and population health. Yet, logistics can limit skin condition assessment of large whales. We developed a standardized, quantitative protocol using photographs to assess skin condition of blue whales in New Zealand, and demonstrate the value gained by testing hypotheses, documenting...
The critically endangered Maui's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori maui) and the endangered Hector's dolphin (C. h. hectori) are endemic to the coastal waters of New Zealand, where their primary threat is fisheries-related mortality. The Maui's dolphin is among the most critically endangered cetaceans in the world, with its remnant population primarily...
