title: eDNA is a useful environmental monitoring tool for assessing stream ecological health

authors: Suren, Alastair

abstract: Environmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly used in biodiversity assessments, but there remain uncertainties regarding its congruence with data based on traditional approaches involving habitat sampling and morphological‐based taxonomy. Using eDNA for biomonitoring has several advantages, including improved processing efficiencies and precision of taxonomic identification. In contrast, traditional biomonitoring is time‐consuming and expensive, often limiting the number of sites monitored. Establishing that eDNA‐derived metrics are congruent with their traditional equivalents on a national scale would support its wider use in biomonitoring. Our study compared ecosystem health assessments made by traditional biomonitoring techniques to those using eDNA from 53 sites throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Because eDNA sampling was not done concurrently with benthic sampling at most sites, we used the average community composition at each site based on previous sampling occasions. We also allocated species identified by eDNA to the traditional level of identification to allow comparisons with eDNA data identified to broader taxonomic groups. We assessed similarities between the three datasets and found a high degree of correlation and convergence between biotic indices calculated from the different methods. eDNA did, however, appear to under‐represent some taxa, reflecting challenges in matching barcodes with an often‐incomplete sequence library. eDNA data did not always perform better in terms of showing the effects of land use on invertebrate community composition, but all datasets produced similar patterns. Multivariate analyses (redundancy analysis and variation partitioning) identified congruent relationships between environmental and spatial variables with the invertebrate community structure described by the three methods. eDNA data replicated the environmental responses and showed the same overall patterns in community composition as the traditionally collected data. We suggest that eDNA biomonitoring can complement traditional methods, and will perform at least as well as traditional data at detecting patterns in invertebrate community composition and ecosystem health at a national scale.

text: eDNA is a useful environmental monitoring tool for assessing stream ecological health Environmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly used in biodiversity assessments, but there remain uncertainties regarding its congruence with data based on traditional approaches involving habitat sampling and morphological‐based taxonomy. Using eDNA for biomonitoring has several advantages, including improved processing efficiencies and precision of taxonomic identification. In contrast, traditional biomonitoring is time‐consuming and expensive, often limiting the number of sites monitored. Establishing that eDNA‐derived metrics are congruent with their traditional equivalents on a national scale would support its wider use in biomonitoring. Our study compared ecosystem health assessments made by traditional biomonitoring techniques to those using eDNA from 53 sites throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Because eDNA sampling was not done concurrently with benthic sampling at most sites, we used the average community composition at each site based on previous sampling occasions. We also allocated species identified by eDNA to the traditional level of identification to allow comparisons with eDNA data identified to broader taxonomic groups. We assessed similarities between the three datasets and found a high degree of correlation and convergence between biotic indices calculated from the different methods. eDNA did, however, appear to under‐represent some taxa, reflecting challenges in matching barcodes with an often‐incomplete sequence library. eDNA data did not always perform better in terms of showing the effects of land use on invertebrate community composition, but all datasets produced similar patterns. Multivariate analyses (redundancy analysis and variation partitioning) identified congruent relationships between environmental and spatial variables with the invertebrate community structure described by the three methods. eDNA data replicated the environmental responses and showed the same overall patterns in community composition as the traditionally collected data. We suggest that eDNA biomonitoring can complement traditional methods, and will perform at least as well as traditional data at detecting patterns in invertebrate community composition and ecosystem health at a national scale.

year: 2024-07

title: Introducing the global work-integrated learning modules: Global connectivity for practitioners

authors: Ferns, Sonia J.

abstract: As the focus on strengthening graduate employability intensifies for institutions, work-integrated learning (WIL) has become a strategic priority for higher education globally (Rowe & Zegwaard, 2017). The need for a highly skilled workforce to sustain the economy is driving mounting pressure to equip graduates with capabilities to navigate the volatile workplace and contribute to the social and commercial aspects of humanity (Dacre Pool et al., 2019). To achieve this imperative, staff with the capacity to design, deliver, and assess quality WIL learning experiences are essential. The concept of the Global WIL modules was driven by a pressing need for professional development globally as the profile of WIL grows and is increasingly a strategic priority for institutions worldwide (Zegwaard et al., 2019).

text: Introducing the global work-integrated learning modules: Global connectivity for practitioners As the focus on strengthening graduate employability intensifies for institutions, work-integrated learning (WIL) has become a strategic priority for higher education globally (Rowe & Zegwaard, 2017). The need for a highly skilled workforce to sustain the economy is driving mounting pressure to equip graduates with capabilities to navigate the volatile workplace and contribute to the social and commercial aspects of humanity (Dacre Pool et al., 2019). To achieve this imperative, staff with the capacity to design, deliver, and assess quality WIL learning experiences are essential. The concept of the Global WIL modules was driven by a pressing need for professional development globally as the profile of WIL grows and is increasingly a strategic priority for institutions worldwide (Zegwaard et al., 2019).

year: 2022-09

title: Prototypical gang recruits in New Zealand prisons

authors: Lett, Daniel

subjects: Gangs

abstract: Gangs have long been associated with antisocial behaviour and crime. To maintain themselves, gangs require a steady flow of new recruits. A better understanding of who is being recruited into gangs is the first step in preventing recruitment and lowering the impact of gangs on society. We asked what the prototypical gang recruit in New Zealand prisons is? To answer this, we needed to establish which factors are most likely to make someone more prototypical. Using these factors as our focus, we completed a series of difference of proportion analyses on archival data acquired through Te Ara Poutama. We found that the most prototypical factors for a gang recruit in New Zealand prisons were being a Māori, repeat offender, with a medium RoC*RoI, convicted of violent crimes, being held in a high security unit, and being between the ages of 20-39. These results suggest that prototypicality for gang recruits varies across settings.

text: Prototypical gang recruits in New Zealand prisons Gangs have long been associated with antisocial behaviour and crime. To maintain themselves, gangs require a steady flow of new recruits. A better understanding of who is being recruited into gangs is the first step in preventing recruitment and lowering the impact of gangs on society. We asked what the prototypical gang recruit in New Zealand prisons is? To answer this, we needed to establish which factors are most likely to make someone more prototypical. Using these factors as our focus, we completed a series of difference of proportion analyses on archival data acquired through Te Ara Poutama. We found that the most prototypical factors for a gang recruit in New Zealand prisons were being a Māori, repeat offender, with a medium RoC*RoI, convicted of violent crimes, being held in a high security unit, and being between the ages of 20-39. These results suggest that prototypicality for gang recruits varies across settings.

year: 2021