Difference between revisions of "Fish Food Fringes"

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{{Project information Infobox
 
{{Project information Infobox
|Logo=[[File:fish fringes banner composition cropped.png{{!}}thumb]]
+
|Logo=fish fringes banner composition cropped.png
|Project=Fish Food and Fringes
+
|Project=Fish Food Fringes
 
|Group name=MAIN Trust NZ
 
|Group name=MAIN Trust NZ
|Topic=Sustainability, Natural history
+
|Topic=Natural history
|School sessions=yes
+
|Resources online=yes
|Level=Intermediate, High School
+
|Level=Primary, Intermediate, High School
 +
|Phil Bendle pages=Insects
 
|Web address=https://main.net.nz
 
|Web address=https://main.net.nz
 +
|Location=Rotokare, Taranaki
 
}}
 
}}
== Project Overview ==
+
==Project Overview==
 
'Fish Food Fringes' is a Participatory Science Project with Curious Minds, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.  
 
'Fish Food Fringes' is a Participatory Science Project with Curious Minds, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.  
  
 
MAIN Trust partnered with Rotokare Scenic Reserve, Hawera High School, Ngaere School and Rawhitiroa School to assess the restoration work on Taranaki’s riparian margins and in wetland ecosystems. Students monitored two sites for invertebrates and vegetation and recorded environmental factors with assistance from ‘[https://www.brightsparks.org.nz/ Bright Sparks]’, the technology training organisation. The project seeks to generate biodiversity records to measure changes over time, an important factor in gauging the success of habitat restoration. Students worked alongside restoration practitioners and learned about the important work that is being done to restore these riparian sites.
 
MAIN Trust partnered with Rotokare Scenic Reserve, Hawera High School, Ngaere School and Rawhitiroa School to assess the restoration work on Taranaki’s riparian margins and in wetland ecosystems. Students monitored two sites for invertebrates and vegetation and recorded environmental factors with assistance from ‘[https://www.brightsparks.org.nz/ Bright Sparks]’, the technology training organisation. The project seeks to generate biodiversity records to measure changes over time, an important factor in gauging the success of habitat restoration. Students worked alongside restoration practitioners and learned about the important work that is being done to restore these riparian sites.
  
Restoration of ecosystems and pest control is a big focus in Taranaki. There is little knowledge of the invertebrates present in riparian zones (vegetation adjacent to freshwater), as these are typically monitored in terms of water quality. What we don’t know is how important are they for the terrestrial fauna. Although we know the importance of invertebrates in ecosystems and functioning, such as pollination, soil formation, productivity, decomposition, pest-population regulation, as well as invertebrates being a vital food source for many native species, we still don’t tend to monitor invertebrate biodiversity.
+
Restoration of ecosystems and pest control is a big focus in Taranaki. There is little knowledge of the invertebrates present in riparian zones (vegetation adjacent to freshwater), as these are typically monitored in terms of water quality. What we don’t know is how important are they for the terrestrial fauna. Although we know the importance of invertebrates in ecosystems and functioning, such as pollination, soil formation, productivity, decomposition, pest-population regulation, as well as invertebrates being a vital food source for many native species, we still don’t tend to monitor invertebrate biodiversity. Climate change may be an important factor influencing insect populations.
  
 
The 'Fish Food Fringes' project sees the development of a simple monitoring package targeted around invertebrates as a measure of successful restoration and pest control in riparian areas.
 
The 'Fish Food Fringes' project sees the development of a simple monitoring package targeted around invertebrates as a measure of successful restoration and pest control in riparian areas.
Line 19: Line 21:
 
The aim is to do this using a participatory programme that involves local schools. The goal was to develop simple techniques for invertebrate monitoring of areas that are identified as significant / important in the 'Restore Taranaki' initiative, and could be monitored by schools (or community groups) elsewhere. Facilitating the participation of high school students in these monitoring activities provided students with the opportunity to learn several valuable skills, get a taste of science at a higher level, and see how knowledge of biology can partner with electronics and IT technologies ([[Internet of Things, IoT|the Internet of Things)]] to provide invaluable information about our natural world.
 
The aim is to do this using a participatory programme that involves local schools. The goal was to develop simple techniques for invertebrate monitoring of areas that are identified as significant / important in the 'Restore Taranaki' initiative, and could be monitored by schools (or community groups) elsewhere. Facilitating the participation of high school students in these monitoring activities provided students with the opportunity to learn several valuable skills, get a taste of science at a higher level, and see how knowledge of biology can partner with electronics and IT technologies ([[Internet of Things, IoT|the Internet of Things)]] to provide invaluable information about our natural world.
  
== Gallery of research sites ==
+
{{#display_map:
 +
  Rotokare,Taranaki,New Zealand~Rotokare Scenic Reserve~Lakeside~File:red-marker.png;
 +
  Nowell's Lakes,Hawera,Taranaki,New Zealand~Nowell's Lakes~Nowell's Lakes survey site~File:green-marker.png
 +
|height=600px
 +
|width=800px
 +
}}
 +
==Gallery of research sites==
  
 
<gallery mode="packed">
 
<gallery mode="packed">
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</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
== Gallery of activities ==
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==Gallery of activities==
 
<gallery mode="packed-hover" caption="Collecting insects and monitoring the environment at Rotokare">
 
<gallery mode="packed-hover" caption="Collecting insects and monitoring the environment at Rotokare">
 
File:FFF-DSC 3024.jpg
 
File:FFF-DSC 3024.jpg
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File:FFF-DSC 3072.jpg
 
File:FFF-DSC 3072.jpg
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
== Resources ==
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==Resources==
  
#[http://www.datamap.co.nz/education/course/view.php?id=7 Visit the 'MAIN Moodle' our education site] with the project details and more information, activities for students, and resources for teachers. Useful information from how to make a pitfall trap, an identification guide and the results.
+
#[http://www.datamap.co.nz/education/course/view.php?id=7 Visit the 'MAIN Moodle' our education site] with the project details and more information, activities for students, and resources for teachers. Useful information from how to make a pitfall trap, an identification guide and the results.
#[[:File:FFF all raw data invertebrate traps.xlsx|The raw data]] - for details and available to graph or map yourself.  
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#[[:File:FFF all raw data invertebrate traps.xlsx|The raw data]] - for details and available to graph or map yourself.
#[//citscihub.s3.amazonaws.com/Results_DataPlotly_2020_01_12.pdf Fish Food and Fringes results] The results - two survey sites compared using GIS and DataPlotly  
+
#[//citscihub.s3.amazonaws.com/Results_DataPlotly_2020_01_12.pdf Fish Food and Fringes results] The results - two survey sites compared using GIS and DataPlotly
  
== References ==
+
==References==
  
#Department of Conservation: [https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/science-and-technical/inventory-monitoring/im-toolbox-invertebrates-invertebrate-identification-aids.pdf Invertebrates: Identification aids]  
+
#Department of Conservation: [https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/science-and-technical/inventory-monitoring/im-toolbox-invertebrates-invertebrate-identification-aids.pdf Invertebrates: Identification aids]
 
#Maanaki Whenua Landcare Research: [https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/tools-and-resources/identification/freshwater-invertebrates-guide/ Freshwater invertebrates]
 
#Maanaki Whenua Landcare Research: [https://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/tools-and-resources/identification/freshwater-invertebrates-guide/ Freshwater invertebrates]
 +
 
[[Category:Curious Minds]]
 
[[Category:Curious Minds]]
 
[[Category:Citizen Science Projects]]
 
[[Category:Citizen Science Projects]]

Latest revision as of 11:40, 1 September 2021

Fish Food Fringes
Image fish fringes banner composition cropped.png
Project Fish Food Fringes
Group MAIN Trust NZ
Topic Natural history
Resources online yes
School sessions
Level Primary, Intermediate, High School
Phil Bendle pages Insects
Web address https://main.net.nz
Location Rotokare, Taranaki

Project Overview[edit | edit source]

'Fish Food Fringes' is a Participatory Science Project with Curious Minds, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

MAIN Trust partnered with Rotokare Scenic Reserve, Hawera High School, Ngaere School and Rawhitiroa School to assess the restoration work on Taranaki’s riparian margins and in wetland ecosystems. Students monitored two sites for invertebrates and vegetation and recorded environmental factors with assistance from ‘Bright Sparks’, the technology training organisation. The project seeks to generate biodiversity records to measure changes over time, an important factor in gauging the success of habitat restoration. Students worked alongside restoration practitioners and learned about the important work that is being done to restore these riparian sites.

Restoration of ecosystems and pest control is a big focus in Taranaki. There is little knowledge of the invertebrates present in riparian zones (vegetation adjacent to freshwater), as these are typically monitored in terms of water quality. What we don’t know is how important are they for the terrestrial fauna. Although we know the importance of invertebrates in ecosystems and functioning, such as pollination, soil formation, productivity, decomposition, pest-population regulation, as well as invertebrates being a vital food source for many native species, we still don’t tend to monitor invertebrate biodiversity. Climate change may be an important factor influencing insect populations.

The 'Fish Food Fringes' project sees the development of a simple monitoring package targeted around invertebrates as a measure of successful restoration and pest control in riparian areas.

The aim is to do this using a participatory programme that involves local schools. The goal was to develop simple techniques for invertebrate monitoring of areas that are identified as significant / important in the 'Restore Taranaki' initiative, and could be monitored by schools (or community groups) elsewhere. Facilitating the participation of high school students in these monitoring activities provided students with the opportunity to learn several valuable skills, get a taste of science at a higher level, and see how knowledge of biology can partner with electronics and IT technologies (the Internet of Things) to provide invaluable information about our natural world.

Loading map...

Gallery of research sites[edit | edit source]

Gallery of activities[edit | edit source]

Resources[edit | edit source]

  1. Visit the 'MAIN Moodle' our education site with the project details and more information, activities for students, and resources for teachers. Useful information from how to make a pitfall trap, an identification guide and the results.
  2. The raw data - for details and available to graph or map yourself.
  3. Fish Food and Fringes results The results - two survey sites compared using GIS and DataPlotly

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Department of Conservation: Invertebrates: Identification aids
  2. Maanaki Whenua Landcare Research: Freshwater invertebrates