Bioblitz 2010
Bioblitz brings the environment alive for people in many ways. Young and old are fascinated, horrified and enchanted by what they discover and may never have imagined.
BioBlitz is a scientific race against time, with the goal to count as many species as possible in a 24-hour survey. And, this year the location was in the heart of New Zealand’s largest city, at Auckland Domain. The emphasis is on recording the total number of species, and naming as many of these as possible. BioBlitz is a unique opportunity for scientists, students and the public to experience the vast array of species (biodiversity) living in an urban reserve. It is rare for so many different types of biologists to be able to work together in the same place, at the same time and on the same project. Participants included science colleagues from many organisations in addition to Landcare Research biosystematists and other staff, hosted by and using the facilities of Auckland Museum. We were grateful to the Hon. Wayne Mapp, Minister of Research, Science & Technology, and to our Board Chair Jo Brosnahan for opening the event, and to Board member Vicky Taylor for officiating at the close.
Organiser Peter Buchanan says BioBlitz is aimed at allowing the public to engage with scientists and for people to learn more about different life forms (fauna, flora and fungi) that occur in a city and more specifically in reserves or remnants of native bush.
It’s also hoped that the event inspires children to take an ongoing interest in biology, and make many people more aware of the importance of biodiversity. After all, 2010 is International Year of Biodiversity, and has the tag line ‘biodiversity is life; biodiversity is our life’
2010 is the second time that a BioBlitz has been conducted in the Auckland Domain. The last event in 2005 found about 1,780 species in the 24-hour period; this year again over 1,700 species were recorded.
BioBlitz brings the environment alive for people in many ways. Young and old are fascinated, horrified and enchanted by what they discover and may never have imagined. A full programme of guided walks, demonstrations and hands-on activities is available and night-time events of light-trapping moths and a torchlight spider-spotting tour were particularly exciting, organiser Judy Grindell says.
‘Despite being way past bed-time for many littlies, there were no grizzles and grumbles...just lots of excitement at seeing thrillingly-large vagrant spiders out hunting and menacingly-large tunnel web spiders poised at the entrances of their tunnels, eyes gleaming in the torchlight. Some kids were finally bribed into going home with “we’ll come back again tomorrow”,’ she says.
BioBlitz provides a snapshot of the biodiversity present and helps to measure the health of our local environment, including awareness of unwanted pests and weeds. The information gathered is an important asset for the future management of the area, both for protecting native biodiversity and in setting priorities for managing invasive species.
New records and specimens are added to the appropriate databases and collections maintained by Landcare Research and the Auckland Museum.