Regional estuary monitoring programme (REMP) data report: Benthic macrofauna communities and sediments - July 2002 to April 2004: Southern Firth of Thames and Whaingaroa (Raglan) harbour

TR 2006/27
  1. Services »
  2. Publications »
  3. TR2006/27

Report: TR06/27

Author: Malene Felsing, Nathan Singleton and Bronwen Gibberd

Abstract

In April 2001, Environment Waikato initiated the Regional Estuary Monitoring Programme (REMP) at permanent monitoring sites in the southern Firth of Thames and Whaingaroa (Raglan) Harbour. The REMP is a long-term programme that monitors the temporal changes in intertidal sediment characteristics and benthic macrofauna communities which may occur as a direct or indirect consequence of catchment activity and/or estuary development. This report presents the sediment monitoring results and a suite of 26 'indicator' taxa characteristic of the intertidal benthic communities. It is envisaged that the REMP will provide relevant information useful in setting policy and assisting with the sustainable management of estuaries in the Waikato region.

This report documents the data found from 2 years of the monitoring programme. Detailed discussion and analysis of trends or patterns of change over time in the benthic macrofaunal communities will be reported on every 5 years in a separate trend report series for the Regional Estuary Monitoring Programme.

Regional Estuary Monitoring Programme (REMP) Data Report: Benthic Macrofauna Communities and Sediments - July 2002 to April 2004: Southern Firth of Thames and Whaingaroa (Raglan) Harbour [PDF, 1.5 MB]