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Heterogenous distribution of kākahi (freshwater mussel Echyridella menziesii) environmental DNA in 5 New Zealand lakes of differing size and geomorphology
No full textThe abundance of freshwater mussels is declining globally. To better understand and possibly reverse this trend, we need more information on the occurrence and distribution of freshwater mussels. Using environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect species is a sensitive and cost-effective approach that can complement conventional monitoring methods. The quantity and distribution of eDNA in a waterbody determines how many samples researchers need to collect for a successful survey. There has been limited research on appropriate sampling strategies for detecting freshwater mussel eDNA in lakes. The aim of this study was to compare the occurrence and concentration eDNA from the New Zealand freshwater mussel or kākahi (Echyridella menziesii Gray, 1843) with density data obtained from divers and to use statistical approach to determine the optimal number of samples required when establishing a monitoring program. We took surface-water samples for eDNA detection from 5 lakes of different size and depth. At the same locations, divers measured kākahi density using traditional transects. For eDNA, we amplified the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 gene using droplet digital polymerase chain reaction. All 5 lakes had substantial populations of kākahi and high eDNA occupancy (79%). We detected kākahi eDNA at both shallow and deep sites. Detectability (presence/absence) of kākahi eDNA varied between 61 and 96% and was generally higher in shallow small lakes which is likely related to the lake’s geomorphology. Our models indicated that sampling 4 sites in triplicate is sufficient to detect kākahi eDNA if occupancy is high (>80%), but the number of sites sampled needs to be increased in lakes where there is no prior knowledge on kākahi populations. The results of this study provide guidance that can be used to inform development of sampling strategies for kākahi monitoring in lakes
Sustainability transitions in agrifood firms and industries: A bibliographic analysis of research themes
No full textThree thematic clusters emerge from bibliographic coupling analysis, emphasizing innovation, ecological aspects, and targeted interventions in agrifood sustainability transitions. This study confirms that there is an increased focus on "industries and firms" in agrifood sustainability transitions, offering insights into geographical and thematic patterns, journal preferences, and theoretical frameworks. These findings provide a greater understanding of the current literature landscape, laying a foundation for future research directions in sustainable agrifood transitions within the theme of firms and industries
The role of the state in encouraging the supply of senior housing: Housing-with-care and retirement villages in Scotland and New Zealand
No full textThe inexorable increase in the demand for senior housing across all countries is well recognised with attention focusing on supply side responses. Adopting a welfare perspective, this paper considers whether leaving the supply of housing-with-care to the market alone will achieve optimal societal outcomes or lead to the under provision of senior housing. The level of state intervention in senior housing markets is considered employing a comparative approach of the experience in Scotland and New Zealand. State interventions were analysed in the areas of planning, property law and social care integration. The evidence would suggest that the market in New Zealand is more regulated than is the case in Scotland, thus enabling developers and investors to operate and invest with greater confidence, resulting in higher levels of supply. Given the current shortfall in appropriate age-related accommodation in Scotland this leads to the conclusion that the Scottish government needs to intervene more proactively in the market to stimulate and direct construction activity if a senior housing crisis is to be avoided
Metabolomics for plant health biosecurity diagnostics and response
No full textThe increasing diversity of potential biosecurity threats makes their diagnosis a complicated and evolving area, requiring moving beyond traditional taxonomic species identification. New biosecurity diagnostic tools should provide a greater depth of information on threat biology to enable accurate risk assessment for the more efficient and effective deployment of biosecurity resources. Metabolomics is amongst the new approaches being explored for biosecurity diagnostics, where a broad spectrum of metabolites might signify relevant biological characteristics of an intercepted organism. Examples of these characteristics are physiological signatures of age, reproductive status, geographic origin, pathogen status of potential invertebrate vectors, and the distinction between diseases and abiotic plant stress symptoms. This broad-based approach is attractive, where several biological characteristics of an organism can be assessed with a single measurement. However, it can be impractical as several hundred biological replicates of the organism are needed to build a robust model of a species. New approaches such as mass spectral fingerprinting substantially reduce the time taken for metabolomics measurements, and more sophisticated modelling methods aid feasibility. Promising data are emerging for metabolomics and metabolite fingerprinting for potential biosecurity applications. We discuss the possibilities and potential uses for these new tools for post-detection decisions, diagnosis, and biosecurity
The paradoxical nature of elitism in a community arts festival
No full textArts festivals have existed for centuries. Those that focused on the ‘high arts’ (opera, theatre, ballet, orchestral music) were the domain of the social elite. Until recently, however, the paradoxical nature of elitism in community arts festivals has been largely neglected by scholars.
This longitudinal research sought to investigate the practices of a community arts festival in New Zealand that has been subject to deeply embedded perceptions of elitism, largely failing to recognise and cater to the needs of its community and often finding itself in financial trouble. Festival organisers adopt specific processes and practices which contribute to the success (or failure) of events. These processes and practices, whether transparent or tacit, also determine the unspoken rules of inclusion and exclusion. This in turn shapes how the event is represented and perceived.
The research sought to answer the question, “How may the practices surrounding the organisation and representation of the Christchurch Arts Festival have contributed to persistent perceptions of elitism, and have these changed over time?” Archival material including organising committee documents and correspondence, along with media articles, was analysed to understand the festival’s history and its representation over time.
The presentation will unpack the festival processes and practices and provide a nuanced understanding of their impact on the life cycle of this particular community event, demonstrating the paradox of elitism in this context
In vitro evaluation of potentially edible Brazilian trees and shrubs in ruminant nutrition
No full textThe present study aims to evaluate the nutritional value of different tree and shrub leaves in Brazilian ruminant production systems. Eight potentially edible trees and shrubs were identified from interviews with 30 ruminant producers: Aroeira (ARO; Lithraea molleoides), Black Mulberry (BMU; Morus nigra), Candeia (CAN; Eremanthus erythropappus), Jatobá (JAT; Hymenaea courbaril), Gliricídia (GLI; Gliricidia sepium), Santa Bárbara tree (SBT; Mélia azedarach), Tithonia (TIT; Tithonia diversifolia), and White Mulberry (WMU; Morus alba). Four leaf samples of each edible tree were sampled, and chemical analyses and in vitro assays were performed. Edible trees (except CAN and JAT) had lower neutral detergent fiber content than Mombasa grass. In addition, SBT, BMU, WMU, and TIT had lower fiber content than the other evaluated edible trees. Consequently, SBT, TIT, BMU, and WMU had improved dry matter degradation. Among the edible trees and shrubs, SMW and WMU increased the potential for gas production (a parameter). On the other hand, CAN decreased the estimated gas production 48 h after incubation. Furthermore, TIT decreased methane production up to 24 h after in vitro fermentation. Thus, except ARO, CAN, and JAT, the edible trees evaluated in the present study are potential feeds in moderate- to high-producing animals. Additionally, TIT fermentation reduces in vitro methane production
Report and recommendation of the review panel: Severe Weather Emergency Recovery (Resource Management - Time Extensions) Order 2023 and Severe Weather Emergency Recovery (Resource Management – Extension of Water Permits) Order 2023
No full textAs required under section 16 of the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Act 2023, this is the Review Panel report, recommendation and comments on two draft Orders-In-Council to facilitate recovery from specified severe weather events. The Panel's recommendation that the Minister may conclude that the draft Orders are necessary and/or desirable was subject to amendments to the orders and the Minister's attention was drawn to the potential for some people not affected by the events to gain some advantage from the Orders
Sustainability transitions in agrifood firms and industries: A bibliographic analysis of research themes
No full textThere is a growing consensus that the modern food system lies at the center of the grand challenges facing humanity and requires urgent and profound changes in the way that food is produced, processed, distributed and consumed. This systematic review analyses the sustainability transitions literature within agrifood systems, focusing on the role of firms and industries in transitions as defined by the Sustainable Transitions Research Network (STRN). The only previous systematic review on agrifood sustainability transitions identified this STRN research theme as a marginal topic in the agrifood transitions literature. This paper conducts a systematic literature review using bibliometric analysis and visualization tools to assess the current state of research on the role of firms and industries in agrifood sustainability. The findings reveal a significant increase in publications related to firms and industries within agrifood sustainability transitions, constituting 20% of the overall literature by 2023. However, this research is geographically concentrated in the European Union, particularly the Netherlands and Germany and based at two key institutions. This Eurocentric orientation emphasizes mostly issues within European agrifood firms and industries. The study identifies two primary theoretical clusters through co-citation: one aligns with general sustainability discourse, and the other focuses more specifically on agriculture, ecology, and rural studies. Three thematic clusters emerge from bibliographic coupling analysis, emphasizing innovation, ecological aspects, and targeted interventions in agrifood sustainability transitions. This study confirms that there is an increased focus on "industries and firms" in agrifood sustainability transitions, offering insights into geographical and thematic patterns, journal preferences, and theoretical frameworks. These findings provide a greater understanding of the current literature landscape, laying a foundation for future research directions in sustainable agrifood transitions within the theme of firms and industries
Don't pay the highly motivated too much
No full textOne remaining puzzle in the literature on intrinsic motivation and extrinsic incentives is the conflict between two oft-cited rules: “pay enough or don't pay at all” and “pay, but not too much”. There is some evidence to suggest differing impact of incentives, depending on level of initial motivation. Our lab-in-the-field experiment, on a heterogeneous sample of the general public, allows us to test our intuitive prediction: that crowding out will be less (more) likely when motivation is low (high) to begin with. We use a real effort task and a within- and between-subject design to measure motivation before, during and after an incentive is applied. On average, we find support for “pay, but not too much”, as a low power monetary incentive is as effective as a high power monetary incentive when applied. However, high power monetary incentives strongly crowd out motivation for the high types. Monetary incentives (low or high) do not crowd out motivation in low motivation types. A charity incentive does not increase performance in the real effort task, but also has no crowding out effect. We show the importance of accounting for initial intrinsic motivation, and that the highly motivated are more susceptible to crowding out
Diverse Bradyrhizobium spp. with similar symbiosis genes nodulate peanut in different regions of China: Characterization of symbiovar sv. Arachis
No full textA total of 219 rhizobial strains isolated from peanut grown in soils from six peanut croplands in Zhengyang county, Henan Province, were typed by PCR-RFLP of IGS sequences. Their phylogenetic relationships were refined on representative strains using sequence analyses of 16S rRNA genes, housekeeping genes (atpD, recA, glnII) and symbiosis genes (nodA, nodC and nifH). The 219 rhizobial isolates were classified into 13 IGS types, and twenty representatives were defined within eight Bradyrhizobium genospecies: B. guangdongense covering 5 IGS types (75.2% of total isolates), B. guangzhouense (2 IGS types, 2.7% total isolates), B. zhengyangense (1 IGS type, 11.3% total isolates) and five novel genospecies (5 IGS types, 0.9 to 3.2% total isolates). All representative strains had identical nodA, nodC and nifH sequences except for one nifH sequence. With this one exception, these sequences were identical to those of the type strains of Bradyrhizobium species and several Bradyrhizobium genospecies isolated from peanut in different regions of China. The nodC sequences of all strains showed < 67% similarity to the closest strains on the Genbank database indicating that they are representative of a novel Bradyrhiobium symbiovar. This study has shown that (1) diverse Bradyrhizobium spp. with similar symbiosis genes nodulate peanut in different regions of China. (2) Horizontal transfer of genes involved in nodulating peanut is common between Bradyrhizobium species in soils used to grow the crop in China. (3) The strains studied here are representative of a novel Bradyrhizobium symbiovar that nodulates peanut in China. We propose the name sv. arachis for this novel symbiovar indicating that the strains were isolated from Arachis hypogaea. Results here have practical implications in relation to the selection of rhizobial inoculants for peanut in China