How have tectonic processes affected the natural environment of new zealand?

Answer 1

Less than 250 million years ago, New Zealand was a trench in the ocean floor, being filled in from one side by debris from an island arc of volcanoes; and on the other side, sediments from a granite landmass.

Now, sedimentary rock is lighter than oceanic floor basalt, and eventually New Zealand rose above the sea.

These could all be considered tectonic processes.

New Zealand currently lies across two tectonic plates, the Australian, and the Pacific. Cutting up between these two plates is a major fault zone, the Alpine Fault, which starts on the west of the south island, crosses Cook Strait, and departs New Zealand in the East Cape vicinity.

This great fault may be a displaced Transcurrent Faultfrom the Pacific mid-ocean ridge.

The Pacific Plate dives under New Zealand in the north, and the Australian Plate goes under New Zealand in the Fiordland region. The Southern Alps are much elevated because of this.

The picture of New Zealands tectonic setting is most unusual on the world scene.

Answer 2

In the short run, the $15B cost of the destruction will have a small but noticeable effect on the NZ economy. The NZ economy (GDP) is in excess of $190B. But that is less GDP per capita than Spain.

On Christchurch, the effect on the retail/service industry will be severe.

Overall one may expect a different Christchurch to be thriving within a decade.

The monetarist policies of NZ Treasury has produced an over valued dollar, which has destroyed much of NZ manufacturing for export. As a consequence, NZ has a service sector of almost 3/4!

These constraints will slow the recovery.

Answer 3

Too early yet to tell whether there has been any movement of the plate, but possible. Folk will be working on it.