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New Zealand’s green-lipped mussel industry

Green-lipped mussels are New Zealand’s major aquaculture species. Explore how green-lipped mussels are farmed in New Zealand, the way that the industry has developed and the challenges that ...

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ARTICLE

Farming green-lipped mussels – introduction

Green-lipped mussels (kūtai, Perna canaliculus) are endemic to New Zealand. Discover how these mussels are farmed, and how a tiny parasitic crab affects the mussel industry. New Zealand’s unique ...

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ARTICLE

Counting kākahi

In this Connected article scientist Hannah Rainforth investigates kākahi, Aotearoa New Zealand’s threatened freshwater mussels in the Whanganui River, to find whether the evidence supports claims ...

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ACTIVITY

Similarities and differences: wild and farmed ...

This activity explores the life cycle of green-lipped mussels and encourages students to research the methods by which they are farmed in New Zealand. It provides the opportunity to use a Venn ...

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ACTIVITY

Investigating how pea crabs affect supermarket mussels

In this activity, students observe green-lipped mussels to determine the impact of pea crab infestation on their size and weight. Purpose This activity will enable students to identify key ...

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ACTIVITY

Labelling a cockle/tuangi

The New Zealand cockle, also known as tuaki or tuangi, is endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand’s coastal areas. They are filter feeders and are well adapted to their preferred habitat of soft mud and ...

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CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

Marine Metre Squared

Marine Metre Squared is a New Zealand citizen science project that supports communities to monitor their local seashore. The project has been designed to provide meaningful, valid environmental ...

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CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

iNaturalist

iNaturalist logs hundreds of thousands of photos of flora, fauna and fungi. There are even sound recordings too. Each is described and geo located. iNaturalist is used by citizens and scientists ...

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CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

Big Butterfly Count

This New Zealand-based citizen science project collects data about butterflies in our gardens, schools, parks and farms – any location in the country or on the outer islands. This annual event – ...

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TEACHER PLD

All about insects

In this webinar, join Greta Dromgool as she introduces Tom Saunders and Chrissie Painting – two of Aotearoa New Zealand’s amazing entomologists. Delve into the fascinating world of insects and ...

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TEACHER PLD

Earthworms (upper primary) – unit plan

To most of us, one earthworm resembles another. Although earthworms do have common characteristics, species differ widely in their size, skin colour and in the roles they play in the soil ...

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TEACHER PLD

Learning science from home – middle primary

Take advantage of children’s natural curiosity with the following resources. They require very little equipment – most of it should be in your kitchen or garden. Each topic has wrap-around ...

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Explore related videos

VIDEO

Testing the pheromone hypothesis

Oliver Trottier (Leigh Marine Laboratory) set out to test whether pea crabs use pheromones at mating time. In this video, Oliver talks us through his experimental set-up. He demonstrates how male ...

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VIDEO

A pheromone trap for pea crab biocontrol

Scientists at Leigh Marine Laboratory, including Oliver Trottier, are investigating biocontrol approaches that could limit pea crab infestation on green-lipped mussel farms. In this video, Oliver ...

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VIDEO

Mussel breeding at Cawthron

Breeding mussels to have 'better' characteristics is very similar to breeding cattle or pumpkins — but what makes one mussel 'better' than another?

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Explore related interactives

INTERACTIVE

How mussels are farmed in New Zealand

Green-lipped mussels are New Zealand’s major aquaculture species. In this interactive, Professor Andrew Jeffs (Leigh Marine Laboratory) describes the key stages in farming green-lipped mussels ...

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INTERACTIVE

Challenges in mussel farming

Green-lipped mussels are New Zealand’s major aquaculture species. In this interactive, Professor Andrew Jeffs (Leigh Marine Laboratory) discusses some of the challenges faced by New Zealand’s ...

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INTERACTIVE

Similarities and differences: wild and farmed ...

Use this interactive to illustrate the key similarities and differences between how wild and farmed green-lipped mussels live. Place each label where you think it belongs. This activity can be ...

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