WWF Shining a spotlight on the biodiversity of ... - MarineNZ.org.nz

Ranfurly Bank
Map ID number:
10
Location: Ranfurly Bank is
located on the continental
shelf, 17km east-north-east of
East Cape.
Approximate area: 17,437km 2
Description of area:
The Bank rises from about 130m depth to a
minimum of 25m and is bathed by the East
Cape Current as it sweeps around the cape
on its southward passage along the North
Island margin. This stong flow, together with
the tides, is liable to inhibit accumulation of
muddy sediment discharged from the nearby
Waiapu River – by far New Zealand’s largest
river in terms of sediment discharge (Lionel
Carter, personal communication 2004).
Biological attributes:
Sampling undertaken so far has revealed
unusual/unexpected distributions.
Observations of this area indicate that there
are endemic species of algae. For example,
Adamsiella lorata is known only from Lottin
Point and A. melchior is known only from
the Three Kings Islands.
Criteria applied:
Endemism.
Status and management:
Not recorded during the workshop
State of information:
Collections that have been made to date are
few. The area warrants closer attention and a
well-structured sampling programme.
References and further reading:
Phillips (2002).
Convergent margin
cold seeps
Map ID number:
11
Location: Convergent margin
cold seeps are found on
the East Coast of the North
Island and the southeast and
southwest coasts of the South
Island.
Approximate area: Not
precisely known. Probably
less than 300km 2 in total
aerial extent for all 13 known
sites. (Area 11 on the map is
6,534km 2 )
Description of area:
Cold seeps are methanogenic and
methylotrophic ecosystems. In buried sea
floor sediments, organic compounds derived
from marine life are chemically altered by
heat, pressure, and bacteria. The compounds
percolate upwards through the sediments to
be released as organic-enriched fluids and
gases, e.g. methane.
Biological attributes:
Methane-rich seeps are home to siboglinid
tubeworms and highly adapted suspensionfeeding
bivalves, most of which are endemic.
Criteria applied:
Endemism; trophic distinctiveness;
adaptation to extreme environment; special
conditions and special organisms.
Status and management:
Not managed.
State of information:
Only the following paper has been published
on New Zealand convergent-margin seeps.
References and further reading:
Lewis and Marshall (1996).
56 ■ BIODIVERSITY – NEW ZEALAND’S MARINE ECOREGION