title: How energetic constraints shape plant and soil invertebrate communities

authors: Romera, Joaquina

abstract: The Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) and its predictions of the scaling of average population body mass with abundance and energy use are some of the most widely observed and studied biological relationships. However, the scaling exponent value of these relationships have been widely debated and found to vary considerably among various ecological communities and the ecosystems they occupy. Additionally, adherence to MTE predictions is widely contingent on its underlying assumptions and the variables used to describe these relationships. My thesis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the size–density and size–energy use scaling relationships of soil invertebrate and tree communities to shed light on the environmental and biological factors underpinning their observed exponents. To do this, I tested whether predictions of size–density scaling derived from MTE are dependent on ecosystem reassembly processes throughout succession and organism life history traits within trees and soil invertebrates. I also analysed size–density and size–energy use scaling in soil invertebrate food webs across four geographical locations to investigate the universality of size–density scaling relationships and their likelihood of accurately indicating energetic equivalence in soil communities of primary and secondary consumers. Additionally, I compared two measures of energy use to investigate size–energy use relationships: population metabolism and trophic energy fluxes in food webs. My findings suggested that size–density scaling, although related to energy use in ecological communities, is likely a poor indicator of energetic equivalence alone, but in combination with size–energy use scaling relationships can provide powerful insights into the energetic structuring of these communities. Additionally, size–density scaling exponents vary considerably across ecosystem succession and organism life form, and expectations should reflect these conditions. Energy flux as an estimate of energy use within communities for analysing size–energy use relationships was a more precise estimate compared to metabolism as it better captures the true energetic demands of organisms, particularly for secondary consumers which face stronger energetic constraints. Finally, analytically estimating energy fluxes with a trophic level–specific focus better captured the differences in patterns of energy use between these trophic levels compared to when they were pooled. Ultimately, this thesis provides new directions for exploring energetic equivalence in terrestrial communities.

text: How energetic constraints shape plant and soil invertebrate communities The Metabolic Theory of Ecology (MTE) and its predictions of the scaling of average population body mass with abundance and energy use are some of the most widely observed and studied biological relationships. However, the scaling exponent value of these relationships have been widely debated and found to vary considerably among various ecological communities and the ecosystems they occupy. Additionally, adherence to MTE predictions is widely contingent on its underlying assumptions and the variables used to describe these relationships. My thesis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the size–density and size–energy use scaling relationships of soil invertebrate and tree communities to shed light on the environmental and biological factors underpinning their observed exponents. To do this, I tested whether predictions of size–density scaling derived from MTE are dependent on ecosystem reassembly processes throughout succession and organism life history traits within trees and soil invertebrates. I also analysed size–density and size–energy use scaling in soil invertebrate food webs across four geographical locations to investigate the universality of size–density scaling relationships and their likelihood of accurately indicating energetic equivalence in soil communities of primary and secondary consumers. Additionally, I compared two measures of energy use to investigate size–energy use relationships: population metabolism and trophic energy fluxes in food webs. My findings suggested that size–density scaling, although related to energy use in ecological communities, is likely a poor indicator of energetic equivalence alone, but in combination with size–energy use scaling relationships can provide powerful insights into the energetic structuring of these communities. Additionally, size–density scaling exponents vary considerably across ecosystem succession and organism life form, and expectations should reflect these conditions. Energy flux as an estimate of energy use within communities for analysing size–energy use relationships was a more precise estimate compared to metabolism as it better captures the true energetic demands of organisms, particularly for secondary consumers which face stronger energetic constraints. Finally, analytically estimating energy fluxes with a trophic level–specific focus better captured the differences in patterns of energy use between these trophic levels compared to when they were pooled. Ultimately, this thesis provides new directions for exploring energetic equivalence in terrestrial communities.

year: 2024

title: Gathering a corpus of multimodal computer-mediated meetings with focus on text and audio interaction

authors: Saturnion, Luz

subjects: computer science

abstract: In this paper we describe the gathering of a corpus of synchronised speech and text interaction over the network. The data collection scenarios characterise audio meetings with a significant textual component. Unlike existing meeting corpora, the corpus described in this paper emphasises temporal relationships between speech and text media streams. This is achieved through detailed logging and time stamping of text editing operations, actions on shared user interface widgets and gesturing, as well as generation of speech activity profiles. A set of tools has been developed specifically for these purposes which can be used as a data collection platform for the development of meeting browsers. The data gathered to data consists of nearly 30 hours of recorded audio and time stamped editing operations and gestures.

text: Gathering a corpus of multimodal computer-mediated meetings with focus on text and audio interaction In this paper we describe the gathering of a corpus of synchronised speech and text interaction over the network. The data collection scenarios characterise audio meetings with a significant textual component. Unlike existing meeting corpora, the corpus described in this paper emphasises temporal relationships between speech and text media streams. This is achieved through detailed logging and time stamping of text editing operations, actions on shared user interface widgets and gesturing, as well as generation of speech activity profiles. A set of tools has been developed specifically for these purposes which can be used as a data collection platform for the development of meeting browsers. The data gathered to data consists of nearly 30 hours of recorded audio and time stamped editing operations and gestures.

year: 2006

title: Tikanga Tainui: Tikanga Whare Wananga

authors: Roa, Tom

subjects: Tainui protocols

abstract: This paper is a preliminary report on an ongoing research project begun in 1999. The project involves consultation with Waikato-Tainui, the tangata whenua of the Waikato region, about the construction of guidelines for University of Waikato staff (both Māori and non-Māori) who are involved in gatherings that call for adherence to Tainui protocols. Here, the emphasis is on guidelines for the conduct of pōwhiri (formal welcomes) on the University Marae.

text: Tikanga Tainui: Tikanga Whare Wananga This paper is a preliminary report on an ongoing research project begun in 1999. The project involves consultation with Waikato-Tainui, the tangata whenua of the Waikato region, about the construction of guidelines for University of Waikato staff (both Māori and non-Māori) who are involved in gatherings that call for adherence to Tainui protocols. Here, the emphasis is on guidelines for the conduct of pōwhiri (formal welcomes) on the University Marae.

year: 2005-09-01