Biodiversity in New Zealand

As a signatory of many international treaties New Zealand has obligations to address many of the topical ecological issues from climate change (global warming) to the protection of endangered ecosystems and species. The ratification of the Kyoto protocol on the 10th of December 2002 has resulted in government plans to introduce a carbon tax some time after 2007. New Zealand produces between 70 million and 90 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year with about half the emissions coming from sheep and cattle. This has caused a media flurry and widespread outrage from farmers on the controversial “fart tax”. New Zealand is also a signatory on the Convention of Biodiversity (CBD) and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety both of which come into effect on the 11th September 2003. The convention establishes three main goals: The conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of t

• Trees Slow Runoff and Prevent Erosion - The leaves of trees break the force of rain, reducing flooding by helping water percolate into the soil instead of quickly running off. Tree roots also help hold the soil in place on steeper hillsides, preventing erosion and improving water quality.

The flora and fauna of New Zealand evolved in the absence of mammalian predators and have no adaptations to combat predation or competition from introduced species such as possums which eat their way through an estimated 10,000 tonnes of our native forests each night and eat eggs from nests of threatened native birds (source-Landcare research brochure). They can also spread bovine tuberculosis to our economically important dairy herds. Takahe compete poorly with deer who have the upperhand in the takahe’s remaining habitat. Another example of introduced pests is the varroa mite which attacks adult honey bees and their developing larvae. It kills the bees needed to pollinate pastures and crops. Spread of this disease is a major economic threat.

There is currently 200 threatened New Zealand plant such as the mistletoe, a possum favourite along with the pohutakawa.

Some topics in this essay:
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