Harbours, bays and estuaries
Plants and animals that live in our estuaries have adapted to a constantly changing environment based on the tidal cycles, as well as the freshwater and sediment (material like soil and plant matter) that comes from the surrounding land.
Teachers resource: Harbours, bays and estuaries
Gives an introduction to the student resources, provides a glossary and links, provides possible activities for teachers to give students, teachers notes, links to curriculum.
Student resources
In these brochures three scientists answer questions about some of the plants and animals that depend on our estuaries for at least part of their life cycle.
Getting muddy with cockles
MAF scientist Richard Ford answers these questions:
- What are cockles?
- How to they eat?
- Where do they live?
- Do cockles have predators?
- How old do they live to be?
- What impact do humans have on cockle numbers?
Whitebait in our waters
DOC scientist Dave West answers these questions:
- What are whitebait? What do they grow up to be?
- Can you desribe the life cycle of galaxiids?
- What do adult galaxiids eat?
- Why are clean streams important to galaxiids?
- How do we affect their habitat by what we do on the land?
Our prized snapper
Ecologist Mark Morrison answers these questions:
- How are snapper born?
- Can you give an example of an important snapper nursery?
- Are there ways to restore some estuaries that may have been good snapper nurseries?
- What other snapper research are you involved with?
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Publication information
Developed by the Ministry of Fisheries and the Department of Conservation.
Written by Shelley Farr Biswell, Teacher resource developed and written by Sue Clement.
Online ISBN 978-0-478-11919-4