Indigenous biodiversity
General
What is indigenous?
Indigenous species include migratory species that travel from New Zealand to other parts of the world to either breed or feed. Albatrosses and many species of petrels, for example, breed in colonies on land in New Zealand. When they have finished breeding, they travel to feed in oceans in other parts of the world, often thousands of kilometres from New Zealand. In contrast, the Arctic waders breed in the northern hemisphere and travel south to spend summer feeding in New Zealand when it is winter in the Arctic.
Many indigenous marine and some freshwater species also travel to and from New Zealand waters. Humpback whales pass through New Zealand waters on their way north from their summer feeding grounds in the Antarctic to their winter breeding grounds near Tonga. Long- and short-finned eels travel from New Zealand waterways 5000 kilometres into the Pacific to breed, returning as larvae drifting on currents.
Recent arrivals that have reached New Zealand without human intervention are also considered to be indigenous species. An example is the welcome swallow, which was first noticed breeding near Kaitaia in 1958 and has since spread throughout much of the country. Plants are also still arriving naturally. An example is a tongue orchid (Cryptostylis subulata),which arrived recently from Australia by wind on the high altitude jet stream. Tongue orchids have been able to establish in Northland swamps because the specific Australian wasp they need for pollination has also arrived here.
return to indigenous/endemic – overview
What is endemic?
New Zealand’s endemic species include birds that breed only in New Zealand, but which may disperse to other countries in the non-breeding season or as sub-adults. Examples of New Zealand endemic birds are kiwi, kokako and royal albatross. Endemic species are of high conservation importance as they are unique to our country and only the protection of their natural habitat in New Zealand can ensure their survival.
return to indigenous/endemic – overview
Ecosystem services
The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy describes ecosystem services as:
“The free ‘services’ such as clean air and water that are provided by healthy ecosystems are often taken for granted. Although New Zealand’s land-based primary production (such as farming, forestry and horticulture) is based on introduced species, its success relies on natural biological systems…
“A 1997 study by Massey University economists suggested that the total annual value provided by New Zealand’s native biodiversity to the country’s economy could be more than twice the value of our gross domestic product. They estimated the annual value of native biodiversity on land in 1994 at $46 billion, and valued marine ecosystem services at $184 billion – a total of $230 billion a year. By comparison, New Zealand’s gross domestic product that year was $84 billion.
“Scientists believe that possible uses of our native biodiversity that may lead to new economic opportunities – such as new medicines – have still to be discovered.
“Protecting biodiversity can be likened to buying an insurance policy because it keeps our options open. Biodiversity is vital for the ‘clean and green’ image that supports our primary producers and tourism industry, as well as our growing film industry.”
;return to ecosystem services – overview
