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A unique and outstanding environment

This portal provides direct access to Landcare Research’s publications tools and services relating to biodiversity, biosecurity and soils. Landcare Research is widely recognized as a leader in science for environmental sustainability.

 

Online publications and tools

Free of charge online Landcare Research publications and tools.

 

Biodiversity

Biodiversity refers to the diversity of native species (including genetic diversity), communities and ecosystems in the environment. The term also covers the complex environmental processes that affect the make up of communities, and the way in which communities affect their environment e.g., nutrient cycling, purifying water and air.

• Maintaining and restoring wetlands project.
• Maintaining threatened rare ecosystems IO4
• Green Toolbox Species Selector — Free Windows–based software package to help users choose and evaluate plants for a variety of land management applications.
• Flora of New Zealand series – electronic version
• Fauna of New Zealand series – electronic version
• Introduction to lichens
• Fungi

 

Collections

• Allan Herbarium — the Allan Herbarium contains species from around the world but specialises in plants (indigenous and exotic) of the New Zealand region and Pacific. It also has specialist collections of seed, fruit, wood, plant leaf cuticle, liquid–preserved specimens, and microscope slides. The oldest samples are the 91 duplicate specimens collected by Banks and Solander during Captain Cook´s first voyage to New Zealand, 1769–1770.
• The National New Zealand Flax Collection — Manaaki Whenua is kaitiaki of the national collection of New Zealand flax selections (harakeke, Phormium spp.), which includes traditional weaving varieties donated by Rene Orchiston of Gisborne.
• Ti Kouka collection (cabbage trees) — Ti kouka seeds collected from populations in 28 localities throughout New Zealand were sown in 1994 and seedlings planted out in spring 1995.

 

Databases

• National Vegetation Survey (NVS) databank
• Ecological Traits of New Zealand Flora — this database of ecological traits, linked to Landcare Research´s suite of databases related to plant systematics, is designed as a one–stop–shop for questions such as ´what kind of plant is this?´, ´is it a weed?´, ´does it produce viable seeds?´, ´how is the seed dispersed?
• Ngā Tipu Aotearoa – New Zealand Plants — provides the names of plant taxa that are wild in New Zealand. Includes seed plants, ferns, mosses, liverworts, freshwater algae and lichens.
• Ngā Tipu Whakaoranga - People Plants Infobase — a web resource of information on the traditional uses of New Zealand native plants by Māori.
• Phylogeny of New Zealand plants — this work looks at the pattern of relationships between a common ancestor and its descendants. A phylogeny provides a framework to understand evolutionary Phylogeny looks at the pattern of relationships between a common ancestor and its descendants, which provides a framework to understand evolutionary processes of diversification, dispersal and extinction.
• Fungal Guide interface to NZFungi — field-guide like information on some of the more common macrofungi of New Zealand.
• NZFungi database — the NZFungi database provides a searchable catalogue of all fungal names used in a New Zealand context, their synonymy and bibliography, the specimens in PDD and cultures in ICMP, and descriptions and images of many of the fungi, together with links to distribution maps based on specimens in PDD.
• Virtual Mycota interface to NZFungi — the Virtual Mycota provides an electronic, flora-like compilation of the fungi of New Zealand. The descriptions and images have been extracted from many different sources, but mostly scientific journals. These are supplemented by colour images of many of the fungi.

 

Biosecurity

The section covers all undesirable introduced species, including vertebrate animals (deer, stoats, ferrets, rodents, possums, etc), insects and other invertebrates, diseases and other pathogens, and weeds.

• Landcare Research is part of a national consortium (The National Research Centre for Possum Biocontrol) developing immunocontraception to be used to reduce possum breeding.
• Possum Information Sheets & Manuals — information handouts and manuals on possum research
• Animal survey reports
• Ant distribution data
• Biosafety risk assessment
• Interactions between multiple species of pests — protection of native wildlife is limited by incomplete knowledge of interactions among suites of mammal pests;
• Exotic fungi naturalised in native ecosystems — fungal invaders; the impact of exotic fungi in native ecosystems
• Gene Flow Assessment Project, initiated at Landcare Research in June 2002, aims to provide data and guidelines for decsions on containment, release and monitoring of genetically modified (GM) crops in New Zealand.
• Biological Control of Weeds Book— a series of information sheets explaining all about the philosophy and practice of biocontrol of weeds in New Zealand, including how to recognise and get the most out of weed biocontrol agents
• Weeds Newsletters

 

Soils

The Soil and Landscapes team comprises of more than 40 staff, at five sites across New Zealand. We lead research on understanding the complex inter-relationships that control the response of soils and landscapes to climatic and human-induced pressures, evaluating current risk, and offering sustainable land use and natural resource allocation options. Our value is in providing opportunities for the future.

• Soils Portal — this portal provides access to Nationally Significant Soils Databases, held by Landcare Research.
• Visual Soil Assessment — the visual soil assessment method (VSA) provides land managers with a simple tool to assess and monitor soil quality.
• Vulnerability maps — maps showing areas at risk of declining soil quality.
• Horizons Newsletter — a newsletter to communicate our work in soil related research to stakeholders, customers and colleagues

 

Services

Landcare Research consultancy services:

 

Biodiversity

• Biodiversity management
• Botanical resources
• Checklists
• Diagnostic services
• Environmental restoration
• Identification keys
• Identification services
• International opportunities
• Software
• Specimen loans
• Training courses

 

Biosecurity

• Biocontrol of weeds training courses — training courses to better understand or be able to manage weed biocontrol progammes.
• Insect quarantine laboratory — secure containment of invertebrates at a range of temperatures), humidities, and daylengths.
• Trap design and testing — trap design and testing
• Animal pest monitoring & control — a comprehensive service providing advice on, and assessment of, the design and implementation of animal pest monitoring and control programmes.
• Animal facility — an accredited animal facility, operating under strict ethical guidelines, for captive breeding, observation, and the assessment of pest control tools.
• Baits and toxins — a comprehensive service providing advice on new and improved baits and toxins, and testing.
• Plant quarantine facility

 

Soils

• Mineralogy laboratory (MinLab) — a range of analytical services on soils, clays, sediments, rocks, and other materials
• S–map project — A new digital soil spatial information system for New Zealand.
• SINDI: soil quality indicators — Sindi is a web–based DSS (decision support system) for people wanting to assess soil quality especially at a regional or national scale.
• Soil classification maps, Land Resource Inventory (NZLRI) and Land Use Capability — Manaaki Whenua Press can supply soil classification maps of New Zealand and the South Pacific, and New Zealand Land Resource Inventory worksheets.
• Soil fundamental data layers (FDLs) — Fundamental data layers (FDLs) contain spatial information for 16 key attributes of the soils of New Zealand.

 

Contacts

Biodiversity and Conservation	Biosystematics
Heather Russell Email Landcare Research P.O. Box 40 Lincoln 7640 Phone: +64 3 321 9999 DDI: +64 3 321 9685 Fax: +64 3 321 9998	Vilani Abeyratne Email Landcare Research Private Bag 92170 Auckland Mail Centre Auckland 1142 Phone: +64 9 574 4100 Fax: +64 9 574 4101
Ecosystem Process	Pest Control Technologies
Barbara Tappenden Email Landcare Research P.O. Box 40 Lincoln 7640 Phone: +64 3 321 9999 DDI: +64 3 321 9812 Fax: +64 3 321 9998	Kathy O'Halloran Email Landcare Research P.O. Box 40 Lincoln 7640 Phone: +64 3 321 9999 DDI: +64 3 321 9762 Fax: +64 3 321 9998
Soils and Landscapes	Wildlife Ecology and Epidemiology
Helene Kingsley-Smith Email Landcare Research Private Bag 3127 Hamilton 3240 Phone: +64 7 859 3700 DDI: +64 7 859 3728 Fax: +64 7 859 3701	Kathy O'Halloran Email Landcare Research P.O. Box 40 Lincoln 7640 Phone: +64 3 321 9999 DDI: +64 3 321 9762 Fax: +64 3 321 9998

 

Research Programmes

• Old Problems, New Solutions
  This research aims to inform decision making for allocation and sustainable management of water resources, including the role of the ‘Māori voice’. More generally, it involves development of an integrative framework for analysis of natural resource governance problems.
• Rapid eradication of bovine Tb from wildlife
  This programme will identify the optimal spatial scale, timing, intensity, and duration of control required to rapidly eradicate Tb from possums.
• Development of biological control for possum management
  This programme aims to develop a biological tool to control possum fertility
• Soil services for sustainable land use
  The progamme will develop novel land management practices to reduce adverse effects of applied contaminants on the environment
• Integrated Catchment Management
  This programme, begun in 2000 (http://icm.landcareresearch.co.nz), will develop and demonstrate a toolbox to guide sustainable management of land and water resources at small to large catchment scales, including the adjacent coast.
• Indigenous forestry
  This research will demonstrate how a significant portion of New Zealand’s privately owned indigenous forests could be sustainably managed for timber production.
• Beating Environmental Weeds
  This programme aims to improve understanding of the population dynamics of environmental weeds increase people’s ability to take effective and environmentally safe action against weeds
• Multiple pest dynamics
  This programme will develop such an understanding for key interactions among multiple pests threatening fauna and provide a system that supports the application of this knowledge to conservation management.
• Pests in landscapes
  This research uses landscape approaches-spatial population assessment and spatial prediction-promise to develop mammalian pest management practices in New Zealand native ecosystems.
• Multispecies pest control
• Maintaining and restoring wetlands
  The aim of the project is to increase the protection and restoration of wetlands by providing scientifically based guidelines and tools to policy makers, landowners and managers.
• Outline of all of Landcare Research’s current research programmes including FRST funded programmes.

 

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Page current as at Thursday, 9 February 2012