New species identified at NZ's first wetland Bioblitz
School students have discovered new bacterial species in Aotearoa's first wetland BioBlitz.
In celebration of World Wetlands Day, the 24-hour public science competition to identify the highest number of species in a particular location, took place south of Hamilton within the National Wetland Trusts' predator free site at Lake Rotopiko.
Bev Clarkson - Manaaki Whenua Wetland ecologist:
It's a great opportunity to find out what does live here - what plants, what animals, what invertebrates and fungi and bacteria reside here."
School students didn't hold back from getting their hands dirty.
Searching for species and racing back to have them identified onsite by Manaaki Whenua scientists.
Bev Clarkson - Manaaki Whenua Wetland ecologist:
"from the scientists point of view we are getting some new species - I know there are some new bacterial species that haven't been identified before.
Wetlands or repo, are often referred to as the kidneys of the environment - playing a crucial part in filtering and removing waste.
90 per cent of Aotearoa's wetlands have been lost over the past 150 years.
Rotopiko Bioblitz Coordinator Monica Peters, won the competition to host a Bioblitz.
She says she jumped at the chance of members of the public and school students learning more about our wetlands:
GRAB: Monica Peters Bioblitz Coordinator
"Giving them an opportunity to come out here and not only visit the site but then to engage with scientists as well - it's just brilliant."
And while it's a fun day of hands-on learning for school children and the public, it's also a dream come true for the National Wetlands Trust:
Karen - EXECUTIVE OFFICER - National Wetlands Trust
"So it's not the sort of thing that we could have afforded to do on our own - so to have that gifted to us has allowed us to collect information that we would never have been able to collect in any other way.
The new findings and information collected at the Rotopiko BioBlitz will go to the National Wetland Trust of New Zealand, Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Biological Heritage National Science Challenge, Department of Conservation and Waipa District council.
The BioBlitz was funded by MBIE's Curious Minds programme.
