title: Detection of an invasive aquatic species by canine olfaction

authors: Quaife, Jesse Austin

subjects: Dogs

abstract: Invasive species represent a major concern for native flora and fauna in New Zealand waterways. Current surveying methods employed in the detection of these species typically rely on visually observing or catching fish and are often expensive and difficult to implement. Given that freshwater fish release organic materials into the water, and that some of these materials contain volatile elements that are then released into the air above the surface, it was hypothesised that domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) may be able to detect the presence of these species by smelling water samples that have contained them.
In this study, four experiments were conducted to determine the validity of this hypothesis. Five pet dogs were trained using a go/no-go procedure to operate an automated apparatus that presented individual water samples through an opening in the front panel. Dogs were presented with samples from aquaria that had or had not contained fish.
In Experiment 1, dogs were presented with water from aquaria containing koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and aquaria containing no fish. In Experiment 2, koi carp samples were systematically diluted until concentrations similar to those found within the natural environment were reached. Experiment 3 sought to determine whether dogs could discriminate koi carp from a distantly-related fish (brown bullhead catfish, Ameiurus nebulosus). Experiment 4 replicated the previous experiment with a closely-related fish (goldfish, Carassius auratus).
In all four experiments, dogs were able to correctly identify water that had contained koi carp and largely ignore water samples that had contained either no fish or other species of fish at above 80% accuracy. The overall results of this research indicate that dogs are able to accurately detect the presence of koi carp from water samples at concentrations similar to those found within the natural environment, and to discriminate between at least three species of fish. These findings suggest that dogs may have an important role to play in waterway conservation and management.

text: Detection of an invasive aquatic species by canine olfaction Invasive species represent a major concern for native flora and fauna in New Zealand waterways. Current surveying methods employed in the detection of these species typically rely on visually observing or catching fish and are often expensive and difficult to implement. Given that freshwater fish release organic materials into the water, and that some of these materials contain volatile elements that are then released into the air above the surface, it was hypothesised that domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) may be able to detect the presence of these species by smelling water samples that have contained them.
In this study, four experiments were conducted to determine the validity of this hypothesis. Five pet dogs were trained using a go/no-go procedure to operate an automated apparatus that presented individual water samples through an opening in the front panel. Dogs were presented with samples from aquaria that had or had not contained fish.
In Experiment 1, dogs were presented with water from aquaria containing koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) and aquaria containing no fish. In Experiment 2, koi carp samples were systematically diluted until concentrations similar to those found within the natural environment were reached. Experiment 3 sought to determine whether dogs could discriminate koi carp from a distantly-related fish (brown bullhead catfish, Ameiurus nebulosus). Experiment 4 replicated the previous experiment with a closely-related fish (goldfish, Carassius auratus).
In all four experiments, dogs were able to correctly identify water that had contained koi carp and largely ignore water samples that had contained either no fish or other species of fish at above 80% accuracy. The overall results of this research indicate that dogs are able to accurately detect the presence of koi carp from water samples at concentrations similar to those found within the natural environment, and to discriminate between at least three species of fish. These findings suggest that dogs may have an important role to play in waterway conservation and management.

year: 2018

title: Essential aspects of China’s Tax Law

authors: Liao, Zhixiong (Leo)

subjects: law

abstract: China fundamentally reformed its tax law in 1993. Currently, the most important types of taxes in China are income tax, valued-added tax (VAT), and business tax.

text: Essential aspects of China’s Tax Law China fundamentally reformed its tax law in 1993. Currently, the most important types of taxes in China are income tax, valued-added tax (VAT), and business tax.

year: 2012

title: Ethics systems in the New Zealand psychological society

authors: Dixon, Brian

subjects: Maori

abstract: It is important to remember that the Psychological Society does not exist in isolation. It is part of a wider society and must be accountable to and responsive to the needs of the public, its clients and changes occurring in the community. Ethics largely arise out of the public’s expectations of the profession and implied in that is compliance with the law. Psychologists are obviously answerable to the Courts when their actions transgress the law; no one can legally claim that inclusions or omissions from a code of ethics permit them to act outside of the law. Fortunately, there are seldom conflicts between ethical and legal obligations as certain statutory provisions now reflect some of the more important of our ethical standards. Any consideration of ethics in the Society must take account of the wider societal context within which psychologists operate.

text: Ethics systems in the New Zealand psychological society It is important to remember that the Psychological Society does not exist in isolation. It is part of a wider society and must be accountable to and responsive to the needs of the public, its clients and changes occurring in the community. Ethics largely arise out of the public’s expectations of the profession and implied in that is compliance with the law. Psychologists are obviously answerable to the Courts when their actions transgress the law; no one can legally claim that inclusions or omissions from a code of ethics permit them to act outside of the law. Fortunately, there are seldom conflicts between ethical and legal obligations as certain statutory provisions now reflect some of the more important of our ethical standards. Any consideration of ethics in the Society must take account of the wider societal context within which psychologists operate.

year: 1993