Marine Science
Recent Deposits
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Heterotrophic Bacterial Biofilms of Macroalgae
Macroalgae form a diverse and ubiquitous group of photosynthetic organisms that play a key role in the structuring and function of marine communities. Through the fixation of carbon, macroalgae contribute a sizeable ... -
Measuring Sperm whales via Acoustics and Photogrammetry
The most common vocalisations heard from sperm whales are short, broadband clicks which often display a decaying, evenly spaced, multi-pulse structure. The time between these pulses (inter-pulse interval: IPI) represents ... -
The relative importance of pelagic and benthic primary production for Austrovenus stutchburyi in Blueskin Bay in the South Island, New Zealand
Bivalves are commercially and ecologically important in estuarine ecosystem. Austrovenus stutchburyi is a dominant bivalve species in the Blueskin Bay inlet, New Zealand, and has been considered as culturally, commercially ... -
Growth, development, and aging methods of the midget octopus, Octopus huttoni
This is the first study to be completed on the growth, developmental rates, and aging methods in the midget octopus, Octopus huttoni. Understanding life histories and population dynamics are important for fisheries management. ... -
Sperm whale habitat off Kaikoura, New Zealand : a descriptive study of physical and biological processes influencing sperm whale distribution
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are deep-diving marine mammals found in all oceans of the world and occupy a wide range of environmental conditions (Best 1979; Rice 1989). There is no real consensus in describing the ... -
Effects of coralline algal diffusion boundary layers on growth of newly settled sea urchins: implications for ocean acidification conditions
Macroalgae are able to modify their local environment via biological processes, thereby creating a diffusive boundary layer (DBL) where the chemical and physical environment differs from the overlying bulk seawater. In ... -
Using photo-ID data to investigate population parameters and social structure of sperm whales visiting Kaikōura
In order to effectively manage and protect populations, it is crucial that long-term trends in abundance and population structure are understood. Kaikōura is one of the few places worldwide where sperm whales can be found ... -
Ecology of eelgrass, Zostera novazelandica Setchell, in Otago Harbour, Dunedin, New Zealand
The seagrass Zostera novazelandica Setchell forms extensive intertidal beds at Harwood in Otago Harbour, south-eastern New Zealand. However, despite being an important feature of the Harbour ecosystem, knowledge of spatial ... -
Physical processes in a time-dependent salt wedge estuary with a region of repeated sharp curvature
This thesis presents a comprehensive study of physical processes in the Taieri River of the South Island, New Zealand, a poorly studied time-dependent salt wedge estuary with a region of repeated sharp curvature. A series ... -
Drivers of temperate reef fish community structure and food web architecture
An understanding of the drivers that influence community structure and functioning is essential to predict and manage the impacts of human induced stressors on the marine environment. The current thesis aimed to resolve ... -
Population biology, expansion and harvestability of the invasive Undaria pinnatifida in southern New Zealand
In the marine environment, 84% of eco-regions have been subject to biological invasions. These invasions can be ecologically costly through displacing native species, shifting community structure, altering food webs, and ... -
Foraging ecology of sperm whales at Kaikōura
The submarine canyon of Kaikōura, New Zealand, is a foraging ground for male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). The abundance of whales feeding in this area during summer has almost halved over the last three decades, ... -
The ecology and conservation of hotspots for Hector’s dolphin
Many species of marine top-predator have ‘hotspots’ in their distribution. Hotspots can be defined as areas within the distribution of a population that are used disproportionately more than other locations. Usually ... -
Dynamics of faecal contamination in the Waikouaiti estuary and implications for non-commercial harvest
For many New Zealand catchments, rainfall-induced faecal contamination is a primary mechanism for introducing gastro bacterial pathogens into shellfish harvesting environments. Bivalves have the ability to accumulate ... -
Factors affecting recruitment of farmed greenshell mussels, Perna canaliculus (Gmelin) 1791, in Marlborough Sounds
Greenshell mussels, Perna canaliculus, are cultured in New Zealand using wild spat sourced from two areas. One of these is the Marlborough Sounds marine farming area where specially designed spat-catching ropes are provided ... -
Population biology and the effects of tourism on Hector's Dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori), in Porpoise Bay, NZ
A small population of Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand, attracts a single commercial dolphin-watch vessel as well as an increasing number of swimmers who enter the water from the ... -
Social organisation, behaviour and population parameters of Bottlenose Dolphins in Doubtful Sound, Fiordland
Bottlenose dolphins in Doubtful Sound represent a unique opportunity for a relatively longterm study of wild, known individuals near the southern extent of their worldwide range, and unaffected by incidental mortality. In ... -
Responses to climate change of the sea urchin (Pseudechinus sp.) and sea star (Odontaster validus) through hybridisation, local adaptations and transgenerational plasticity
Climate change, through ocean warming and ocean acidification, can affect the life cycles and population dynamics of marine species, which react by developing acclimation mechanisms. Sea urchins (Pseudechinus sp.) may ... -
Bryozoan thickets on Otago shelf, New Zealand
A bryozoan-dominated benthic community on the Otago continental shelf (45° 50’ S, 170° 50’ E) has been the subject of a number of earlier studies. Although previous studies have helped define the nature of benthic communities ... -
Exchange of nutrients from Big Glory Bay, Stewart Island
Big Glory bay is a semi-enclosed bay located in the south-east of Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island. The bay has been used for commercial sea cage rearing of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Walbaum) since 1981 and ...