{ "culture": "en-NZ", "name": "", "guid": "", "catalogPath": "", "snippet": "Known Undaria sites in Southland from the Southland Regional Pest Management Plan.", "description": "

Undaria is a golden-brown seaweed with a central midrib, divided frond and a fleshy, frilly reproductive structure at the base of the seaweed. These characteristics help differentiate Undaria from native seaweed species. Undaria was accidentally introduced into New Zealand in the early 1980s and has now spread to many parts of the coastline, including Southland. It is known to occur in parts of Stewart Island/Rakiura, Waikawa, in Bluff harbour, and has recently established in Breaksea Sound where it is closely monitored.<\/SPAN><\/P>

Undaria is a winter annual laminarian kelp that first appears in early spring in its native home range. Undaria has a high growth rate with sporophytes reaching maturity in 40 to 50 days with the potential to release up to 700 million zoospores. With its high growth and reproductive output, and the ability to tolerate wide ranging temperatures, substrates and sheltered to exposed conditions Undaria is a hardy invasive species.<\/SPAN><\/P>

Undaria can substantially modify natural habitats impacting on the native ecology of those areas. Invasion can result in an addition to canopy cover, or it can result in dense mono-specific stands of Undaria. These dense stands can reduce the presence and diversity of smaller understorey algal species and out-compete marine macro algae canopy species.<\/SPAN><\/P>

For the above reasons Undaria is included in the Southland Regional Pest Management Plan.<\/SPAN><\/P><\/DIV><\/DIV><\/DIV>", "summary": "Known Undaria sites in Southland from the Southland Regional Pest Management Plan.", "title": "Known Undaria Presence in Southland", "tags": [ "Biosecurity", "Pest Plants" ], "type": "", "typeKeywords": [], "thumbnail": "", "url": "", "minScale": 150000000, "maxScale": 5000, "spatialReference": "", "accessInformation": "Environment Southland", "licenseInfo": "" }