Tables - Page 4

Interpolated total sunshine hours values at 30 regionally representative sites.
Sunshine is essential for our mental and physical well-being and plant growth. It is also important for tourism and recreation.
More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

Ozone (O3) is a gas that is of interest in two regions of Earth’s atmosphere – at ground level and in the upper atmosphere (stratosphere). Stratospheric ozone absorbs ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun and protects Earth from harmful levels of UV. Exposure to these UV rays has been linked to skin cancer. Monitoring variations in stratospheric ozone concentrations is important in New Zealand as we have high rates of skin cancers.
Ozone data for Lauder have been supplied in two forms: Measurements taken with Dobson spectrophotometer (number 72) and data assimilated from satellite measurements recalibrated against the global Dobson network. The Dobson spectrophotometer has been in operation at Lauder since January 1987. The timeseries for interpolated satellite data is available from 1978. Both timeseries are provided until 2013.
This dataset is the assimilated dataset which is available from 1978 to 2013. Measurements are in Dobson units (DU). One DU represents the amount of ozone molecules needed to produce a 0.01mm layer of pure ozone.
Further information can be found in:
Liley, B, Querel, B, & McKenzie, R (2014). Measurements of Ozone and UV for New Zealand. Prepared for the Ministry for the Environment, Wellington. Available at data.mfe.govt.nz/x/LoPyPo on the Ministry for the Environment dataservice (data.mfe.govt.nz/).
This dataset relates to the "Ozone concentrations" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

Coastal sea-surface temperature is influenced by solar heating and cooling, latitude, and local geography. It is hard for some marine species to survive when the sea temperature changes. This can affect marine ecosystems and processes. It can also affect fish-farming industries based in our coastal areas.
This dataset relates to the "Coastal sea-surface temperature" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the movement of warm equatorial water across the Pacific Ocean and the atmospheric response. It occurs every 2–7 years, typically lasting 6–18 months. ENSO has three phases: neutral, El Niño and La Niña. In New Zealand an El Niño phase in summer can bring increased westerly winds, more rain in the west, and drought in the east; in winter it can lead to more cool southerly winds. During a La Niña phase we may experience more north-easterly winds, wetter conditions in the north and east, and higher sea levels.
This dataset relates to annual ENSO and detrended temperature data.
More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is an important predictor of how tropical oceans and climate might influence New Zealand’s climate. Being able to predict the timing and intensity of an El Niño or La Niña climate phase is important in predicting and preparing for extreme climatic conditions, such as strong winds, heavy rain, or drought. Such extreme conditions can impact on our environment, industries, and recreational activities. ENSO is commonly measured using the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI).
In New Zealand, an El Niño phase can cause colder winters. In summer it can result in more rain in the west and drought in the east. A La Niña phase can cause warmer temperatures, more rain in the north-east, and less rain in the south and south-west.
This dataset relates to the "El Niño Southern Oscillation" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

Summer rainfall trends for 30 representative sites from 1960–2016.
Rain is vital for life – it supplies the water we need to drink and to grow our food, keeps our ecosystems healthy, and supplies our electricity. New Zealand’s mountainous terrain and location in the roaring forties mean rainfall varies across the country. Changes in rainfall amount or timing can significantly affect agriculture, energy, recreation, and the environment. For example, an increase or decrease of rainfall in spring can have marked effects on crops or fish populations.
Trend direction was assessed using the Theil-Sen estimator and the Two One-Sided Test (TOST) for equivalence at the 95% confidence level.
More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a highly reactive gas formed when fuels containing sulphur, such as coal or petrochemical products (including high-sulphur ship fuel), are burned. It is also produced from industrial processes such as superphosphate fertiliser production and smelting sulphur-containing metal ores. Geothermal and volcanic gases are the main natural sources of sulphur dioxide.
When inhaled, sulphur dioxide is associated with respiratory problems such as bronchitis. It can aggravate the symptoms of asthma and chronic lung disease and cause irritation to eyes. On days with higher sulphur dioxide levels, hospital admissions for cardiac disease and mortality increase. In ecosystems, it can injure vegetation, acidify water and soil, and affect biodiversity.
More information on this dataset and how it relates to our environmental reporting indicators and topics can be found in the attached data quality pdf.

Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is a gas produced from human (eg industry and shipping) and natural (geothermal and volcanic) activities. Nationally, the main human-made source of sulphur oxides emissions is industry. SO2 is associated with respiratory problems, such as bronchitis, and can aggravate the symptoms of asthma and chronic lung disease.

Column headings:
- Disp_graph - Displayed on graph (1= yes, 0 = no)

This dataset relates to the "Sulphur dioxide concentrations" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

Fine sediment is the collective term for inorganic particles smaller than 2mm that are deposited on the beds of rivers and streams. Urban development, agriculture, and plantation forestry around waterways can increase the amount of sediment entering river systems. Sediment can clog the spaces between pebbles used by aquatic insects and fish, and degrade food sources and sites used for egg laying. Excessive sedimentation can also affect the suitability of rivers and streams for recreation.

Predictions of the proportion of deposited fine sediment cover are provided for every river reach in the River Environment Classification. These were calculated via a regression model using the measured proportion of fine sediment cover, slope of the river, climate and catchment land cover.

NZREACH = River location ID from the River Environment Classification
pred_obs = predicted contemporary percent fine sediment cover
pred_expec = predicted pre-human percent fine sediment cover

This dataset relates to the "Stream bed sedimentation" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.

Fine sediment is the collective term for inorganic particles smaller than 2mm that are deposited on the beds of rivers and streams. Urban development, agriculture, and plantation forestry around waterways can increase the amount of sediment entering river systems. Sediment can clog the spaces between pebbles used by aquatic insects and fish, and degrade food sources and sites used for egg laying. Excessive sedimentation can also affect the suitability of rivers and streams for recreation.

Stream bed sediment observations are visual estimates of the proportion of the river bed covered by fine sediment. This information was collected during fish surveys, and stored in the Freshwater Fish database managed by NIWA. Observed in-stream sediment values for 10,025 sites are provided, dating from 1990 to 2011 in order to represent contemporary cover. The exception to this date range is the Fiordland area where all available information (1970 to 2011) was used to fill a representation gap.

This dataset relates to the "Stream bed sedimentation" measure on the Environmental Indicators, Te taiao Aotearoa website.