This glossary explains some of the technical words about the coast used by Environment Waikato.
Benthic
Marine animals that live in or on the bottom sediments of the seafloor.
Biotoxins
Poisonous chemicals produced by living organisms. Phytoplankton produce biotoxins, which can build up in shellfish and make the people who eat them sick.
Coastal marine area (CMA)
Generally, the area below mean high water springs.
For the Regional Coastal Plan definition, click here
Conductivity
The ability of a substance to conduct electricity or heat.
Ecosystem
Ecosystems are communities of living things that interact with each other and their physical environment.
For the Regional Coastal Plan definition, click here.
Enterococci
Enterococci bacteria are bacteria that usually live in an animal’s gut. They are used as an indicator of the human health risk from harmful micro-organisms present in water – for example, from human or animal faeces.
Groyne
Low barrier built out into the sea to stop the shifting of beach sand or tidal erosion.
Habitat
Habitat: the place where plants and animals live and find the food, water, light, shelter, living space, and other essentials they need to survive.
Check out the Regional Coastal Plan definition.
Infilling
Infilling is the process of sediment build up. Rivers and streams carry sediment into estuaries. The sediment settles in estuaries. The sediment builds up, until eventually the estuaries are shallower with a deeper sediment layer.
Infilling is a natural process but can be greatly accelerated by vegetation clearance in surrounding catchments.
Intertidal
The area where the sea meets the land - it is covered by the sea at high tide and exposed at low tide.
Iwi
Tribe or people (Maori).
Macrofauna
Animals larger than 500 µm (0.5 mm) is size.
Maimai
A hide or stand (often used for duckshooters’ hides).
Mean high water springs
The place on the shore where spring high tides reach on average over a period of time. It can often be recognised by the upper line of debris on the beach.
Midden
New Zealand’s early domestic rubbish dumps.
Natural character
The natural character of the coast describes the natural qualities of our coastal environment. The natural qualities can include:
- ecological
- physical
- spiritual
- cultural
- and aesthetic values.
Even modified areas still have some degree of natural character, because some natural qualities will still be present.
Check out our technical report on Natural Character Concept Development in New Zealand Planning Law and Policy.
Check out the Regional Coastal Plan definition.
Oxygen-depleting contaminants
Contaminants that use up oxygen from the surrounding water as they decompose. Most oxygen-depleting contaminants are made of organic material (anything that originally came from a plant and or an animal) for example, sewage.
Phytoplankton
Free-floating microscopically small plants suspended in water.
Point source discharges
Discharges of contaminants from a stationary or fixed point, for example, from a ditch, pipe or drain.
Subtidal
Waters below the low tide mark.
Urupa
Maori cemetery, ancestral burial grounds, burial site, tomb.