title: The effect of population density on mating dynamics and the interaction between pre- and post-copulatory selection in the New Zealand giraffe weevil

authors: Lambert, Michaela

subjects: Ecology

abstract: Sexual selection is thought to be the main driver for the evolution of pre-copulatory traits (e.g., weapons and ornaments) used to gain access to mates, and post-copulatory traits (e.g., sperm form and function) used to maximize fertilisation success. Individuals that have a greater ability to acquire resources from their environment may be able to invest in both types of traits equally, and therefore may have a competitive advantage during mate acquisition and sperm competition. For males that are competitively inferior, they may choose to invest more into one type of trait, resulting in a trade-off between the investment in one trait over another.  The New Zealand giraffe weevil, Lasiorhynchus barbicornis, provides an ideal study system to explore size-dependent investment in sexual traits. Males show extreme size variability, leading to differences in mating success between males of different body sizes. Large males are better at acquiring mates and winning fights and as a result, small males have adopted a sneaking tactic to avoid pre-copulatory competition with larger rivals. Therefore, small males may choose to invest more into their post-copulatory traits. Further, giraffe weevils form large aggregations on host trees during the summer months, making them an ideal subject to explore how demographic factors can influence the mating success of males. In giraffe weevils, how body size and population density interact to influence mating success is not well understood. In this study, I used an experimental behavioural assay and morphometrics to investigate how males of different body sizes may be investing into their pre- and post-copulatory traits to engage or avoid sperm competition.  I found that small males may be investing more into post-copulatory traits than large males. However, I found no evidence of a phenotypic trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory traits. I also used an observational dataset collected from a natural population to explore how population density, among other demographic factors, interact with body size to influence male mating success. I found that male giraffe weevils have density-dependent mating success, with small males doing best at high densities, and large males at low densities. My research will contribute to a growing body of work looking at how sexual selection can shape the life-history traits of insects.

text: The effect of population density on mating dynamics and the interaction between pre- and post-copulatory selection in the New Zealand giraffe weevil Sexual selection is thought to be the main driver for the evolution of pre-copulatory traits (e.g., weapons and ornaments) used to gain access to mates, and post-copulatory traits (e.g., sperm form and function) used to maximize fertilisation success. Individuals that have a greater ability to acquire resources from their environment may be able to invest in both types of traits equally, and therefore may have a competitive advantage during mate acquisition and sperm competition. For males that are competitively inferior, they may choose to invest more into one type of trait, resulting in a trade-off between the investment in one trait over another.  The New Zealand giraffe weevil, Lasiorhynchus barbicornis, provides an ideal study system to explore size-dependent investment in sexual traits. Males show extreme size variability, leading to differences in mating success between males of different body sizes. Large males are better at acquiring mates and winning fights and as a result, small males have adopted a sneaking tactic to avoid pre-copulatory competition with larger rivals. Therefore, small males may choose to invest more into their post-copulatory traits. Further, giraffe weevils form large aggregations on host trees during the summer months, making them an ideal subject to explore how demographic factors can influence the mating success of males. In giraffe weevils, how body size and population density interact to influence mating success is not well understood. In this study, I used an experimental behavioural assay and morphometrics to investigate how males of different body sizes may be investing into their pre- and post-copulatory traits to engage or avoid sperm competition.  I found that small males may be investing more into post-copulatory traits than large males. However, I found no evidence of a phenotypic trade-off between pre- and post-copulatory traits. I also used an observational dataset collected from a natural population to explore how population density, among other demographic factors, interact with body size to influence male mating success. I found that male giraffe weevils have density-dependent mating success, with small males doing best at high densities, and large males at low densities. My research will contribute to a growing body of work looking at how sexual selection can shape the life-history traits of insects.

year: 2021

title: Into the 20th Year: Incoming Editor’s Message

authors: Barker, James R.

subjects: management

abstract: I am honored and proud to begin my editorship of MCQ with its 20th volume. This significant milestone reflects the prominence of MCQ as the leading journal for scholars of communication in managerial and organizational contexts. Be assured that I will do my best to maintain the high standards set by previous editors and editorial boards and to keep MCQ in its leading role at the forefront of management knowledge.

text: Into the 20th Year: Incoming Editor’s Message I am honored and proud to begin my editorship of MCQ with its 20th volume. This significant milestone reflects the prominence of MCQ as the leading journal for scholars of communication in managerial and organizational contexts. Be assured that I will do my best to maintain the high standards set by previous editors and editorial boards and to keep MCQ in its leading role at the forefront of management knowledge.

year: 2006

title: “This is not a riot, it is a protest”: A discourse analysis of prison violence in New Zealand news media

authors: Membery, Liam

subjects: Prison Violence

abstract: This thesis examines the discourses of prison violence in the New Zealand news media. Prison violence is a pressing social issue that harms those involved and has permeating consequences for the institution. Prison riots, specifically, involve serious instances of disorder and violence that incur physical, psychological, social and economic harm. Despite prisons being private institutions, prison riots are public events that amass large social responses through news media coverage. The public often use news media to co-construct their perceptions of social phenomena, and policymakers use both public opinion and the news media to guide their decisions when shaping policy. Subsequently, the ways in which the news media discursively construct prison riots will have direct consequences for public attitudes and policy relating to prison violence, a phenomenon that exists outside of the public eye. However, there is currently no research that has examined discourses of prison violence and, further, what the consequences of these discourses may be. Therefore, using a Foucauldian approach to discourse analysis, this study examined the discourses in the news media representations of the large-scale prison violence at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility (2013) and Waikeria Prison (2020-2021). The results uncovered three discourses: the riot discourse, the gang discourse, and the protest discourse. The riot discourse was identified as dominant and constructed prison violence as an individualised issue perpetrated by inherently violent prisoners. The gang discourse worked in conjunction with the riot discourse, constructing prison violence as an individualised issue perpetrated by gang members. The protest discourse was identified as a counter-discourse and constructed the unrest at both facilities as protests against living conditions and inhumane treatment. Each discourse has consequences for public attitudes and in turn, penal policy and practice.

text: “This is not a riot, it is a protest”: A discourse analysis of prison violence in New Zealand news media This thesis examines the discourses of prison violence in the New Zealand news media. Prison violence is a pressing social issue that harms those involved and has permeating consequences for the institution. Prison riots, specifically, involve serious instances of disorder and violence that incur physical, psychological, social and economic harm. Despite prisons being private institutions, prison riots are public events that amass large social responses through news media coverage. The public often use news media to co-construct their perceptions of social phenomena, and policymakers use both public opinion and the news media to guide their decisions when shaping policy. Subsequently, the ways in which the news media discursively construct prison riots will have direct consequences for public attitudes and policy relating to prison violence, a phenomenon that exists outside of the public eye. However, there is currently no research that has examined discourses of prison violence and, further, what the consequences of these discourses may be. Therefore, using a Foucauldian approach to discourse analysis, this study examined the discourses in the news media representations of the large-scale prison violence at the Spring Hill Corrections Facility (2013) and Waikeria Prison (2020-2021). The results uncovered three discourses: the riot discourse, the gang discourse, and the protest discourse. The riot discourse was identified as dominant and constructed prison violence as an individualised issue perpetrated by inherently violent prisoners. The gang discourse worked in conjunction with the riot discourse, constructing prison violence as an individualised issue perpetrated by gang members. The protest discourse was identified as a counter-discourse and constructed the unrest at both facilities as protests against living conditions and inhumane treatment. Each discourse has consequences for public attitudes and in turn, penal policy and practice.

year: 2022