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Invited review: Animal welfare in pasture-based dairy systems—A systematic scoping review to identify progress, priorities, and future directions
Full text linkThis systematic scoping review examines the past and present focus of welfare research in pastoral dairy production systems and uses these insights to suggest future research priorities. We included original research articles published between 2000 and 2024 that studied dairy cows, weaned youngstock or preweaning calves in pastoral dairy systems and reporting on animal welfare outcomes. Review articles were excluded. Three thousand peer-reviewed manuscripts written in English were screened for inclusion. The 678 eligible articles extracted were categorized by welfare domain using the Five Domains framework (i.e., nutrition, health, environment, behavior, and mental state) and inductively assigned up to 5 descriptive key words to reflect the main welfare issue(s) addressed. Welfare research output increased from 19 to 60 publications per year over the past (2000–2019) to present periods (2020–2024), respectively. Most studies (74.0%) focused on cows, with fewer publications on the calf and weaned youngstock. Across all cattle classes and years, health was the most represented welfare domain, addressed by 69% of calf, 54% of youngstock, and 53% of cow studies, whereas the mental state domain was addressed in less than 1% of research. The article key words were used to assess changes in welfare focus over time. From 2000 to 2019, 34 calf welfare topics were identified, with research primarily focusing on colostrum management and passive immunity (21%). Presently (2020–2024), of the 42 topics published on the calf, extended suckling systems (19%) dominate (i.e., systems providing extended cow-calf contact). For weaned youngstock, 33 topics were published between 2000 and 2019, and parasitism was a key welfare theme. The present youngstock research continues to focus on parasite control (19% of studies covering 31 topics). Past research on cow welfare (94 topics) concentrated on pasture access and lameness. In recent years, 106 different topics have been covered by the cow literature. Of these, emerging technologies, such as virtual fencing and automated health monitoring, represent the most studied topics (14%), closely followed by pasture access (13%). Future research should increase focus on calves and youngstock, particularly in relation to environment, nutrition, behavior, and their effects on mental state. Extended suckling systems warrant continued attention. Longitudinal studies exploring how early-life environments shape heifer resilience and adaptability are encouraged. Addressing climate-related challenges while preserving the welfare benefits of pasture access is critical. Progress will require ongoing collaboration between science and industry, balancing immediate needs with investment in longer-term, transformative welfare solutions
Predicting persistent forest fire refugia using machine learning models with topographic, microclimate, and surface wind variables
Full text linkPersistent forest fire refugia are areas within fire-prone landscapes that remain fire-free over long periods of time and are crucial for ecosystem resilience. Modelling to develop maps of these refugia is key to informing fire and land use management. We predict persistent forest fire refugia using variables linked to the fire triangle (aspect, slope, elevation, topographic wetness, convergence and roughness, solar irradiation, temperature, surface wind direction, and speed) in machine learning algorithms (Random Forest, XGBoost; two ensemble models) and K-Nearest Neighbour. All models were run with and without ADASYN over-sampling and grid search hyperparameterisation. Six iterations were run per algorithm to assess the impact of omitting variables. Aspect is twice as influential as any other variable across all models. Solar radiation and surface wind direction are also highlighted, although the order of importance differs between algorithms. The predominant importance of aspect relates to solar radiation received by sun-facing slopes and resultant heat and moisture balances and, in this study area, the predominant fire wind direction. Ensemble models consistently produced the most accurate results. The findings highlight the importance of topographic and microclimatic variables in persistent forest fire refugia prediction, with ensemble machine learning providing reliable forecasting frameworks
Towards holistic braided river management: The interface of geomorphology, hydrology, ecology and economics
Full text linkBraided rivers are some of the most dynamic and complex river systems in the world. They provide unique habitat to rare species, supply natural resources, and act as a source of groundwater recharge. However, they can also pose significant flooding and erosion hazards. Current management of braided rivers in Aotearoa New Zealand faces a strong need to balance competing values and interests. In this research, we explore the hydrological and ecological benefits of changing river bed levels and widths in the main groundwater recharge reaches of two braided rivers, and assess the market and non-market costs and benefits associated with those changes to explore alternative management approaches. Theoretical width and bed level scenarios were developed for two case study reaches: the Ngaruroro River (Hawke's Bay region) and the Wairau River (Marlborough region). This study indicates, in general, that widening braided rivers has benefits for aquatic ecology and groundwater recharge, and that lowering bed levels can have costly impacts on ecology and groundwater that exceed economic benefits associated with aggregate extraction. This study contributes to the growing body of research aiming to quantify possible economic benefits of alternative river management and restoration approaches
Heterogeneous effects of farm and nonfarm income on household consumption expenditure and inequality
Full text linkThis study examines the heterogeneous effects of farm income and nonfarm income on household consumption expenditure and consumption expenditure inequality, using data from the 2016 China Labor Force Dynamics Survey. A two-stage residual inclusion model is employed to address the endogeneity of nonfarm income. Results show that nonfarm income plays a larger role in raising household consumption expenditure than farm income. Specifically, an increase of 1000 yuan in farm and nonfarm income raises household consumption expenditures by 134 and 215 yuan/capita, respectively. Furthermore, nonfarm income is associated with consumption expenditure inequality, while farm income is not. Disaggregated analyses show that nonfarm income has larger effects than farm income on expenditures on food, consumer goods, and transportation; the reverse is true for medical care and gift expenditures. These findings suggest that policies promoting nonfarm employment and supporting farm income growth can help improve rural household consumption while addressing consumption inequality
Process or product? Academic writing in a changing tertiary environment
Full text linkThe internationalisation of education has placed English language teachers at the forefront of preparing students for tertiary study, with applied linguistic research guiding their practices. Two common academic writing approaches are the product-based approach, focusing on language replication, and the process-based approach, emphasising writing processes. Digital technology, especially AI tools like ChatGPT, has significantly influenced academic writing instruction. While some view these tools as challenges, others see opportunities to enhance learning. This presentation will explore these approaches, the impact of Gen AI, and provide examples from a New Zealand EAP pre-degree programme to assist teachers and students
Cool climate viticulture: Cultivar choice and climate change
Full text linkPresentation at Oportunidades, adaptación y mitigación del cambio climático en vibedos de zonas de clima fri
Engaging in transdisciplinary soil research: A roadmap for soil scientists
No full textTo address complex challenges and help advance a systems theory for soils requires soil scientists to be able to engage with knowledges outside the discipline of soil science. However, there is a lack of examples and guidance available to support different ways of producing new knowledge. Drawing on our experience as a transdisciplinary team, we present a roadmap comprising five key steps for undertaking transdisciplinary, soil‐centred research. The five steps are: addressing complex challenges, building relationships, weaving knowledges and building connectivity, developing holistic understandings and moving beyond knowledge translation. The central tenet of the roadmap is connectivity, with soil health at the core of the interrelationships of people, soil and food. To illustrate the application of this roadmap, we share learnings from two case studies that focused on understanding connections between people and soil, through food production in an Aotearoa New Zealand context. These case studies weave together mātauraka Māori (Māori Indigenous knowledge) and soil science, guided by social science framings, providing examples of how to undertake Transdisciplinary Research (TDR) and guidance for others looking to extend the boundaries of our field by connecting and applying new approaches to knowledge creation, and in so doing advance the development of a soil systems approac
Place as Patient? Contemplating the possibilities of landscapes near the end of life
No full textPalliative care is fundamentally different to other forms of medical treatment. Accepting patients cannot be healed in a physical sense, it turns its attention to what it means for an individual forced to contemplate the possibility, probability or inevitability of dying. The physician’s role is to assist with this journey, helping individuals, and the people who love them, to navigate the end of life on their own terms. Critically, then, palliative care is not a capitulation to the prospect of death but a reorientation towards care, perhaps even “exquisite care.” Sociologists MacArtney et al (2017), have written about the ways that accepting the transition from curative to palliative treatment unlocks the capacity to negotiate and occupy contradictory positions. This speaks less to a calm acceptance of mortality and more a willingness to remain open and agile to “the productive possibilities of being in different states, in different ways, at different times.” This paper questions why we imagine negotiating mortality is a distinctly human experience and not also a more-thanhuman experience? It interrogates the potential of palliative care as an ethos, to navigate the complex emotions and losses wrought by climate change. Considering place as patient accepts that particular places, such as Kiribati, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and others, may already find themselves on a palliative trajectory; one concerning not months or years but centuries and millennia. As Kiribati scholar Katerina Teaiwa (2019) observes, “climate change threatens not only the land … but the spiritual and cultural spheres associated with these landscapes … the impacts will cut across … everything that shapes our identities and relationships.” This paper explores whether embracing the idea of place as patient could encourage a transformative shift from the detached positions of managing, directing and transacting with the landscape, to caring for it differently in the present
Green finance development and its origin, motives, and barriers: An exploratory study
No full textAs global awareness of sustainability significance intensifies, green finance has become a focal point. In response to this trend, our study extensively examines the evolution of green finance, using exploratory methodologies to produce insightful observations. We perform an all-inclusive bibliometric analysis of literature regarding green finance to reveal significant trends and critical contributors to the domain. Further, we explore the historical evolution of green finance, analyzing its fundamental principles, examining the driving factors and obstacles, and forecasting future directions. We attempt to offer a clearer insight into green finance, facilitating decision-making by scholars, industry professionals, and policymakers
Digital transformation in healthcare: Investigating key determinants of examining telemedicine adoption
Full text linkThe integration of digital technologies is transforming healthcare, with telemedicine emerging as a pivotal solution. However, its adoption remains uneven, particularly in developing countries. This study examines the factors influencing telemedicine adoption among healthcare professionals in Malaysia, with a specific focus on technology readiness and technology acceptance. The findings reveal that optimism and perceived ease of use significantly influence adoption intent, while perceived usefulness serves as a critical mediator. Additionally, age moderates these relationships, indicating that older healthcare professionals may demonstrate greater reluctance towards telemedicine adoption. By identifying the interplay between technological and demographic factors, this study provides valuable insights into the barriers and enablers of telemedicine adoption, contributing to a more targeted approach in facilitating digital healthcare integration, particularly in resource-constrained settings