Shallow coastal lakes in New Zealand: current conditions, catchment-scale human disturbance, and determination of ecological integrity

摘要: We present the results of an effort to develop a national-scale predictive model describe current condition shallow, coastal New Zealand lakes. Comprehensive biological, physical and chemical data from 45 lakes are compared catchment-level disturbance indices (indigenous vegetation loss, nutrient loading, invasive species) derived by Zealand’s Waters National Importance (WoNI) Programme. Few strong relationships were identified, but some general patterns evident: in disturbed catchments tended have higher trophic state, pH, reduced light penetration, lower submerged macrophyte cover, smaller food webs, rotifer diversity, larger proportion introduced fish species. discuss these context “ecological integrity” (EI), subjective descriptor used WoNI other management programmes. A lack historical difficulties quantifying “integrity” remain persistent challenges for linking science with EI. Relationships between measured limnological conditions not enough build predictive, nationally relevant estimating However, we alternative method EI based on expert assessment; assessment was significantly correlated both pressure many variables here.