Historical distribution data of New Zealand endemic families Callaeidae and Notiomystidae (Aves, Passeriformes)

Callaeidae (wattlebirds) and Notiomystidae (stitchbirds) are New Zealand-endemic sister-taxa; while widespread before human settlement, they subsequently became critically endangered or extinct. Aside from presently managed populations, information about them is scarce and actual specimens even scarcer. Herein, we provide a snapshot of these families’ historical distribution during the critical periods of European settlement and expansion in New Zealand (19th and early-20th centuries), exploring new data and insights resulting from this approach. We include an extensive catalogue of worldwide museum specimens to facilitate future research. We report the last known record/specimen of huia Heteralocha acutirostris (Gould, 1837) and late 19th century specimens of North Island saddleback Philesturnus rufusater (Lesson, 1828) from Cuvier Island that confirm its occurrence there. We failed to find specimens of North Island saddleback and stitchbird Notiomystis cincta (du Bus de Gisignies, 1839) (with one and two exceptions, respectively) from named locations on the mainland.

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Quo vadis? Historical distribution and impact of climate change on the worldwide distribution of the Australasian fungus Clathrus archeri (Phallales, Basidiomycota)

Mycological Progress ◽

10.1007/s11557-021-01669-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (3) ◽

pp. 299-311

Author(s):

Marcin Pietras ◽

Marta Kolanowska ◽

Marc-André Selosse

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Climatic Conditions ◽

Ecological Modelling ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Worldwide Distribution ◽

Historical Distribution ◽

Quo Vadis ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

Native And Introduced Ranges ◽

The Last Glacial

AbstractClathrus archeri is a fungus native to Australia and New Zealand that has started to expand into Europe, and it is considered a potentially invasive species. In this study, we examine the historical occurrence, current geographical range and potential future changes in the distribution of C. archeri using worldwide distribution data. Ecological modelling was used to assess the locations of the potential climatic niches of C. archeri within both its native and introduced ranges in the past, present and future. Our study clearly shows that the coverage of suitable habitats of this fungus has decreased since the last glacial maximum, and anthropogenic climate changes are accelerating the process of niche loss. The highest rate of C. archeri range contraction is expected in Australia, where the fungus should be considered a threatened species in the future. Highly valuable habitats will be available in Tasmania and New Zealand. However, a significant expansion rate of C. archeri will still probably be observed in Europe, where the climatic conditions preferred by the fungus will allow its quick expansion northeast into the continent.

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European Colonization, Not Polynesian Arrival, Impacted Population Size and Genetic Diversity in the Critically Endangered New Zealand Kākāpō

Journal of Heredity ◽

10.1093/jhered/esw065 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 107 (7) ◽

pp. 593-602 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Laura M. Bergner ◽

Nicolas Dussex ◽

Ian G. Jamieson ◽

Bruce C. Robertson

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

New Zealand ◽

Population Size ◽

Demographic History ◽

Critically Endangered ◽

Museum Specimens ◽

Human Settlement ◽

Island Endemic ◽

Population Size Estimates ◽

European Colonization

Abstract Island endemic species are often vulnerable to decline and extinction following human settlement, and the genetic study of historical museum specimens can be useful in understanding these processes. The kākāpō (Strigops habroptilus) is a critically endangered New Zealand parrot that was formerly widespread and abundant. It is well established that both Polynesian and European colonization of New Zealand impacted the native avifauna, but the timeframe and severity of impacts have differed depending on species. Here, we investigated the relative importance of the 2 waves of human settlement on kākāpō decline, using microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to characterize recent kākāpō genetic and demographic history. We analyzed samples from 49 contemporary individuals and 54 museum specimens dating from 1884 to 1985. Genetic diversity decreased significantly between historical and contemporary kākāpō, with a decline in mean number of microsatellite alleles from 6.15 to 3.08 and in number of mtDNA haplotypes from 17 to 3. Modeling of demographic history indicated a recent population bottleneck linked to the period of European colonization (approximately 5 generations ago) but did not support a major decline linked to Polynesian settlement. Effective population size estimates were also larger for historical than contemporary kākāpō. Our findings inform contemporary kākāpō management by indicating the timeframe and possible cause of the bottleneck, which has implications for the management of extant genetic diversity. We demonstrate the broader utility of a historical perspective in understanding causes of decline and managing extinction risk in contemporary endangered species.

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“What Would You Do?”: How Cat Owners Make End-of-Life Decisions and Implications for Veterinary-Client Interactions

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11041114 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 1114

Author(s):

Katherine Littlewood ◽

Ngaio Beausoleil ◽

Kevin Stafford ◽

Christine Stephens

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

New Zealand ◽

End Of Life ◽

Companion Animals ◽

Chronically Ill ◽

Future Research ◽

End Of Life Decisions ◽

Life Decisions ◽

End Of Life Decision ◽

Life Decision

Cats are the most common companion animals in New Zealand. Advances in veterinary care means that cats are living longer and there are many older cats. End-of-life decisions about cats are complicated by owner–cat relationships and other psychosocial factors. Our study explored the ways in which end-of-life decisions were being made by owners of older and chronically ill cats in New Zealand and the role of their veterinarian in the process. Qualitative data were gathered via retrospective semi-structured interviews with 14 cat owners using open-ended questions. Transcripts of these interviews were explored for themes using template analysis and nine themes were identified. Four were animal-centered themes: cat behavior change, pain was a bad sign, signs of ageing are not good, and the benefits of having other people see what owners often could not. Five were human-centered themes: veterinarians understanding owners’ relationships with their cat, normalizing death, the need for a good veterinarian to manage end of life, veterinary validation that owners were doing the right thing, and a strong desire to predict the time course and outcome for their cat. End-of-life decision making is complex, and the veterinarian’s role is often poorly defined. Our owners appreciated the expertise and validation that their veterinarian provided but continuity of care was important. Future research aimed at exploring the veterinarian’s perspective during end-of-life decision making for cats would be a valuable addition to the topic.

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Mosquito-Associated Viruses and Their Related Mosquitoes in West Africa

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13050891 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 891

Author(s):

Eric Agboli ◽

Julien B. Z. Zahouli ◽

Athanase Badolo ◽

Hanna Jöst

Keyword(s):

West Africa ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Disease Surveillance ◽

Health Concern ◽

Future Research ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Valley Fever ◽

Research Areas ◽

Mosquito Ecology ◽

Abundance And Distribution

Mosquito-associated viruses (MAVs), including mosquito-specific viruses (MSVs) and mosquito-borne (arbo)viruses (MBVs), are an increasing public, veterinary, and global health concern, and West Africa is projected to be the next front for arboviral diseases. As in-depth knowledge of the ecologies of both western African MAVs and related mosquitoes is still limited, we review available and comprehensive data on their diversity, abundance, and distribution. Data on MAVs’ occurrence and related mosquitoes were extracted from peer-reviewed publications. Data on MSVs, and mosquito and vertebrate host ranges are sparse. However, more data are available on MBVs (i.e., dengue, yellow fever, chikungunya, Zika, and Rift Valley fever viruses), detected in wild and domestic animals, and humans, with infections more concentrated in urban areas and areas affected by strong anthropogenic changes. Aedes aegypti, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Aedes albopictus are incriminated as key arbovirus vectors. These findings outline MAV, related mosquitoes, key knowledge gaps, and future research areas. Additionally, these data highlight the need to increase our understanding of MAVs and their impact on host mosquito ecology, to improve our knowledge of arbovirus transmission, and to develop specific strategies and capacities for arboviral disease surveillance, diagnostic, prevention, control, and outbreak responses in West Africa.

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A new endemic family of New Zealand passerine birds: adding heat to a biodiversity hotspot

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo07007 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 55 (2) ◽

pp. 73 ◽

Cited By ~ 33

Author(s):

Amy Driskell ◽

Les Christidis ◽

B. J. Gill ◽

Walter E. Boles ◽

F. Keith Barker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Evolutionary History ◽

Divergence Time ◽

Biodiversity Hotspot ◽

Passerine Birds ◽

New Family ◽

Close Relationship ◽

History Of ◽

Anthornis Melanura ◽

Notiomystis Cincta

The results of phylogenetic analysis of two molecular datasets sampling all three endemic New Zealand ‘honeyeaters’ (Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae, Anthornis melanura and Notiomystis cincta) are reported. The undisputed relatedness of the first two species to other honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), and a close relationship between them, are demonstrated. However, our results confirm that Notiomystis is not a honeyeater, but is instead most closely related to the Callaeidae (New Zealand wattlebirds) represented by Philesturnus carunculatus in our study. An estimated divergence time for Notiomystis and Philesturnus of 33.8 mya (Oligocene) suggests a very long evolutionary history of this clade in New Zealand. As a taxonomic interpretation of these data we place Notiomystis in a new family of its own which takes the name Notiomystidae. We expect this new phylogenetic and taxonomic information to assist policy decisions for the conservation of this rare bird.

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Comparative Profiling and Discovery of Novel Glycosylated Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids in Two Strains of the Cyanobacterium Scytonema cf. crispum

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.01633-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 82 (19) ◽

pp. 5951-5959 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Paul M. D'Agostino ◽

Vivek S. Javalkote ◽

Rabia Mazmouz ◽

Russell Pickford ◽

Pravin R. Puranik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

New Zealand ◽

Uv Radiation ◽

High Performance ◽

Parent Compound ◽

Future Research ◽

Content Type ◽

Chromatography Analysis ◽

Paralytic Shellfish Toxins ◽

Cell Extracts

ABSTRACTThe mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are a group of small molecules with a diverse ecological distribution among microorganisms. MAAs have a range of physiological functions, including protection against UV radiation, making them important from a biotechnological perspective. In the present study, we identified a putative MAA (mys) gene cluster in two New Zealand isolates ofScytonemacf.crispum(UCFS10 and UCFS15). Homology to “Anabaena-type”mysclusters suggested that this cluster was likely to be involved in shinorine biosynthesis. Surprisingly, high-performance liquid chromatography analysis ofS. cf.crispumcell extracts revealed a complex MAA profile, including shinorine, palythine-serine, and their hexose-bound variants. It was hypothesized that a short-chain dehydrogenase (UCFS15_00405) encoded by a gene adjacent to theS. cf.crispummyscluster was responsible for the conversion of shinorine to palythine-serine. Heterologous expression of MysABCE and UCFS15_00405 inEscherichia coliresulted in the exclusive production of the parent compound shinorine. Taken together, these results suggest that shinorine biosynthesis inS. cf.crispumproceeds via anAnabaena-type mechanism and that the genes responsible for the production of other MAA analogues, including palythine-serine and glycosylated analogues, may be located elsewhere in the genome.IMPORTANCERecently, New Zealand isolates ofS. cf.crispumwere linked to the production of paralytic shellfish toxins for the first time, but no other natural products from this species have been reported. Thus, the species was screened for important natural product biosynthesis. The mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are among the strongest absorbers of UV radiation produced in nature. The identification of novel MAAs is important from a biotechnology perspective, as these molecules are able to be utilized as sunscreens. This study has identified two novel MAAs that have provided several new avenues of future research related to MAA genetics and biosynthesis. Further, we have revealed that the genetic basis of MAA biosynthesis may not be clustered on the genome. The identification of the genes responsible for MAA biosynthesis is vital for future genetic engineering.

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A Comparison of Rural Educational Disadvantage in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand Using OECD’s PISA

SAGE Open ◽

10.1177/2158244018805791 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 215824401880579 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Kevin Sullivan ◽

Andrew McConney ◽

Laura B. Perry

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Educational Outcomes ◽

International Student ◽

Strong Predictor ◽

Student Assessment ◽

Future Research ◽

International Student Assessment ◽

Educational Disadvantage ◽

Student Reading

This study compares rural educational disadvantage across Australia, Canada, and New Zealand using data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Across the three countries, student reading literacy and school learning environments are less positive in rural communities than in urban. Furthermore, rural disadvantage in educational outcomes (reading) and opportunities is greater in Australia than Canada or New Zealand. This could be seen as surprising as student socioeconomic status (SES), typically a strong predictor of educational outcomes, is similar for rural communities in Australia and Canada, but lower in New Zealand. Rural school principals in Australia are most likely among the three countries to report that shortages of teaching personnel hinder learning. This could suggest that policies and structures can play a role in ameliorating or exacerbating rural educational disadvantage. We conclude with questions and recommendations for future research.

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Building Information Modelling: An analysis of the methods used to streamline design-to-construction in New Zealand

10.26686/wgtn.17149106 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Nelson Chan

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Supply Chain ◽

New Zealand ◽

Future Research ◽

Research Approach ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Building Information Modelling ◽

Architectural Engineering ◽

Building Information ◽

Significant Factors

<p>The following study explores and investigates the current methods New Zealand (NZ) Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) firms use to enable effective BIM coordination in their projects. The purpose was to gain and contribute knowledge of the various methods for successful BIM delivery, as well, as to bridge the gap between academia and industry for a greater understanding of BIM use in an NZ context. A qualitative research approach was carried out and comprised of semi-structured interviews in which eight industry participants across the design-to-construction supply chain were selected and interviewed. From the results, the different methods identified were: BIM-to-fabrication; change of procurement methods; and incorporating BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) plugin platforms. These methods identified contribute to knowledge for future researchers to undertake; predominantly to provide direction and recommendations to explore each method in an NZ industry context further. Further discussions of the results identify that although the different methods can contribute to better BIM coordination, the success of a BIM model to be delivered effectively is dependent on two significant factors. The factors are; firstly, to capture the BIM requirements and needs of the client to establish well-defined deliverables in the BEP; and secondly, to ensure that the project team are to understand their role and responsibilities right throughout the project. This was a crucial finding in this thesis as although the methods are effective in enabling greater BIM coordination; ultimately it comes down to BIM understanding and expertise from key project stakeholders; which brings the notion of the issue back to the root of the problem. Other key findings from this thesis indicate a positive future for BIM within the NZ AEC industry, with many of the participant firms recognised to be proactive and open to incorporating BIM into their projects. Though the signs are encouraging, discussions with industry participants still express their concerns on needing to align the understanding of BIM between key project stakeholders. Therefore, an education piece which focuses on the client and their understanding of BIM in an NZ context is suggested for future research. This thesis also presents academia with valuable industry BIM workflow diagrams which the author has either illustrated or been provided by participants.</p>

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Being a Small State: Discussion on the Role of Size

Baltic Journal of Political Science ◽

10.15388/bjps.2018.7-8.5 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 73-91

Author(s):

Justinas Lingevičius

Keyword(s):

Foreign Policy ◽

Discourse Analysis ◽

New Zealand ◽

Empirical Analysis ◽

Theoretical Perspective ◽

Future Research ◽

Small States ◽

Small State

This paper discusses theoretical debates regarding small states and their foreign policy and also argues that research should include more analysis of small states’ identities and the dominant meanings related to being a small state. Using poststructuralistic theoretical perspective and discourse analysis, two empirical cases – Lithuania and New Zealand – are analysed with attention paid to the meanings of smallness and the ways these meanings are constructed. Empirical analysis follows with suggestions for how future research of small states could be improved.

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An Exploration of the Collaborative Practices within Learning Networks of New Zealand Schools

10.26686/wgtn.16985458 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

◽

Rebbecca Sweeney

Keyword(s):

Student Achievement ◽

New Zealand ◽

Cluster Structure ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Research Literature ◽

Future Research ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Learning Networks ◽

Collaborative Practices ◽

Effective Collaboration

<p>This thesis investigates the practices of participants in three “clusters” of New Zealand schools associated with the Extending High Standards Across Schools (EHSAS) project funded by the Ministry of Education from 2005 to 2009. The investigation addresses four questions: (i) What collaborative practices were used by the participants in the EHSAS clusters? (ii) Do the research participants perceive the collaborative practices that they used as making a difference to student achievement? (iii) What do the participants perceive as the benefits and limitations of collaborative practice? (iv) How consistent are participants’ perceptions with research findings in the field? The thesis begins by searching national and international research in order to define effective collaboration. It is argued that across certain relevant studies, the key purposes of collaboration are for teachers and students to learn and improve in order to reach the common goal set by the cluster. Associated practices can be used to build skills and knowledge in teachers, school leaders, and cluster members. Following this, a Grounded Theory approach was used to analyse and interpret data that emerged from the three clusters’ milestone reports and interviews with cluster members. The analysis found that the leaders of EHSAS clusters believed that shared leadership across principals is essential to cluster work, and that a hierarchical cluster structure is the best way to transmit knowledge from leaders to teachers. They also believed that if they shared resources, ideas, strengths and expertise with one another they would then have knowledge that would be useful to teachers wanting to change and improve their practices, and raise student achievement. Despite some of their beliefs being consistent with research literature on effective collaboration, according to the literature, many of the EHSAS leaders’ practices would not have enabled the learning and improvement that they espoused to be leading. The final chapter of this thesis identifies where EHSAS leaders’ beliefs and practices were inconsistent and what this means for future research and the implementation of similar projects aiming to promote collaboration across schools.</p>

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