Author: Alex

Understanding the reproductive cycle of the blue mussels, particularly in a changing climate, will help us design better local and national management strategies for the species and help safeguard the species’ survival.

My family has very strong ties to the ocean, with my parents and grandparents growing up in and around the water. I grew up in Dunedin, and also spent a lot of time in and around the water, whether that was mucking around in boats, competitively sailing, free-diving or just swimming in local bays. I’ve always been fascinated by the ocean and this curiosity blossomed in science class when I started high school. My love of the ocean, combined with my passion for doing science, led me into the marine science field, and I began studying at the University of Otago. As I came through university, a desire to ask questions and find answers grew. This led me to do a masters in marine science.

My research is focussed on the blue mussel and the potential impacts of climate change on this important species. Compared to other regions around the world, little work has been conducted on the blue mussel in New Zealand. As the blue mussel plays such an important role in the ecosystem, it’s important to gather knowledge about this organism. I’m looking at the mussel’s reproductive cycle – how it changes across varying latitudes and with differences in seasonal biochemistry. The second part of my research focuses on examining how different ocean warming scenarios, across varying latitudes, will impact larval survival rates.

Many people have inspired me on my journey so far. My biggest inspiration to work in the field of marine science was my high school science teacher, who had an infectious passion for the ocean and the problems the world is facing, such as climate change. I really enjoyed the subject and become engrossed in what we could do to play our role in helping the planet. Further inspiration has come while at university, seeing the impacts people can make through conducting research.

As a recipient of a Vision Mātauranga scholarship, I really value Māori approaches to conservation and understanding the environment. In particular, I value the holistic way of understanding the environment and the connections between all elements in the ecosystem. Māori approaches, I believe, are important when working in marine ecosystems, which are highly interconnected. I hope my research contributes to a wider understanding of the marine environment in New Zealand, as well as providing another piece of the puzzle for managers of local environments – such as iwi – to make more informed environmental decisions.

A new paper, released as part of the Deep South Challenge project, “Extreme weather, climate change & the EQC,” explores comprehensive EQC data to investigate weather-related claims from 2000-2017, and to observe how weather-related events have translated into financial liabilities for the Crown.

In New Zealand, properties where the owners make weather-related insurance claims through EQC are situated closer to the coast. However, claims are not necessarily associated with higher population growth areas. This can be seen in the high concentration of claims in the northern areas of both islands.

More EQC claims tend to come from locations with higher median incomes. The reasons for this increase in EQC pay-outs associated with higher income households are not yet entirely clear. They could be associated with better access to the system, higher exposure due to location preferences of various income groups, or higher damages caused by higher asset values (e.g. larger homes and larger land housing footprints).

The findings provided in this paper can also be considered in the context of discussions initiated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, which proposes to institute an EQC-like scheme for dealing specifically with sea-level rise and flooding. It may also be useful for ongoing discussions about proposed revisions to the Earthquake Commission Act (1993) and the Insurance Law Reform Act (1985).

This paper is the first in a series. This work ultimately aims to identify the impact of the public insurance for weather events on adaptation and recovery, and to project the financial liability from climate change for the NZ Crown. This paper is only the beginning of insights about the increasing risk that current and future residential areas might face, given the high likelihood of increasing frequency and/or intensity of extreme weather events.

Read the full paper at Motu, here.

Recent flooding on the East Coast has been a timely reminder about the threat of erosion, which is projected to worsen in our changing climate. In this seminar, researcher Shaun Awatere (Manaaki Whenua) will speak about his Vision Mātauranga project on economic modelling and native afforestation on the East Coast.

Māori within the Waiapu catchment on the East Coast have long-term interests in the land they own and manage. Māori are also heavily invested in primary industries. Projected climate change impacts put these interests at risk. 

To help landowners reduce the risks of increased erosion under climate change, and to maximise their revenue, this project – which has only recently concluded – used kaupapa Māori, bio-physical and economic assessment tools to understand and evaluate different land-use decisions.

Alongside landowners, the project identified multiple land-use opportunities with a range of social, economic, environmental and cultural benefits. These included alternative forestry (mānuka, kānuka, tōtara, mataī, puriri, harakeke and kawakawa), horticulture (including honey, olives and olive oil, lemons and hemp) and other business options derived from mātauranga Māori.

Under all future climate change scenarios, research found that re-foresting the land – particularly with indigenous species – would result in a significant reduction of soil erosion for the Waiapu catchment. Significantly, afforestation would also help realise the core values and aspirations of Māori landowners, which include kaitiakitanga (sustainable resource management), manaakitanga (reciprocal obligations) and whakatipu rawa (growing the asset base).

The research presents recommendations for governance arrangements in Te Tairāwhiti, policy recommendations (including for the Ministry of Primary Industries and the Gisborne District Council), recommendations for Māori landowners, and recommendations for working with Māori to address climate issues. 

This research project was a partnership between Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, SCION and He Oranga mō ngā Uri Tuku Iho Trust. 

About the presenter

Shaun Awatere (Ngāti Porou) is a resource economist for Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research in Hamilton. He has been working to improve the incorporation of Mātauranga Māori into local government planning by developing the systems and processes that will enable Māori values to be integrated into urban design and development.

Physical hubs: 

Please note, all NIWA visitors must sign in on arrival.

• Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, Hamilton*
• NIWA Hamilton: Reception Meeting Room
• NIWA Auckland: Seminar Room
• NIWA Lauder: Computer Room
• NIWA Christchurch: Hautere Room
• University of Otago: Room 229, Science III building
• University of Canterbury: Room 411, Law Building
• Massey University: Manawatū campus, Library Research Collaboration, Room Lib2.45

*Our speaker will be presenting from here

We encourage you to set up your own hub and bring friends and colleagues together to participate in the seminar. Please let us know if you do set up your own hub.

Email: [email protected]

Our Vision Mātauranga programme has recently awarded four Masters scholarships in research that will help achieve Vision Mātauranga goals.

Scholarship recipient Sam Heenan (Ngāi Tahu), studying at the University of Otago, describes his research into the impact of climate change on New Zealand’s iconic Bluff Oyster.

I always wanted to move to Dunedin for university, well before I knew what I wanted to study. At high school I enjoyed biology subjects, so I looked at what there was to study in that area at Otago. I decided to major in Aquaculture and Fisheries, as I’m a keen fisherman and diver, and have always been interested in fish populations. I never saw myself doing scientific research, but I found the practical aspects of the course really interesting, and I got on very well with classmates and staff.

This led me to a decision to do my master’s in marine science, researching Bluff Oysters. The research is very hands-on, and it’s rewarding to contribute knowledge to an iconic commercial species.

I’ve always had a natural desire to learn more about the ecosystem. My experience fishing and diving in the outdoors means I’ve always wanted to know more about the species I’m targeting, as it helped me catch more! Sustainably harvesting these natural resources is important to me, so that they can be preserved for the benefit of the future. More knowledge is often needed in order for management to make the correct decisions around conserving our resources, and it’s rewarding to contribute science towards this.

I’m looking at the reproductive cycle and condition of the Bluff Oyster, and how this is affected by temperature and infection by the Bonamia parasite, during the course of the year. It is important to learn more about reproduction, as breeding determines the future health of the population. Oyster breeding is known to be closely in tune with yearly temperature cycles, and more knowledge about these links is needed to predict how warming oceans may impact the production of oysters in the future. Currently, a major problem in Bluff Oysters is infection by the Bonamia parasite. My research involves looking at how the parasite may affect oyster reproduction. Future management may need to consider how infection rates are altered in a changing climate, and more knowledge around interactions with the parasite is needed.

The Bluff Oyster has long been an iconic commercial and cultural species in New Zealand. Ngāi Tahu holds a significant portion of quota in the Bluff Oyster fishery. I hope that learning more about oyster reproduction, which is a key aspect in determining future population levels, may help an important Māori business to continue sustainable operations. 

In general, I hope my research will contribute more understanding to assist in future fisheries management. The Bonamia parasite is a threat to both aquaculture and the oyster fishery. More knowledge about how the parasite affects oyster breeding and condition may help to more effectively manage the disease. In addition, learning more about the links between temperature, breeding and infection may provide insight into the health of the population in a changing climate.

Our Vision Mātauranga programme has recently awarded four Masters scholarships in research that will help achieve Vision Mātuaranga goals.

Scholarship recipient Raiatea Barlow Kameta (Ngāitai, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Maniapoto, Waikato Tainui, Whakatōhea), studying at Victoria University of Wellington, describes her research into the impact of flooding and climate change on her marae at Marokopa, in the Waikato.

“Kia mau tonu ki tēnā, kia mau ki te kawau mārō. Whanake ake! Whanake ake.” —Ngāti Maniapoto whakataukī

When I was first taught about climate change, I was amazed that this big blue ball we live on was really a constantly changing system of bits and pieces. I really liked the idea that all these “spheres” interacted with and responded to one another at vast and minute spatial and temporal scales. Doing a geology and geography degree, I learned about Earth’s 4.5 billion-year history. One of the most important lessons for me has been that the Earth was here billions of years before us, and will be still be here after we’re gone. We are the renters, not the owners. Looking at the geology side of the equation was a great way for me to start my university experience, because it gives context – frames the issue.

Anthropogenic climate change is a huge change to the natural cycles of climate, and you can’t fake that kind of evidence, it’s literally “in stone” (or ice and sediments!). I knew I wanted to do something around climate change, but I wanted to focus on the present. Having seen the devastation caused by last year’s flooding across the country, I knew flooding research was something I was interested in scientifically, and passionate about, and that it would also hopefully benefit people in a tangible way.

My research aims to model, using something called the Land Utilisation and Capability Indicator (LUCI), the impact climate change will have on flooding at Marokopa (in the Waikato). I wanted a project that was close to home, and that would produce results that were useful for my people. Marokopa marae, a marae of one of my iwi (Ngāti Maniapoto), is at a higher risk of flooding because of how close it is to the ocean, the impact of erosion in the area and how climate is expected to change in the region.

In the course of the research, we start by building up a historical record of flooding which, along with data gathered through research and field work around the topography, geology, soil, erosion, land use, marine influence and rainfall, will be put into our model. This framework then shows how future climate change will affect the amount and timing of water passing through the landscape, from rainfall in the upper catchment, to groundwater saturation and sea level rise. We hope to provide mapping of where flooding and erosion will happen in future, specifically around the marae, so that we can better prepare for it in the present.

Who are the people responsible for my love of learning? My parents, both of whom are incredibly smart and supportive. My grandparents had a very grounded, connected knowledge of their people, for which I have absolute respect and admiration. I have had so many excellent teachers, and am so grateful for where their teachings have led me. Inspiration has come from lots of places. I think, being Māori, I have an awareness about and a need to look at topics from different perspectives. This was a large driving force behind wanting to learn – I was really curious about the world. Research is just an extension of learning, a practical application per se.

Both sides of my family have strong role models, who are or were extremely passionate about their work, and who have given so much time to their loved ones and communities. Whether it be tribunal claims or poukai rounds, they have a dedication and drive to give something back. Growing up around that kind of focus, strength and dedication has given me a push to do something worthwhile. To find something that I was passionate about, but that was also needed. University was the place for me, I think, because I wanted to learn, and I knew I needed to grow up and into a more independent person. Being away from home has been hard at times, but I think that’s the only way you can really find out what you can do. The opportunities here at university are endless, so that was the place for me to go!

If, as a result of this research, stakeholders and leaders make better decisions for our environment, that would be the ultimate achievement. Still, in terms of a science and passion-project, if one person saw this study and wanted to learn more about climate change, or science in general, that would probably, personally, be even better.

We’re currently seeking applications for the role of Programme Leader, Impacts and Implications for the Deep South National Science Challenge.

Expressions of interest are being sought for the role of Programme Leader for the Impacts and Implications Programme of the Deep South Challenge. The Programme Leader is a member of our Science Leadership Team (SLT).

The Challenge undertakes and coordinates research to achieve its mission of  “enabling New Zealanders to anticipate, adapt, manage risk, and thrive in a changing climate.” The Challenge is currently approaching the end of our first funding phase and has coordinated research and engagement across its five key programmes: Engagement; Vision Mātauranga; Impacts and Implications (I&I); Earth System Modelling & Prediction and Processes & Observations.

The I&I Programme Leader provides critical science and planning support to the Deep South Challenge. You will draw on your extensive knowledge and research networks (both national and international) to ensure the I&I research programme contributes to the wider Challenge mission. You will work closely with the Deep South Challenge team to ensure I&I research is integrated within the Challenge, and will strengthen and develop relationships with stakeholders, end users, other research providers and other research programmes, including the other National Science Challenges.

The I&I programme currently includes 14 research projects, with many dependencies between them. Research ranges from physical impacts (e.g. climate impacts on hydrology) to impacts on people and economic systems (e.g. climate change impacts on land-use suitability), and includes research into adaptation options (e.g. applications of real options analysis to water storage). Part of the Programme Leader role involves supporting individual research projects to ensure they are effectively contracted and delivered, as well as facilitating collaborations between projects. This position is also responsible for overseeing the work of the Partnerships Director, who leads our tailored engagement programme. This is done in conjunction with the Engagement programme leader.

The successful applicant will have the exciting opportunity to be part of the process to define our research in the second phase. We therefore require a strategic thinker, who can operate effectively as part of a team and assist in pulling together multidisciplinary research teams. 

Up to 0.3 FTE is available for this position, for an appointment to June 2019, with the expectation of extension, providing the Challenge is successful in securing funding for Phase 2 (2019 – 2024).

The SLT is led by the Challenge Director and comprises the Challenge Manager, and one programme leader for each of the five Challenge Programmes. The Director reports to the Deep South Board. Our other advisory groups include the Kāhui Māori, Independent Science Panel and the Representative User Group.

Please submit your CV together with a covering letter outlining your experience and interest in the role to [email protected] by no later than 5 pm Monday 9 July. For more information regarding this position, contact the Challenge Director, Dr Mike Williams: [email protected] | +64-4-386-0389

A new modeling tool developed as part of the Deep South National Science Challenge is revealing fresh insights into Southern Ocean eddies and their influence on global climate.    

Using the New Zealand Earth System Model (NZESM) as a starting point, Wellington-based NIWA ocean modeler Erik Behrens has developed a ‘nested model’ which can resolve mesoscale (intermediate-size) eddies in greater detail than ever before.  

Mesoscale eddies are an important part of the big picture of ocean modeling because they transport properties such as heat and nutrients around the ocean. The Southern Ocean is a hot-bed of eddie activity – especially in and around the Ross and Amundsen Seas.    

With traditional ocean modelling, the globe is divided into small rectangles – each measuring 1 degree (or 100km) across. The grids also have vertical levels to account for processes happening below the surface.   

Up until now, models like the NZESM haven’t been able to explicitly model ocean eddies. But thanks to a technique called local grid refinement, Erik has obtained crystal clear resolution 1/15° (2–3km) over the Ross and Amundsen Seas.             

It’s still early days for Erik’s new nested model, with some test simulations having been run. Next steps are to validate the model and consider research opportunities afforded by the higher resolution.   

Researchers, for example, are expected to be able to use the new set-up to model surface properties in finer detail and better investigate bottom water changes such as temperature and salinity.  

Erik gave an overview of the new, nested grid model during a recent Deep South Challenge seminar. A recording can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JktkYpH0Scc.

It’s with sadness we announce Dr Suzi Kerr’s decision to step down from her role as Science Lead of our Impacts and Implications programme.

Suzi developed this ground-breaking research programme, and we now have 14 climate impacts and adaptation research projects underway. She initiated our successful research co-creation Dialogues, which have already seen the Challenge make headway on the issues of water infrastructure; insurance; and community resilience in a changing climate. (We’re thrilled with the success of the recent Drought Dialogue, and that Suzi will continue to be involved with the Transport Dialogue, coming up shortly.) Suzi has built and empowered a significant climate adaptation research community, which has end users at its centre. Suzi has also helped Challenge researchers to develop the flow and form of climate information between our programmes and research projects. 

Suzi was recently appointed a member of the Interim Climate Change Committee. This adds to Suzi’s other roles as founder and Senior Fellow at Motu Economic and Public Policy Research, Principal Investigator in Te Pūnaha Matatini (a centre of research excellence focused on networks and complex systems), and Adjunct Professor at Victoria University of Wellington. She is a member of Air New Zealand’s Sustainability Panel, and president of the Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society. 

We will shortly be calling for Expressions of Interest for the role of Science Lead, Impacts and Implications. In the meantime, we want to extend our thanks for Suzi’s hard work leading the I&I programme and her championing of climate adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Early last month, the Deep South Challenge, with support from the now-disassembled NZ Climate Change Centre (NZCCC), hosted a climate ambassadors workshop in Wellington. The aim of the workshop was to support and develop a community of skilled and influential climate ambassadors who can champion an informed climate adaptation agenda in policy and research.

The workshop was the first of four planned around the country and developed to have a specific focus on climate research and decision-making processes in local and regional government. Forty-five participants from around the country arrived for the one-day workshop, featuring presentations from our expert panel of Stephen Daysh, Judy Lawrence, Wendy Saunders, Iain Dawe and Andrew Tait. We also extend our thanks to Teanau Tuiono for his seamless facilitation.

After some morning networking, Stephen Daysh kicked off with with a keynote presentation on the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazard Strategy 2120. This was followed by lightning talks by the expert panel on climate change adaptation, impacts, engagement and implications. The workshop was designed to maximise conversations between all participants, to share knowledge and experience, to identify opportunities for change, and for participants to see how they might champion this change within their organisations, sectors and communities.

The broad range of attendees, and their enthusiastic collaboration with each other, meant that the workshop was valuable, both for the Challenge, and hopefully for the attendees themselves.

Results of the evaluation survey suggest that the workshop allowed for improved connections to relevant experts within climate change adaptation, impacts and implications. Stephen Daysh’s presentation provided a clear and concise case study for attendees to reference as they develop their own organisational strategies.

The group unanimously agreed that a connected network of climate ambassadors is needed, obtainable and would make a positive difference. Other feedback suggested there would be value in more hands-on learning opportunities for local government practitioners, including with reference to successful case studies such as in the Hawkes Bay. In the meantime, we’d like to draw your attention to the upcoming two-day Climate Change and Local Government Forum hosted by SOLGM and sponsored by the Deep South Challenge. More details can be found here.

We are now beginning planning for our workshops to be held later this year in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. If you’re interested in attending one of these workshops, or in shaping the content of these workshops, please contact [email protected].

You can read through the findings of the event survey here:

The oceans are the largest ecosystem on our planet, with complex physical and bio-geochemical interaction between the atmosphere, sea ice and ice shelves. Oceans are the main storage for human-produced heat and carbon. At the same, oceans have the ability to redistribute heat and carbon both across large distances and over time, which makes them the key component in the climate system. 

Our understanding of the oceans has improved substantially in recent decades, thanks largely to satellite and Argo observations (a global network of ocean floats). Models are still (and will always be) necessary to fill data gaps, to put observations into a larger spatial and temporal context, and to forecast future changes. 

The ocean model in our New Zealand Earth System Model (NZESM) is based on the NEMO and MEDUSA models, and can be used to model past, present and future conditions. 

This presentation will include a brief introduction into the NEMO model and to the model configuration (eORCA1) which is used in NZESM. It will also focus on recent NEMO applications and scientific research using nesting (grid refinement) techniques within NEMO. Within the Deep South Challenge, a new model has been developed which uses nests to obtain a 1/15° resolution over the Ross and Amundsen Seas. In this way we can investigate how model resolution influences the spreading of Antarctic Bottom Water from these regions.

Finally, we will be presenting results on the recent NZ marine heat wave, demonstrating that subsurface heat transport plays an important role in the years-to-decades occurrence of marine heat waves in the Tasman Sea. 

About the presenter

Erik Behrens (NIWA) studied physical oceanography in Kiel, GEOMAR, Germany and obtained his Diploma in 2008 by investigating the Indonesian Throughflow. He continued as a PhD at the GEOMAR, researching the effects of increased melting of the Greenland ice sheet on the Atlantic Ocean. He then began work at NIWA, where his research focus has shifted towards the Southern Ocean and investigating coupled earth system models.

Physical hubs:

Please note, all NIWA visitors must sign in on arrival.

• NIWA Wellington: Conference Room*
• NIWA Auckland: Seminar Room
• NIWA Lauder: Computer Room
• NIWA Hamilton: C-Block Meeting Room
• NIWA Christchurch: Tekapo Seminar Room
• Victoria University of Wellington: LABY Lecture Theatre 118
• University of Canterbury: Room 411, Law Building
• University of Otago: Room 229, Science III building

*Our speaker will be presenting from this hub.

We encourage you to set up your own hub and bring friends and colleagues together to participate in the seminar. Please let us know if you do set up your own hub.

Email: [email protected]