Back to the Future
Video duration: 6.5 mins
A scientific history of Lake Waihola
Scientific analysis of a sediment core extracted from the bed of Lake Waihola (Waihora ki Taiari) in Otago led to a significant discovery: a layer of cockle shells dated to 4000 years ago. How did an estuarine shellfish end up in this freshwater lake? With sea levels on the rise due to climate change, studies of low-lying coastal lakes such as Waihola provide important lessons from the past that will help us prepare for future environmental change.
