The introduced weed was a pest that took over areas where native plants used to be, he said.
Along with about 100 fellow pupils from Cromwell College, he took part in a lakeside science session yesterday run by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) and Land Information New Zealand (Linz).
Niwa fresh water ecologist Tracey Burton said the pupils were learning different aspects of water science. This included identifying how weeds like lagarosiphon and didymo were displacing native plants, looking for invertebrates that were part of the food chain, understanding water clarity, and using a virtual reality headset to see weeds under the water. The session would inform the pupil’s social studies and science topics throughout the year. STORY AND PHOTO: SIMON HENDERSON
