Research project underway adjacent to Wairoa Stream track

Those of you who regularly walk along the track may have noticed the Kerikeri High School activity in some areas adjacent to the track.

Some senior students are undertaking invertebrate identification work as part of a Science Fair Project.

Their aim is to find out how the Invertebrate Community living in the Tradescantia (Wandering Jew) compares with that found living in the native ground cover.

The students have earlier released a 'knobbly beetle' into areas of Tradescantia to see if this natural form of weed control can be successful. Early results are promising and you can follow their efforts on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/tterminatorsKKHS/

We covered the mock court that the group held in an article in November 2017. This was the justification stage of the project prior to any release of beetles. One of the questions raised at that mock EPA court was; if removal Tradescantia is successful, will that adversely effect any native species of invertebrate that has made it’s home there? The current survey aims to answer that question.

The High School provided these images of the student research activity in some of the the areas of Tradescantia along the stream.