Suspended sediment (SS) is a major stressor to coastal marine ecosystems worldwide, with SS loads expected to increase under future anthropogenic and climatic pressures. Sponges, as obligate filter feeders, are often assumed to be sensitive to elevated SS, yet responses vary widely among species, and little is known about physiological impacts of SS. Here, we examined the response of the abundant temperate sponge Suberites aus...

Seabed‐contact activities operating in the deep sea can generate sediment plumes that pose varying levels of threat to benthic fauna. Corals are important components of deep‐sea ecosystems and can be particularly sensitive to elevated suspended sediment concentrations. In this study, we exposed colony fragments of the New Zealand deep‐sea scleractinian Goniocorella dumosa to four‐day pulses of four target sediment concentratio...

The native Anguilla australis (shortfin eel) is a culturally significant species for indigenous Māori populations of New Zealand. At Lake Forsyth/Te Wairewa (Canterbury), local Māori have depended on A. australis as a source of mahinga kai (traditional food) for centuries. This lake experiences blooms of Nodularia spumigena and the associated hepatotoxin nodularin has been detected in water samples. This study aimed to determi...

The Cawthron Institute Culture Collection of Micro‐algae (CICCM) is a unique, nationally and internationally significant collection of 450 strains of approximately 100 micro‐algae and 50 cyanobacteria species, both living and cryopreserved. The collection comprises 13 taxonomic classes and underpins research into the ecology and taxonomy of the isolates and the biotoxins they produce and their toxicity. The CICCM expanded sign...

Brown trout ( Salmo trutta ) are known to have effects on multiple trophic levels in New Zealand streams, but their impacts on lower trophic levels are less well understood within lentic systems. We examined the effects of brown trout removal using rotenone on zooplankton and phytoplankton community composition in the Upper Karori Reservoir, New Zealand. Significant shifts were observed in zooplankton and phytoplankton composi...

Lake Omapere, Northland, New Zealand, contributes significant inputs of freshwater to Hokianga Harbour, and is subject to toxic cyanobacterial blooms. During summer 2004, ADDA‐ELISA analysis indicated microcystins were present in Pacific oysters ( Crassostrea gigas ) in Hokianga Harbour, leading to farm closures. Once the bloom had abated, continued detection of low microcystin levels suggested toxin production may be from cya...

The assessment of biological samples is critical for measuring the ‘health’ of New Zealand aquatic environments. Analysis of these samples commonly requires species identification and enumeration, which usually involves microscopy or microbiological methods. These techniques can be time‐consuming, laborious, and are dependent on taxonomic expertise. Recent advances in molecular methods provide promising tools for assessing env...