title: Airborne microbial transport limitation to isolated Antarctic soil habitats

authors: Archer, Stephen David James

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: Dispersal is a critical yet poorly understood factor underlying macroecological patterns in microbial communities1. Airborne microbial transport is assumed to occupy a central role in determining dispersal outcomes2,3, and extra-range dispersal has important implications for predicting ecosystem resilience and response to environmental change4. One of the most pertinent biomes in this regard is Antarctica, given its geographic isolation and vulnerability to climate change and human disturbance5. Here, we report microbial diversity in near-ground and high-altitude air above the largest ice-free Antarctic habitat, as well as that of underlying soil microbial communities. We found that persistent local airborne inputs were unable to fully explain Antarctic soil community assembly. Comparison with airborne microbial diversity from high-altitude and non-polar sources suggests that strong selection occurs during long-range atmospheric transport. The influence of selection during airborne transit and at sink locations varied between microbial phyla. Overall, the communities from this isolated Antarctic ecosystem displayed limited connectivity to the non-polar microbial pool, and alternative sources of recruitment are necessary to fully explain extant soil diversity. Our findings provide critical insights into the role of airborne transport limitation in determining microbial biogeographic patterns.

text: Airborne microbial transport limitation to isolated Antarctic soil habitats Dispersal is a critical yet poorly understood factor underlying macroecological patterns in microbial communities1. Airborne microbial transport is assumed to occupy a central role in determining dispersal outcomes2,3, and extra-range dispersal has important implications for predicting ecosystem resilience and response to environmental change4. One of the most pertinent biomes in this regard is Antarctica, given its geographic isolation and vulnerability to climate change and human disturbance5. Here, we report microbial diversity in near-ground and high-altitude air above the largest ice-free Antarctic habitat, as well as that of underlying soil microbial communities. We found that persistent local airborne inputs were unable to fully explain Antarctic soil community assembly. Comparison with airborne microbial diversity from high-altitude and non-polar sources suggests that strong selection occurs during long-range atmospheric transport. The influence of selection during airborne transit and at sink locations varied between microbial phyla. Overall, the communities from this isolated Antarctic ecosystem displayed limited connectivity to the non-polar microbial pool, and alternative sources of recruitment are necessary to fully explain extant soil diversity. Our findings provide critical insights into the role of airborne transport limitation in determining microbial biogeographic patterns.

year: 2019

title: Hidden hardship in Aotearoa: An explorative study of older adult hardship

authors: Jex-Blake, Rebecca Beryl

subjects: Older adult

abstract: Poverty remains one of the most urgent issues in modern times (Lister, 2004). One fifth of older New Zealanders report hardship (Ministry of Social Development 2018), yet little is known about the daily experience of living in hardship as an older adult New Zealander. Financial hardship in older adult populations is strongly associated with increased mental health concerns, limited social resources and deteriorating physical health. To exacerbate matters, New Zealand is an aging nation, a factor which leads to increased strain on services that are already under considerable pressure. The situation for this demographic can be compromised by limited savings, the need to care for grandchildren and escalating living costs, which means this demographic is more vulnerable. To examine older adult hardship in New Zealand, I undertook a qualitative study that involved in-depth interviews with four participants about the challenges of living in hardship as an older New Zealander. Specific challenges experienced by the participants in relationship to their hardship included self-perceived and externally perceived illegitimacy to receive help, and the requirement to portray themselves as valued members of society. Analysis revealed that the participants’ narratives reflected the challenge of interacting with the shame and stigma promoted by wider neoliberal social narratives about ageing and the poor. Agentive strategies actioned were tactics such as delegitimization of dependency, positive fatalism, humour, othering and withdrawal from society. These strategies result in the hiding and minimization of their experiences of hardship, which can perpetuate the issue of older adult hardship.

text: Hidden hardship in Aotearoa: An explorative study of older adult hardship Poverty remains one of the most urgent issues in modern times (Lister, 2004). One fifth of older New Zealanders report hardship (Ministry of Social Development 2018), yet little is known about the daily experience of living in hardship as an older adult New Zealander. Financial hardship in older adult populations is strongly associated with increased mental health concerns, limited social resources and deteriorating physical health. To exacerbate matters, New Zealand is an aging nation, a factor which leads to increased strain on services that are already under considerable pressure. The situation for this demographic can be compromised by limited savings, the need to care for grandchildren and escalating living costs, which means this demographic is more vulnerable. To examine older adult hardship in New Zealand, I undertook a qualitative study that involved in-depth interviews with four participants about the challenges of living in hardship as an older New Zealander. Specific challenges experienced by the participants in relationship to their hardship included self-perceived and externally perceived illegitimacy to receive help, and the requirement to portray themselves as valued members of society. Analysis revealed that the participants’ narratives reflected the challenge of interacting with the shame and stigma promoted by wider neoliberal social narratives about ageing and the poor. Agentive strategies actioned were tactics such as delegitimization of dependency, positive fatalism, humour, othering and withdrawal from society. These strategies result in the hiding and minimization of their experiences of hardship, which can perpetuate the issue of older adult hardship.

year: 2021

title: Addressing diversity: Race, ethnicity, and culture in the classroom

authors: Bishop, Russell

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: The widely accepted educational goals for Maori, established at the first Hui Taumata Matauranga held in 2001, are that Maori ought to be able to live as Maori, actively participate as citizens of the world, and enjoy both good health and high standards of living (Durie, 2001). Together with the government goals of equipping learners with twenty-first century skills and reducing systemic underachievement in education, these goals inform the new 2008-2012 Maoni Education Strategy, Ka Hikitia Managing for Success (Ministry of Education, 2007), which has as its main strategic outcome: Maori students enjoying education success as Maori. Within this frame, there are four student outcomes for Maori: learning to learn, making a distinctive cultural contribution, contributing to Te Ao Maori, and contributing to Aotearoa/New Zealand and the world.

text: Addressing diversity: Race, ethnicity, and culture in the classroom The widely accepted educational goals for Maori, established at the first Hui Taumata Matauranga held in 2001, are that Maori ought to be able to live as Maori, actively participate as citizens of the world, and enjoy both good health and high standards of living (Durie, 2001). Together with the government goals of equipping learners with twenty-first century skills and reducing systemic underachievement in education, these goals inform the new 2008-2012 Maoni Education Strategy, Ka Hikitia Managing for Success (Ministry of Education, 2007), which has as its main strategic outcome: Maori students enjoying education success as Maori. Within this frame, there are four student outcomes for Maori: learning to learn, making a distinctive cultural contribution, contributing to Te Ao Maori, and contributing to Aotearoa/New Zealand and the world.

year: 2009