As well, the level of biodiversity present in an urban subdivision may influence the potential capital value of real estate. Our research is clarifying the values provided by biodiversity to urban systems, determining how urban subdivisions impact on residual plants and animals, and developing novel techniques for integrating nature into city dwellers' everyday experiences.
Effects of land use on freshwater ecosystems - freshwater invertebrates
The biology of streams, rivers and lakes can be strongly affected by land or water use.
This research area includes projects in which detailed understanding of freshwater invertebrate taxa and habitats inform environmental impact assessments and community education programmes. We survey freshwater invertebrates in programmes designed to assess the state of stream and river habitats in New Zealand, Brunei and Papua New Guinea.
The Resource Management Act requires an assessment of environmental effects as part of resource consent applications for activities that could significantly modify stream habitats (including stream realignment, piping, damming or creating new urban stormwater discharges). We use invertebrate species composition and abundance, with information about stream ecology, as indicators of environmental health, land use impact, and the performance of stormwater management systems.
Urban ecology & biodiversity integration
Greening of cities is a vital ingredient in providing 'nature experience' to much of New Zealand's populace. This experience, in turn, will lead to better public decision-making about the environment.
Greater knowledge and appreciation of urban natural history among the citizenry must come from a combination of scientific analysis of the environment (catching up on 100 years of vegetation survey work in wild New Zealand); presenting this information in a digestible manner; and personal observation and experience of ecological patterns and processes in gardens and reserves.
Our research develops innovative approaches to integrating indigenous nature and biodiversity into the daily lives of urban dwellers - the bulk of the population. Research projects include:
- analyses of ecological patterns and processes in gardens and reserves
- an online natural-history recording system characterising urban vegetation
- trials incorporating native plants in urban wastelands, greenroof plantings, and greenfield developments
- development and demonstration of design and construction techniques for biodiverse parks, gardens, subdivisions, and greenroofs.
