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The effects of different milk allowances on the behaviour and liveweights of Holstein-Friesian bull calves
No full textDespite the importance of milk for young calves, it is often still provided in restricted amounts on farms. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of high and low milk allowance on the behaviour and liveweights of calves from approximately one week of age until one year old. I predicted that calves offered a lower milk allowance would show signs of negative affective state and therefore demonstrate behaviours associated with negative welfare, as well as have lower liveweights, compared to calves offered a greater milk allowance who would sustain a more positive affective state, subsequently expressing behaviours associated with positive welfare and have larger liveweights. Twenty-two Holstein-Friesian bull calves were offered 5 L or 10 L of milk replacer/calf/day from approximately one week of age. Calves were weighed weekly until weaned off milk which then became monthly until one year of age. At three time periods throughout the trial (at four weeks of age, the first time out on pasture, weaning period) the behaviours of the calves were recorded using validated accelerometers and either live observations or video analysis.
From one to five weeks of age, calves offered 5 L of milk/day were observed visiting the meal feeder, milk feeder and hay feeder more often (P<0.001, P<0.001 and P=0.028, respectively), were less involved in self and allo-grooming (P=0.011 and P=0.012) and spent less time lying (P=0.024) compared to calves on the 10 L milk allowance. Furthermore, calves offered the higher milk allowance, were 5.7 kg heavier (P<0.001), at five weeks of age compared to the calves offered the lower milk allowance. During the initial period on pasture, the calves offered 5 L of milk/day were observed conducting less ruminating and sternal lying and during the pre-weaning period were observed grazing and standing more often, compared to calves offered 10 L of milk/day who were observed resting and grooming other calves more often. The liveweight differences from five to eleven and a half weeks of age were significantly different, however over the weaning period from twelve to thirteen weeks of age this liveweight difference began to shrink and by fourteen weeks of age, the difference was 5.55 kg. There was no weight difference at one year of age.
The milk allowance significantly affected the behaviours and liveweights demonstrated by the calves. This study confirmed this study’s hypothesis that prior to weaning, calves offered more milk demonstrate behaviours associated with positive welfare indicating satiety, comfort and grooming in comparison to calves offered less milk who demonstrate behaviours associated with negative welfare such as hunger and restlessness (higher activity). Creating change in the dairy industry enhancing positive animal welfare gives calves the best opportunity to have a good life
Population structure and interspecific hybridisation of two invasive blowflies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) following replicated incursions into New Zealand
No full textRates of biological invasion are increasing globally, with associated negative effects on native biodiversity and ecosystem services. Among other genetic processes, hybridisation can facilitate invasion by producing new combinations of genetic variation that increase adaptive potential and associated population fitness. Yet the role of hybridisation (and resulting gene flow) in biological invasion in invertebrate species is under‐studied. Calliphora hilli and Calliphora stygia are blowflies proposed to have invaded New Zealand separately from Australia between 1779 and 1841, and are now widespread throughout the country. Here, we analysed genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), generating genotyping‐by‐sequencing data for 154 individuals collected from 24 populations across New Zealand and Australia to assess the extent of gene flow and hybridisation occurring within and between these blowflies and to better understand their overall population structure. We found that New Zealand populations of both species had weak genetic structure, suggesting high gene flow and an absence of dispersal limitations across the country. We also found evidence that interspecific hybridisation is occurring in the wild between C. hilli and C. stygia in both the native and invasive ranges, and that intraspecific admixture is occurring among populations at appreciable rates. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into the population structure of these two invasive invertebrates and highlight the potential importance of hybridisation and gene flow in biological invasion
Network analysis of mindfulness and mental health symptoms among firefighters: A transdiagnostic lens
No full textObjectives: Previous research has established the protective role of mindfulness against various psychological disorders and maladaptive behaviours. However, the associations between specific facets of mindfulness and diverse mental health and behavioural outcomes have not been thoroughly investigated in populations with risky occupations. The aim of this study was to examine the direct and indirect associations between the five facets of mindfulness and prevalent mental health and behavioural outcomes among firefighters, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anger, suicide risk, sleep quality, and alcohol use. Method: The assessment scores of 685 career firefighters (Mage = 38.40, SD = 8.64; 93.6% males; 77.7% White) including 154 (22.5%) military veterans, who completed measures of mindfulness, depression, PTSD, anger, suicide risk, sleep quality, and alcohol use, were investigated using both directional and non-directional network analysis. Results: Directional network analysis indicated the primary role of anger in triggering PTSD and impacting mindfulness, leading to alcohol use, suicidal ideation, impaired sleep quality, and depression as an outcome. Mindfulness facets of Non-reactivity, Non-judging, and Describing were negatively associated with depression, while the Acting with awareness facet was inversely linked to anger. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the clinical significance of targeting specific mindfulness facets in interventions for high-risk occupations, such as firefighters. Focusing on Non-reactivity, Non-judging, Describing, and Acting with awareness may help mitigate anger, depression, and other negative outcomes. Addressing anger management could be especially important in preventing or reducing PTSD, alcohol use, suicidal ideation, sleep disturbances, and depression, ultimately enhancing psychological well-being and quality of life
Mechanenzymatic production of natural fibre from harakeke (New Zealand flax) and its characterization for potential use in composites for building and construction applications
No full textMechanical processing of natural fibres can be used to produce large quantities of clean and refined fibres. However, this often results in fibre damage when used alone, thereby affecting the quality of fibres produced, and it generally makes them of insufficient quality for high-performance composite applications. In contrast, the use of biological agents such as enzymes have become a rapidly expanding area of research for producing high quality fibres, but this is still limited to pilot scales. This paper reports the effect of synergizing the salient features of mechanical processing (using a super masscolloider) and enzymatic treatment, on the structure and properties of harakeke (indigenous New Zealand flax) fibre. The cellulose fibres produced are characterized for their potential use as reinforcement in composites. Results show that the combination of mechanical processing with enzymatic treatment could help to overcome the limitations of both processes
The ecology and evolutionary history of the Deinococcaceae family
No full textDeinococcus radiodurans is the most studied member of the Deinococcaceae family for its outstanding capability to withstand extreme doses of gamma radiation and prolonged desiccation. D. radiodurans is also type species and the first described member of the Deinococcus genus. It demonstrates approximately 3000 times more radiation resistance capability than humans and 50 times more than Escherichia coli. The remarkable radiation resistance phenotype in D. radiodurans and certain members of this family has established the conventional belief that radiation resistance is the defining characteristic of Deinococcaceae. Consequently, microbiologists used gamma radiation as a pre-culture treatment to enrich radioresistant isolates in environmental samples before cultivation. However, a few studies did not use gamma radiation as an enrichment method and isolated sensitive Deinococcus species. These findings demonstrated that the radiation resistance capacity is highly diverse among Deinococcus species, with variations in the order of magnitude ranging from 1.5 kGy to 15 kGy. Because of this variability, the prevailing view is that genomic data cannot predict radiation resistance and that this phenotype remains without a genotype. Moreover, Deinococcus members have been isolated from diverse environments, including Antarctica, hot springs, deserts, atmospheric dust, animals, and garden soil. Nevertheless, the origins of this ubiquity have remained unexplored. Here, I discuss how the biased isolation methods and focus on highly resistant species created a gap in our understanding of the true ecology and evolution of Deinococcaceae. This thesis addresses this knowledge gap using comparative genomics methods by answering three questions. (I) What factors drive the ubiquity of the Deinococcus species? (ii) What drives the diversity of radiation resistance in the Deinococcus genus, and can we predict this phenotype using genomic data? (iii) How did the radiation resistance phenotype evolve, and what are the primary needs for the common ancestor of Deinococcaceae (proto-Deinococcus)? Our results indicate that the ubiquity of the Deinococcus genus arises from its large pangenome. A high abundance of transposase genes and efficient homologous recombination mechanisms enhanced their genetic flexibility and enabled Deinococcus to survive in diverse habitats. Conversely, this ecologically advantageous trait forms a dynamic accessory genome and impacts the radiation resistance phenotype. Phylogenomic and statistical analyses revealed a pattern in the radiation resistance level. The presence of 186 gene families, mainly related to metal and redox-related cofactors, can predict lower levels of resistance in two different clades of the Deinococcus genus. This observation contradicts the conventional wisdom that radiation resistance is the defining characteristic of the Deinococcaceae family because the accessory genome controls this phenotype. Furthermore, we used the gene tree-species tree reconciliation method to infer the evolutionary events that gave rise to the proto-Deinococcus. The ancestral reconstruction analysis indicated that the proto-Deinococcus underwent significant genome expansion by gaining 1000 gene families, which is about 50% of the genome size of its ancestor, while Thermaceae retained the same genome size as their common ancestor. Overall, we conclude that the ubiquity of Deinococcus species is the result of acquiring diverse functions and surviving in various environments. While this is a beneficial evolution for the family, gaining specific genes can lower the radiation resistance capability. Therefore, radiation resistance is not the defining characteristic of Deinococcaceae. Moreover, ancestral reconstruction reveals that this proto-Deinococcus underwent genome expansion and likely gained genes that induced radiation resistance traits and genomic flexibility
eDNA is a useful environmental monitoring tool for assessing stream ecological health
No full textEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly used in biodiversity assessments, but there remain uncertainties regarding its congruence with data based on traditional approaches involving habitat sampling and morphological‐based taxonomy. Using eDNA for biomonitoring has several advantages, including improved processing efficiencies and precision of taxonomic identification. In contrast, traditional biomonitoring is time‐consuming and expensive, often limiting the number of sites monitored. Establishing that eDNA‐derived metrics are congruent with their traditional equivalents on a national scale would support its wider use in biomonitoring. Our study compared ecosystem health assessments made by traditional biomonitoring techniques to those using eDNA from 53 sites throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Because eDNA sampling was not done concurrently with benthic sampling at most sites, we used the average community composition at each site based on previous sampling occasions. We also allocated species identified by eDNA to the traditional level of identification to allow comparisons with eDNA data identified to broader taxonomic groups. We assessed similarities between the three datasets and found a high degree of correlation and convergence between biotic indices calculated from the different methods. eDNA did, however, appear to under‐represent some taxa, reflecting challenges in matching barcodes with an often‐incomplete sequence library. eDNA data did not always perform better in terms of showing the effects of land use on invertebrate community composition, but all datasets produced similar patterns. Multivariate analyses (redundancy analysis and variation partitioning) identified congruent relationships between environmental and spatial variables with the invertebrate community structure described by the three methods. eDNA data replicated the environmental responses and showed the same overall patterns in community composition as the traditionally collected data. We suggest that eDNA biomonitoring can complement traditional methods, and will perform at least as well as traditional data at detecting patterns in invertebrate community composition and ecosystem health at a national scale
Home and away: the role of intraspecific behavioural variation in biological invasion
No full textInvasive populations cause adverse impacts on ecosystems, agriculture, and economic activities. Advancing understanding of how populations respond to environmental changes and develop their invasive status will enable improved prediction, prevention, and management of ecological invasions. Here, we review recent literature and find that behavioural shifts within species across native and invasive populations are common during invasion. We collate examples which demonstrate how behaviours associated with invasion can be an outcome of plastic, pre-adaptive, and/or post-adaptive processes. However, we find that research investigating the molecular basis of observed behavioural shifts associated with invasion is limited. Important research (but perhaps the most challenging to conduct), is the long-term study of ongoing invasions that track species’ behaviour and genetic change throughout the stages of the invasion process. Additionally, future research should aim to establish whether behavioural shifts originate from plasticity, microevolutionary processes, or a combination of both. Common garden experiments (using distinct populations grown under shared conditions), carried out in conjunction with genetic studies that track changes at the molecular level, could aid this endeavour
Urban food planning and management in Melbourne: current challenges and practical insights
No full textOver the last decades, local governments have begun to develop urban food planning instruments focused on improving public health and environmental sustainability, but shortcomings still exist. This paper builds on the case of the Melbourne Metropolitan Region (Australia) to elaborate on how urban food planning and management can address the challenges exposed by a systemic approach. Challenges include strengthening local food economies, developing a nexus between the urban environment, public health, and sustainability, and the circular management of food production resources. Our study contributes to urban food planning and management practice by identifying how policy instruments have successfully addressed these key challenges, and existing inconsistencies between policies and planning. Furthermore, policies should go beyond incentives for urban gardens and explore new areas of intervention, including integrating local producers and retailers into urban food planning, prioritizing fresh food commercialization over ultra-processed products, and integrating composting into waste management
Memory recall can increase authenticity and engagement: understanding the role of work context and memory function in autobiographical memories.
No full textAuthenticity is positively associated with important psychological outcomes in the workplace, such as well-being and engagement, and is reliant on having a coherent sense of self. This coherent self is maintained by recalling autobiographical memories (AM). But the specific relationships between authenticity and memory functions are unclear. This study aims to first, identify differences in memory function and content in the recall of authentic and inauthentic moments and second, address how these AM functions are related to authenticity, engagement and well-being. Participants completed measures of authenticity, engagement and well-being before and after a memory recall task. For the recall task, they were randomly assigned to recall either an authentic, inauthentic, or control memory. Recall narratives were coded for memory functions (self-identity, social, directive) and for physical/social context features. Authentic moments, inauthentic moments and controls differed in terms of social and physical contexts. Authentic moments were most likely to involve being alone while inauthentic moments were most likely to happen at work. Authentic or inauthentic moments were both more likely than controls to involve work colleagues, with inauthentic moments also involving more distant acquaintances such as bosses or customers. In addition, recalling a memory, no matter what type, increased engagement and authentic self-awareness. While there was no difference between authentic or inauthentic moments in influencing these outcomes, individuals’ pre-recall levels of engagement and authenticity influenced the memory functions used. This taxonomy of (in)authentic moment recall can guide future research in authenticity and memory function. In addition, these findings begin to address the interactive role that authenticity plays in memory recall and its influence on other psychological outcomes
Multiple case study research into teachers' pedagogical enactment of the 2009 Samoa primary schools' outcomes-based curriculum
No full textOutcomes-based curriculum was developed in the United States with a focus on students achieving the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to succeed in everyday life through learner-centred teaching approaches. It was this focus that encouraged the Samoan government and Ministry of Education, Sports & Culture to adopt an outcomes-based curriculum into its primary school system in 2009, with implementation in 2013. To date however there has only been limited research into teacher classroom enactment of an outcomes-based curriculum, and the challenges and supports teachers and schools have encountered. This study addressed this gap.
The study investigated how teachers in three primary schools were enacting the outcomes-based curriculum six years after its formal implementation. The research used a multiple case study approach with one week of lesson observations of each of the three teachers and Talanoa with three school principals and the teachers, and semi-Talanoa with some students and parents from each school. Talanoa is a word used across the Pacific to describe a process of inclusive, participatory, and transparent dialogue. It is used as a Pacific-specific qualitative research approach for data collection and in this study. Talanoa was used to provide participants with an opportunity to talk about their experience with OBC.
The study found that the teachers employed different but appropriate pedagogical approaches in their lessons for the benefit of students’ understanding and achievement of lesson learning outcomes. The findings highlight the benefit of teachers developing curriculum experiences that relate to students’ interests, needs and everyday real-life experiences to engage them effectively in their learning. Teachers emphasised and applied learner-centred approaches to promote collaboration, teamwork and empower students to participate effectively in the learning process. The study witnessed the teachers used formative assessment to assess, monitor and identify students’ deficiencies and strengths and teachers to modify their teaching and target areas in need of improvement.
The findings showed the students’ views about OBC lesson teaching in classroom. They reported that they liked the group work activities because they were able to share and gain new knowledge, ideas and experiences which helped them understand the lesson and achieve the learning outcomes. Evidence that students were excited about what they learned in class came from their reporting that they shared their experiences and new knowledge with their family members at home and their parents were pleased to gain new knowledge and ideas from them.
The findings revealed that the OBC principles of clarity of focus and expanded opportunities established a clear framework to guide the planning, instruction, assessment, and implementation of lessons for students to demonstrate performance and competencies to achieve lesson learning outcomes. The designing down and high expectation principles were used during lessons where teachers explained thoroughly to students the lesson tasks and learning outcomes that students would achieve and demonstrate at the end of the lesson. During activities, the teachers increased the level of challenges from easy to more complex (learned past tense verbs then gradually produced sentences using past tenses) to expose students to high standard performance that students must reach to demonstrate their competencies in learning.
Furthermore, the findings demonstrated that Faasāmoa had a substantial impact on the enactment of OBC. Faamatai a leadership aspect, tulafale an orator, faaaloalo or respect and aiga as family relationships were demonstrated in the lesson teaching. The teacher led and explained lesson learning outcomes to the class while students and teacher as a family respected each other in teaching and learning. The Faasāmoa cultural norms were important to smooth and coordinate lessons and harness teacher and student behaviours, performances, and determinations in enacting OBC. These local cultural norms contributed substantially to the progress and effectiveness of the outcomes-based curriculum enactment between teachers and students to make OBC learning more understandable and achievable in the lesson teaching.
The research identified that parents participated in school outside activities and events more than the academic areas of curriculum development and enactment. Their participation contributed to the students’ learning environment. Findings were also that teachers had continued to learn and develop their classroom practice through different training and their own school in-service sessions where teachers shared ideas. This professional development helped teachers to facilitate classroom instruction, management and coordination and produce local resources for students to progress in their learning. Finally, the findings revealed the varied role of the church in supporting OBC enactment.
This study’s findings contribute to the body of knowledge on outcomes-based curriculum through the analysis and documentation of how the primary schools and teachers in Samoa enact outcomes-based curriculum. They indicate Faasāmoa can support outcomes-based curriculum and indicate further research could be done in other primary schools to see how teachers and students are using Samoa cultural norms in outcomes-based curriculum teaching and learning