19366 research outputs found
Sort by
Finding the right bucket in the right place and at the right time: A novel methodology for developing adaptive flood mitigation strategies with climate change
No full textInternationally, many coastal cities will face disastrous flooding with climate change; however, it is difficult to plan for it under high uncertainty. Conventional flood mitigation strategies, such as installing defence structures on the front line are expensive and risky. Green stormwater infrastructures (GSIs) on large, developed parcels of land, located in key locations in a catchment, are capable of providing substantial flood mitigation. Networks of GSI can be designed to act in concert and rolled out when and where needed. However, parcels have different flood mitigation capabilities through time depending on their biophysical characteristics, and an effective methodology for evaluating and comparing them is missing. Here, we present the Hydrology-based Land Capability Assessment and Classification (HLCA+C) methodology. It builds on the strengths of existing methodologies and uses a land unit analysis approach, that assesses interdependent hydrological and geographical variables. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in a Christchurch, New Zealand catchment. Its application led to the identification of an adaptive GSI flood mitigation network for the next 80 years that can mitigate flooding just shy of that associated with the major climate change scenario. Effective flood mitigation is a matter of finding the right bucket in the right place and at the right time
Dinitrogen (N2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes from grazed pasture soil after cattle urine deposition : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University
No full textCattle, grazing pastures, deposit urine onto the soil at high nitrogen (N) rates that exceed the pasture's immediate N demands, increasing the risk of N loss. Nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas, and dinitrogen (N2) are lost from the cattle urine patches. There is limited information on the in situ loss of N2 from grazed-pasture systems, which is needed for understanding pasture soil N dynamics and balances. The aim of this PhD project was to improve our understanding of the N2O and N2 fluxes from urine-affected pasture soils.
There were two field experiments and one laboratory experiment conducted in this PhD project. Different urinary-N rates (400 kg N ha-1 and 800 kg N ha-1), soil types (Te Kowhai clay loam and Horotiu silt loam) and antecedent soil moisture effects on regulating N2O and N2 fluxes from the urine-affected pasture soils were investigated using the 15N flux method. At the end of the project, the N2O and N2 fluxes measured from the field studies were used to validate the performance of denitrification in a process-based model (APSIM) to identify the potential gaps in the model processes that require further improvement to predict N-cycling in grazed pasture.
In the first field experiment (Expt. 1), the higher urinary-N rate (800 kg N ha-1) increased the N2O fluxes but did not necessarily produce higher N2 fluxes compared to the lower rate (400 kg N ha-1). It is speculated that the higher urine-N deposited on soil potentially resulted in higher N loss via ammonia volatilisation and nitrate leaching. In the laboratory incubation experiment (Expt. 2), the drier antecedent soil moisture did increase soil N2O emissions, after rewetting with a NO3- solution (to mimic the peak NO3- concentration evolved from urine deposition), due to the “Birch effect” but there was no significant effect on N2 emissions. The antecedent dry soil condition might have delayed the recovery of N2O reductase and therefore increased the N2O/(N2O+N2) product ratio but this effect seemed to only last for 2-3 days. Results from the second field experiment (Expt. 3), showed that soil type plays an important role in regulating N-cycling and in turn affects the gaseous fluxes after urine deposition. The poorly drained Te Kowhai soil emitted more N2O compared to the well-drained Horotiu soil after urine application at the same N rate (800 kg N ha-1) under identical climatic conditions. However, there was no difference in denitrification-derived N2 fluxes between the two soils. The emissions period was aligned with the time when soil NO3- in the 15 - 30 cm depth was > 20 mg N kg-1. This further suggests that N2 fluxes from the field might be mainly produced at deeper soil depths and regulated by the soil factors in the deeper layers.
In both field studies, codenitrification was detected but with varied contributions to total N2 productions. In the first field experiment (Expt. 1), codenitrification contributed 1.5% to 2.1% of total N2 production in the Te Kowhai soil after urine deposition while the contributions were 0.89% in the Horotiu soil and 12% in the Te Kowhai soil in the second field study (Expt. 3). Denitrification was found to be the predominant N2 production pathway in pasture soil after urine deposition in this study. However, the role of codenitrification in N2 production after urine deposition needs to be further investigated. The N2O/(N2O+N2) product ratio observed in the field experiments in this PhD project did not correlate with any measured soil factors. This is attributed to the complexity of multiple N transformations happening simultaneously after urine deposition. This indicates that the N2O/(N2O+N2) product ratio might not be a good indicator to predict N2O and N2 fluxes from the field, especially after urine deposition. The poor performance in the prediction of denitrification-related gaseous emissions (N2O and N2) in APSIM using the field flux datasets, despite changing model parameters, suggests that more field N2 fluxes under different conditions should be obtained in the future for the development of the N-cycling process-based model. This study highlights the importance of a comprehensive understanding of the whole N cycle when predicting soil denitrification losses (N2O and N2) from such systems
A critical review of social media research in sensory-consumer science
No full textThe collection and analysis of digital data from social media is a rapidly growing methodology in sensory-consumer science, with a wide range of applications for research studying consumer attitudes, preferences, and sensory responses to food. The aim of this review article was to critically evaluate the potential of social media research in sensory-consumer science with a focus on advantages and disadvantages. This review began with an exploration into different sources of social media data and the process by which data from social media is collected, cleaned, and analyzed through natural language processing for sensory-consumer research. It then investigated in detail the differences between social media-based and conventional methodologies, in terms of context, sources of bias, the size of data sets, measurement differences, and ethics. Findings showed participant biases are more difficult to control using social media approaches, and precision is inferior to conventional methods. However, findings also showed social media methodologies may have other advantages including an increased ability to investigate trends over time and easier access to cross-cultural or global insights. Greater research in this space will identify when social media can best function as an alternative to conventional methods, and/or provide valuable complementary information
The role of credence attribute claims in food product launch – a comparative study of New Zealand and Australia
No full textPurpose: This paper aims to empirically investigate the role of product positioning in the launch of food and drink products using a large dataset of new product development by food companies in Australia (AU) and New Zealand (NZ). As such, positioning through credence attribute claims can be associated with product launch strategies, including brand-new products, expansion of product ranges, new packaging and relaunch, as a response to market demand.
Design/methodology/approach: Text analysis was used to investigate the descriptions of food claims using Structured Query Language, providing a word list of food claims and further filtered and categorised into groups of claims. Multinomial regression models were then employed to analyse the association between product launch strategies and food claims adopted by firms.
Findings: The results of this paper provide evidence that positioning via food claims play an important role in product launch strategies in both AU and NZ. Types of food claims matter differently to firms' product launch decisions in the two markets. The “green” and “ethical” attributes are found to be associated with new launches in NZ but not in AU. Claims that are seen as most important for consumers are more likely to be engendered for the more costly launch approach.
Originality/value: This study is amongst the first studies that addresses the role of positioning in product launch strategies of food companies. The results and findings provide insights into the different prevailing credence attributes from the firm side and help policymakers to regulate the delivery of information about credence attributes to consumers
A multi-omic Nicotiana benthamiana resource for fundamental research and biotechnology
No full textNicotiana benthamiana is an invaluable model plant and biotechnology platform with a ~3 Gb allotetraploid genome. To further improve its usefulness and versatility, we have produced high-quality chromosome-level genome assemblies, coupled with transcriptome, epigenome, microRNA and transposable element datasets, for the ubiquitously used LAB strain and a related wild accession, QLD. In addition, single nucleotide polymorphism maps have been produced for a further two laboratory strains and four wild accessions. Despite the loss of five chromosomes from the ancestral tetraploid, expansion of intergenic regions, widespread segmental allopolyploidy, advanced diploidization and evidence of recent bursts of Copia pseudovirus (Copia) mobility not seen in other Nicotiana genomes, the two subgenomes of N. benthamiana show large regions of synteny across the Solanaceae. LAB and QLD have many genetic, metabolic and phenotypic differences, including disparate RNA interference responses, but are highly interfertile and amenable to genome editing and both transient and stable transformation. The LAB/QLD combination has the potential to be as useful as the Columbia-0/Landsberg errecta partnership, utilized from the early pioneering days of Arabidopsis genomics to today
Incredible edibles: Investigating drivers of consumer commitment to urban food foraging and their willingness to accept opportunity cost
No full textPresentation made at AARES 2023, 9 February 202
Advancing primary sector adaptation in Aotearoa New Zealand
Get PDFClimate change is already being experienced across the primary sector in Aotearoa New Zealand. Adapting to the impacts already being observed, while also anticipating future impacts, requires consideration of different time frames as well as grounding within the farmer or grower’s own contexts. Uncertainty regarding longer-term climatic changes can present challenges for decision-making in the present time, but a growing body of analytical and practical processes can support this. Although some farmers are experimenting with different types of adaptation, more generally there is a dearth of action, particularly planning beyond the present and immediate future. Policy for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness and lifetimes of adaptation actions is required, as well as extension services supporting farmers and growers
Protected landscapes: Their ability to ground design processes that encourage human interaction : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln University
Get PDFThis research investigates the potential of our protected landscapes in guiding interaction-based sensory connections to progress opportunities of designing a deeper landscape understanding within the landscape architecture profession.
The approach to investigating the topic explores theories relating to protected landscapes and peoples positions with these spaces whilst incorporating external literature to deepen the breadth of perception around connection. It further explores protected landscapes and the subsequent connections through field-based interactions within the protected landscape setting to arrive at an intelligible methodology in designing the extracted experiences. The method is then applied to an existing landscape where design outcomes are tested in relation to their people-nature based connections, with an additional method being applied in exploration of multi-method potentials and comparisons.
The study finds that protected landscapes offer an abstracted environment to the complexities of civilisation, providing for a valuable site of investigation into extracting experiences that fuel designing to better user connection to the landscape.
The study also finds the process of interaction significantly influences the level of understanding. Fieldwork conducted revealed interactions of rich value that directed experiences and subsequent understanding of the landscape, which were then articulated into guidance for designing alike connections.
It finds that an experimenting in all parts of method and the sequences in which they are conducted results in variation of outcome, furthering an expansion upon these people-nature relations, and how the findings can develop the potential for designers to recreate these experiences of connection.
Finally, the research illustrates the opportunity for landscape architecture to further explore the magic that unfolds from nature-based experiences within our protected landscapes, to expand on ways of nurturing interactive understanding of the landscape
Bunch microclimate influence amino acids and phenolic profiles of Pinot noir grape berries
Get PDFIntroduction: The increase of temperature due to climate change at different phenological stages of grapevine has already been demonstrated to affect accumulation of primary and secondary metabolites in grape berries. This has a significant implication for Pinot noir especially in New Zealand context as these compounds can have direct and indirect effects on wine quality.
Methods: This study investigates how varying bunch microclimate through changes in temperature applied at veraison stage can affect: fresh weight, total soluble solids, the accumulation of anthocyanins, total phenolics and amino acids of the grape berries. This was studied over two growing seasons (2018/19 and 2019/20) with Pinot noir vines being grown at two different temperatures in controlled environment (CE) chambers. The vines were exposed to 800 µmol/m2/s irradiance with diurnal changes in day (22°C or 30°C) and night (15°C) temperatures. This experimental set up enabled us to determine the accumulation of these metabolite at harvest (both seasons) and throughout berry development (second season).
Results and discussion: The results showed that berry weight was not influenced by temperature increase. The total soluble solids (TSS) were significantly increased at 30°C, however, this was not at the expense of berry weight (i.e., water loss). Anthocyanin content was reduced at higher temperature in the first season but there was no change in phenolic content in response to temperature treatments in either season. The concentrations of total amino acids at harvest increased in response to the higher temperature in the second season only. In addition, in the time course analysis of the second season, the accumulation of amino acids was increased at mid-ripening and ripening stage with the increased temperature. Significant qualitative changes in amino acid composition specifically the α-ketoglutarate family (i.e., glutamine, arginine, and proline) were found between the two temperatures.
Significance: This study is the first to provide detailed analysis and quantification of individual amino acids and phenolics in Pinot noir in response to changes in temperature applied at veraison which could aid to develop adaptation strategies for viticulture in the future
Effects of rootstock and training system on tree canopy, fruit quality and phytochemicals of ‘0900 Ziraat’ and ‘Regina’ sweet cherry cultivars
Get PDFBoth ‘0900 Ziraat’ and ‘Regina’ grafted on ‘Krymsk 5’, or ‘Piku 1’ rootstocks were trained to either Upright Fruiting Offshoots (UFO), Super Slender Axe (SSA) or Kym Green Bush (KGB) training systems. Vegetative growth of the tree, determined by measuring trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA), canopy volume and leaf area, differed significantly, depending on the cultivar x rootstock x training system combination. In general, ‘Krymsk 5’ rootstock resulted in trees with significantly thicker trunks (TCSA: 37.75 cm²) and increased leaf area (up to 86.97 cm²). Fruit weight and fruit quality parameters including Hunter a*, firmness, TSS and acidity were variable between rootstocks and training systems and often not significantly different between treatments. In some years however, significant differences were highly dependent on the training system and rootstock interactions. Higher concentrations of bioactive phytochemical concentrations for total monomeric anthocyanin and antioxidant concentrations were mostly associated with the UFO training system in conjunction with the ‘Krymsk 5’ rootstock suggesting that these are linked to increased tree vigour and increased leaf surface area