The environment of New Zealand is characterised by an endemic flora and fauna which has evolved in near isolation from the rest of the world. The main islands of New Zealand span two biomes, temperate and subtropical, complicated by large mountainous areas above the tree line. There are also numerous smaller islands which extend into the subantarctic. The prevailing weather systems bring significantly more rain to the west of the country. New Zealand's territorial waters cover a much larger area than its landmass and extend over the continental shelf and abyssal plateau in the South Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea and Southern ocean. Historically having an isolated and endemic ecosystem far into modernity, the arrival of Polynesians about 1300 AD and then later European settlers began to have significant impacts on this system, with the intentional and unintentional introduction of new species and plants which often overwhelmed their natural competitors, leading to a significant loss of native ecology and biodiversity, especially in areas such as bird life. Today, most parts of New Zealand are heavily modified by the effects of logging, agriculture and general human settlement, though large areas have also been placed under protection, combined in many cases with efforts to protect or regenerate native ecosystems (aided by the fact that especially the South Island of New Zealand has a very low population density). (en)
L'environnement en Nouvelle-Zélande est l'environnement (ensemble des éléments - biotiques ou abiotiques - qui entourent un individu ou une espèce et dont certains contribuent directement à subvenir à ses besoins) du pays Nouvelle-Zélande. (fr)
뉴질랜드의 환경(The environment of New Zealand)은 뉴질랜드와 작은 섬 국가를 포함한 독특한 식생과 다양한 지세로 특징화된다. 역사적으로 현대와 격리된 특유의 생태계를 가지고 있었으며, 마오리족이 최초로 도착했고, 그 다음에는 유럽 정착 이민자들이 도착하여 이러한 독특한 생태계에 큰 영향을 미치기 시작했다. 외부에서 들여온 새로운 동식물 종은 종종 토종 경쟁자들을 압도하였으며, 고유 생태계의 다원성을 파괴하였다. (ko)
L'environnement en Nouvelle-Zélande est l'environnement (ensemble des éléments - biotiques ou abiotiques - qui entourent un individu ou une espèce et dont certains contribuent directement à subvenir à ses besoins) du pays Nouvelle-Zélande. (fr)
뉴질랜드의 환경(The environment of New Zealand)은 뉴질랜드와 작은 섬 국가를 포함한 독특한 식생과 다양한 지세로 특징화된다. 역사적으로 현대와 격리된 특유의 생태계를 가지고 있었으며, 마오리족이 최초로 도착했고, 그 다음에는 유럽 정착 이민자들이 도착하여 이러한 독특한 생태계에 큰 영향을 미치기 시작했다. 외부에서 들여온 새로운 동식물 종은 종종 토종 경쟁자들을 압도하였으며, 고유 생태계의 다원성을 파괴하였다. (ko)
The environment of New Zealand is characterised by an endemic flora and fauna which has evolved in near isolation from the rest of the world. The main islands of New Zealand span two biomes, temperate and subtropical, complicated by large mountainous areas above the tree line. There are also numerous smaller islands which extend into the subantarctic. The prevailing weather systems bring significantly more rain to the west of the country. New Zealand's territorial waters cover a much larger area than its landmass and extend over the continental shelf and abyssal plateau in the South Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea and Southern ocean. (en)