title: Leaf functional trait variation in a humid temperate forest, and relationships with juvenile tree light requirements

authors: Lusk, Christopher H.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: The species-rich arborescent assemblages of humid tropical forests encompass much of the known range of the leaf economics spectrum, often including >20-fold variation in leaf lifespan. This suite of traits underpins a life-history continuum from fast-growing pioneers to slow-growing shade-tolerant species. Less is known about the range of leaf traits in humid temperate forests, and there are conflicting reports about relationships of these traits with the light requirements of temperate evergreen angiosperms. Here I quantify the range of leaf functional traits in a New Zealand temperate evergreen forest, and relationships of these traits with light requirements of juvenile trees and shrubs. Foliage turnover of saplings of 19 evergreen angiosperms growing beneath gaps (12–29% canopy openness) and in understories (1.2–2.9%) was measured over 12 months. Dry mass per area (LMA), dry matter content, thickness, density and nitrogen content (N) of leaves were also measured. Species minimum light requirements were indexed as the 10th percentile of the distribution of saplings in relation to canopy openness. Interspecific variation of leaf lifespan was ∼6-fold in gaps (0.6 to 3.8 yrs), and ∼11-fold in the understorey (0.7 to 7.7 yrs). Six small tree and shrub species are effectively leaf-exchangers, with leaf lifespans of c.1 year in gaps—albeit usually longer in the shade. Interspecific variation in other leaf traits was 2.5 to 4-fold. Lifespans and LMA of both sun and shade leaves were negatively correlated with species light requirements i.e., positively correlated with shade tolerance. However, light environment (gap vs shade) explained about the same amount of variation in LMA as species’ identity did. Species light requirements were not significantly correlated with leaf N, dry matter content, density or thickness—except for a marginally significant correlation with dry matter content of shade leaves. Species light requirements were thus less consistently related to leaf structural traits than appears to be the case in humid tropical forests. Whereas the wide interspecific variation in leaf economic traits of tropical rainforest species outweighs plastic response to light availability, temperate evergreen woody angiosperms appear to occupy a narrower range of the leaf economic spectrum. Standardization of the light environments in which LMA is measured is vital in comparative studies of humid temperate forest evergreens, because of countergradient responses of this trait to light, and because of the relative magnitudes of plastic and interspecific variation in LMA in these forests.

text: Leaf functional trait variation in a humid temperate forest, and relationships with juvenile tree light requirements The species-rich arborescent assemblages of humid tropical forests encompass much of the known range of the leaf economics spectrum, often including >20-fold variation in leaf lifespan. This suite of traits underpins a life-history continuum from fast-growing pioneers to slow-growing shade-tolerant species. Less is known about the range of leaf traits in humid temperate forests, and there are conflicting reports about relationships of these traits with the light requirements of temperate evergreen angiosperms. Here I quantify the range of leaf functional traits in a New Zealand temperate evergreen forest, and relationships of these traits with light requirements of juvenile trees and shrubs. Foliage turnover of saplings of 19 evergreen angiosperms growing beneath gaps (12–29% canopy openness) and in understories (1.2–2.9%) was measured over 12 months. Dry mass per area (LMA), dry matter content, thickness, density and nitrogen content (N) of leaves were also measured. Species minimum light requirements were indexed as the 10th percentile of the distribution of saplings in relation to canopy openness. Interspecific variation of leaf lifespan was ∼6-fold in gaps (0.6 to 3.8 yrs), and ∼11-fold in the understorey (0.7 to 7.7 yrs). Six small tree and shrub species are effectively leaf-exchangers, with leaf lifespans of c.1 year in gaps—albeit usually longer in the shade. Interspecific variation in other leaf traits was 2.5 to 4-fold. Lifespans and LMA of both sun and shade leaves were negatively correlated with species light requirements i.e., positively correlated with shade tolerance. However, light environment (gap vs shade) explained about the same amount of variation in LMA as species’ identity did. Species light requirements were not significantly correlated with leaf N, dry matter content, density or thickness—except for a marginally significant correlation with dry matter content of shade leaves. Species light requirements were thus less consistently related to leaf structural traits than appears to be the case in humid tropical forests. Whereas the wide interspecific variation in leaf economic traits of tropical rainforest species outweighs plastic response to light availability, temperate evergreen woody angiosperms appear to occupy a narrower range of the leaf economic spectrum. Standardization of the light environments in which LMA is measured is vital in comparative studies of humid temperate forest evergreens, because of countergradient responses of this trait to light, and because of the relative magnitudes of plastic and interspecific variation in LMA in these forests.

year: 2019

title: Spiritual writings and religious instruction

authors: Barratt, Alexandra

subjects: Latin

abstract: As soon as a would-be writer picked up the pen in this period, he (or just occasionally she) had to make a far-reaching decision: whether to write in English, Anglo-Norman or Latin. The answer would emerge from the intersection of the text's genre and of the gender, social and religious status of both the writer and the planned audience. Until around 1300, Latin texts would be read almost exclusively by male clerics and vernacular texts by the laity of both sexes and by women religious, though Anglo-Norman texts might be aimed at a slightly higher social class than those in Middle English. But Latin texts might also function as scripts for oral transmission by priests to their parishioners in English, while male clerics did read, and own, texts in French and English as well as Latin. In the fourteenth century, however, `a new, more pragmatic view of the appropriate language' developed. The choice of French or English became `fundamentally a political decision - whether to address the rulers or the ruled. The writers themselves, nearly always clerics, are those with education who are for that reason part of the establishment of power. In composing in English they are addressing the unlearned, sometimes to edify, sometimes to entertain, always to instruct.'

text: Spiritual writings and religious instruction As soon as a would-be writer picked up the pen in this period, he (or just occasionally she) had to make a far-reaching decision: whether to write in English, Anglo-Norman or Latin. The answer would emerge from the intersection of the text's genre and of the gender, social and religious status of both the writer and the planned audience. Until around 1300, Latin texts would be read almost exclusively by male clerics and vernacular texts by the laity of both sexes and by women religious, though Anglo-Norman texts might be aimed at a slightly higher social class than those in Middle English. But Latin texts might also function as scripts for oral transmission by priests to their parishioners in English, while male clerics did read, and own, texts in French and English as well as Latin. In the fourteenth century, however, `a new, more pragmatic view of the appropriate language' developed. The choice of French or English became `fundamentally a political decision - whether to address the rulers or the ruled. The writers themselves, nearly always clerics, are those with education who are for that reason part of the establishment of power. In composing in English they are addressing the unlearned, sometimes to edify, sometimes to entertain, always to instruct.'

year: 2008

title: Māori cultural concepts and service provision for homeless Māori men

authors: Ellis, Kenneth Desmond

subjects: Maori cultural concepts

abstract: Homelessness is a pressing issue for indigenous minorities such as homeless Māori men. Their circumstances are more vulnerable in ways, than other homeless groups given that their lives are impacted upon by ongoing colonisation. Homeless Māori men, like other ‘indigenous homeless groups’, often find themselves homeless because of social/cultural dislocation where, they are disconnected from their culture and closest forms of support. This study set out to explore how homeless Māori men’s circumstances could be improved through administering interventions in the form of Māori cultural concepts like: manaakitanga, wairuatanga, whanaungatanga and whānau. The overall approach used to gather the research was based on hybridisation, where several different approaches were used simultaneously to generate research data. These were participant observation: a kaupapa Māori approach, semi structured interviewing, thematic analysis and the use of a socio-historical context to underpin the entire research process. Two groups of Māori participants were interviewed for this study, one group comprising staff members, and one made of homeless Māori men. Each group had a number of unique characteristics. For example, the entire staff group comprised skilled and qualified professionals, while the men’s group was made up of individuals with severely impoverished backgrounds. The study produced several conclusive findings to show how Māori cultural concepts were used successfully as forms of social interventions. Concepts like whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, wairuatanga and whānau, were shown to produce positive social outcomes for homeless Māori men. These outcomes helped the men to stabilise their lives, as they attempted reintegration.

text: Māori cultural concepts and service provision for homeless Māori men Homelessness is a pressing issue for indigenous minorities such as homeless Māori men. Their circumstances are more vulnerable in ways, than other homeless groups given that their lives are impacted upon by ongoing colonisation. Homeless Māori men, like other ‘indigenous homeless groups’, often find themselves homeless because of social/cultural dislocation where, they are disconnected from their culture and closest forms of support. This study set out to explore how homeless Māori men’s circumstances could be improved through administering interventions in the form of Māori cultural concepts like: manaakitanga, wairuatanga, whanaungatanga and whānau. The overall approach used to gather the research was based on hybridisation, where several different approaches were used simultaneously to generate research data. These were participant observation: a kaupapa Māori approach, semi structured interviewing, thematic analysis and the use of a socio-historical context to underpin the entire research process. Two groups of Māori participants were interviewed for this study, one group comprising staff members, and one made of homeless Māori men. Each group had a number of unique characteristics. For example, the entire staff group comprised skilled and qualified professionals, while the men’s group was made up of individuals with severely impoverished backgrounds. The study produced several conclusive findings to show how Māori cultural concepts were used successfully as forms of social interventions. Concepts like whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, wairuatanga and whānau, were shown to produce positive social outcomes for homeless Māori men. These outcomes helped the men to stabilise their lives, as they attempted reintegration.

year: 2010