19366 research outputs found
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History of rugby and its origins in New Zealand
No full textRugby union has a rich history that dates back over 200 years. It started off as a folk game between villages, with hundreds of players on each side and few if any rules. The contemporary game today by contrast is much more complicated and pitched between two fifteen-a-side teams that is heavily policed for rules. The origin of rugby does not rest with William Webb Ellis who never knew that he was supposed to have picked up the ball and run with it at Rugby School in 1823. That myth emerged only in the 1880s when the leaders of English rugby wanted to assert its elite and amateur origins against threats from both working-class influences and soccer (Williams 1989; Baker 1981)
The effect of antecedent soil moisture conditions on soil nitrous oxide and dinitrogen dynamics after wetting: An intact soil core study
No full textRuminant excreta urinary‑nitrogen (N) deposited onto pasture soil generates inorganic-N concentrations in excess of the pasture's immediate requirements. Consequently, nitrous oxide (N₂O) and dinitrogen (N₂) may be emitted from the urine-affected soil via denitrification. Soil moisture plays a key role in determining the end-product of denitrification. Although the effects of soil moisture and drying-wetting cycles on soil N₂O production have been widely studied using sieved soils in a controlled environment, these experiments may not reflect the actual conditions in the field due to the lack of plant cover and the disturbed soil structure. To address this an experiment was performed using intact soil cores (7.5 cm depth), with pasture plants present, under controlled environmental conditions (20 °C, 8 h of light per day). The ¹⁵N flux method was used to investigate how antecedent soil moisture affected soil N₂O production and consumption in a pasture soil after wetting with a nitrate ( NO₃¯) solution. The results showed that the antecedent dry condition (25 % WFPS, Dp/Do = 0.1783) increased the magnitude of the N₂O flux peak after the soil was wetted (75 % WFPS, Dp/Do = 0.006) when compared to antecedent wet conditions (50 % WFPS, Dp/Do = 0.0503). There were no differences in the denitrification and nitrification related functional gene abundances between the two antecedent conditions post-wetting, indicating that the effect was not regulated by microbial changes but by the intensity of the “Birch effect” induced by soil wetting. The N₂O reduction related gene (nosZII) abundance decreased after wetting with the NO₃¯ solution, indicating a suppression effect on N₂O consumption from the NO₃¯ applied that overrode the potential “Birch effect” on N₂ emission. The results of the study indicate that rewetting of antecedent dry soil increase N₂O emissions but not N₂ emissions when the soil NO₃¯ concentration is high
Tailored investments needed to support weather, water, ice and climate services in the Polar Regions
No full textThe Polar Prediction Project (PPP), one of the flagship programmes of the World Meteorological Organisation’s (WMO) World Weather Research Programme (WWRP), has come to an end after a decade of intensive and coordinated international observing, modelling, verification, user engagement, and education activities. While PPP facilitated many advancements in modelling and forecasting, critical investment is now required to turn prediction science into salient environmental services for the Polar Regions. In this commentary, the members of the Societal and Economic Research and Applications task team of PPP, a group of social scientists and service delivery specialists, identify a number of insights and lessons that are critical for the implementation of the follow up programme Polar Coupled Analysis and Prediction for Services (PCAPS). We argue that in order to raise the societal value of polar environmental services we need: to better understand the diversity of highly specific user contexts; to tailor the actionability of weather, water, ice and climate (WWIC) service development in the Polar Regions through inclusive transdisciplinary approaches to co-production; to assess the societal impact of improved environmental services in the Polar Regions; and to invest and provide dedicated funding for involving the social sciences in research and tailoring processes across all the Polar Regions
Identification and characterisation of Phytophthora species associated with New Zealand apple orchards
No full textPhytophthora root and crown rot is a destructive and economically important disease of apple worldwide. Several Phytophthora species are implicated but there have been no recent detailed studies to identify and characterise the Phytophthora species associated with New Zealand apple orchards. Soil samples were obtained from apple orchards in Hawke’s Bay (11 orchard blocks), Tasman (13 orchard blocks), Waikato (2 orchard blocks), Otago (2 orchard blocks) and Canterbury (2 orchard blocks), representing different cultivars and age groups. Phytophthora isolates were recovered by baiting using Himalayan cedar needles (Cedrus deodara), lupin radicles and apple cotyledons as baits. Lupin was the most effective bait, recovering 147 Phytophthora spp. isolates compared to apple cotyledons (72 isolates) and cedar needles (52 isolates). The Phytophthora isolates recovered were identified based on morphology and DNA sequencing. Seven species were identified, Phytophthora cactorum, P. cambivora, P. megasperma, P. plurivora, P. rosacearum, P. chamydospora, P. cryptogeae and isolates with unresolved identity (Phytophthora spp.). The most prevalent species was P. cactorum (203 isolates). A higher number of Phytophthora spp. and P. cactorum isolates were recovered from the old (> 20-year-old) and medium (6–19-year-old) orchards compared to the young (2–5-year-old) orchards. The genetic diversity of P. cactorum was determined using random amplified microsatellites (RAMS) and universally primed polymerase chain reaction (UP-PCR) primers and relative virulence of isolates of the recovered Phytophthora species assessed. The 59 P. cactorum isolates were placed into five major groups of 3, 16, 9, 9 and 20 isolates each with two isolates each placed in groups by themselves, with the P. cactorum population in the orchards dispersed in the different groups. From the genetic diversity analysis isolates of P. cactorum and representative isolates of the different species recovered were selected and their virulence assessed on different apple rootstocks using detached root and shoot assays and whole plant experiments. All Phytophthora species and P. cactorum isolates tested were virulent on the apple rootstocks tested, with rootstock MM106 being more susceptible than M9 and M26. There was no correlation between the genetic diversity and virulence. The prevalence and dominance of P. cactorum determined in the study denotes its significance within New Zealand’s apple orchards. The broad diversity of Phytophthora species identified emphasizes the need for continued monitoring to safeguard orchards from these potential threats. These may also represent a reciprocal threat for other ecosystems if these species move from orchards to forest/native ecosystems and vice versa
Monitoring to detect changes in water quality to meet policy objectives
No full textDetecting change in water quality is key to providing evidence of progress towards meeting water quality objectives. A key measure for detecting change is statistical power. Here we calculate statistical power for all regularly (monthly) monitored streams in New Zealand to test the effectiveness of monitoring for policy that aims to decrease contaminant (phosphorus and nitrogen species, E. coli and visual clarity) concentrations to threshold levels in 5 or 20 years. While > 95% of all monitored sites had sufficient power and samples to detect change in nutrients and clarity over 20 years, on average, sampling frequency would have to double to detect changes in E. coli. Furthermore, to detect changes in 5 years, sampling for clarity, dissolved reactive phosphorus and E. coli would have to increase up to fivefold. The cost of sampling was predicted to increase 5.3 and 4.1 times for 5 and 20 years, respectively. A national model of statistical power was used to demonstrate that a similar number of samples (and cost) would be required for any new monitoring sites. Our work suggests that demonstrating the outcomes of implementing policy for water quality improvement may not occur without a step change in investment into monitoring systems. Emerging sampling technologies have potential to reduce the cost, but existing monitoring networks may also have to be rationalised to provide evidence that water quality is meeting objectives. Our study has important implications for investment decisions involving balancing the need for intensively sampled sites where changes in water quality occur rapidly versus other sites which provide long-term time series
Influence of grape flesh on the retention and composition of Polyphenols from skins and seeds
No full textThis study examined the impact of grape flesh polysaccharide, protein, and amino acid contents on polyphenol retention from skins and seeds in Pinot noir (Vitis vinifera) and cold-hardy interspecific cultivars Marquette and Frontenac (Vitis spp.). After isolating grape tissues (skin, seed, and flesh), they were soaked either individually or combined with other tissues in a wine-like solution for up to 7 days. Findings revealed that flesh significantly reduces the concentration of condensed tannin, and mono- and diglucoside forms of anthocyanins in the supernatants, due to its rich content in polysaccharides and proteins. Frontenac skin and flesh tissues were the main sources of soluble proteins, amino acids, and soluble polysaccharides. Surprisingly, Marquette exhibited a higher retention of skin tannin than Pinot noir, likely due to its smaller tannin molecular mass, and a potential competitive effect with anthocyanins for the binding sites of flesh
Serratia-based toxin cluster elements are associated with a type I fimbria
No full textA soil bacterium in the Serratia genus, carrying a 153 kb conjugative amber disease-associated plasmid (pADAP), is commercially exploited for population control of the New Zealand endemic pest beetle Costelytra giveni (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). The main insecticidal elements are an anti-feeding prophage and the Sep ABC toxin complex (Tc). Homologs of pADAP, encoding variant Tcs, convey different beetle disease phenotypes. To investigate the correlation between variable bioactivity and the Tc variant, 76 Serratia plasmids were sequenced, resulting in the identification of four additional tc variants. All Serratia tc variants were found to be colocated with a conserved type 1 sef fimbrial-like operon, indicating a conserved sef-tc genetic island not observed outside of the Serratia genus. The conserved co-location of the fimbrial and tc genes suggests the fimbriae somehow contribute to the lifestyle of Tc-producing cells. Expression of the sef operon in a fim-null Escherichia coli strain revealed fimbriae presence while a constructed sef-deficient mutant showed no reduction of virulence or host colonization. Although no detectable contribution of Sef to amber disease in C. giveni was observed, the Sef adhesin sequences clustered similarly to the Serratia species encoding it, suggesting Sef has a species-specific function
Sauvignon blanc wine protein stability as affected by pH adjustment and timing of bentonite addition
No full textThe effects of pH adjustments on Sauvignon Blanc wine protein haze formation and the required amount of bentonite were investigated at both micro-scale and commercial scale, using identical juice. Additionally, three different timings for bentonite addition were examined during the pH adjustment trial: before, during, and after fermentation. The study utilized the hot and cold test to determine the bentonite requirement for protein stabilization. Wine proteins were analyzed using various techniques including a modified Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) assay, lithium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (LDS-PAGE), and sodium dodecyl sulfate capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS-CGE). Findings revealed that lower juice pH levels (2.80 and 3.00) resulted in sluggish fermentation, while the presence or absence of bentonite during fermentation did not significantly alter fermentation kinetics at each pH level. Bentonite remaining in contact with ferment improved fermentation completion for the sluggish ferment (pH 2.80). Wines with lower pH exhibited reduced wine protein content and enhanced protein adsorption efficiency of bentonite fining, necessitating lower bentonite dosages for stability. Bentonite addition during fermentation proved to be the most effective in protein removal, while fining after fermentation required the least overall bentonite dosage. Although different fermentation scales minimally affected wine protein contents, they did not alter molecular weight (MW) profiles. The protein contents and MW profiles in stabilized wines were influenced by the original juice pH, displaying more complex patterns with high pH juice
Understanding drivers, barriers and value contribution of the land based social enterprise "Rakau"
No full textNew Zealand's food and fibre sector is crucial to the economy, with export revenue reaching $57.4 billion in 2023. Despite challenges, social enterprises in this sector contribute to society and the environment. This study aims to explore how these enterprises create and distribute value within communities and evaluate the barriers and opportunities presented by the bio- physical environment. The study focuses on "Rakau", a social enterprise in the Bay of Plenty, which provides employment and education to challenged individuals and focuses on environmental conservation. The research uses a qualitative case study approach to gain an in-depth understanding of the complex issues and real-life phenomena
Biological control of the invasive wasp Vespula germanica in Australia: Assessing socio-economic feasibility
No full textInvasive species cause significant damage to economies, human health, biodiversity and society in general. Social insects are among the most successful invaders, often becoming major pests when they establish outside their native range. Once established they can be difficult to eradicate or contain, and classical biological control is usually the only feasible management option.
Successful classical biological control programs must be both technically and economically feasible. A technically feasible program — where a biological control agent establishes, spreads and suppresses the growth and spread of the pest — is a necessary pre-requisite for economic feasibility, where benefits and costs of a biological control program are subsequently assessed. We investigate whether the highly invasive eusocial wasp Vespula germanica (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) could be a candidate for a renewed biological control management program in Australia, where it established almost 60 years ago.
The potential impacts of V. germanica on horticulture, apiculture, tourism, outdoor social activities, and biodiversity are estimated to be AUD 2.6 billion over 50 years, should V. germanica continue to spread unhindered. We found median benefits of AUD145 million to AUD385 million, depending on effectiveness and growth rates of the biocontrol, with non-market benefits exceeding market benefits by 50%