title: Temporal dynamics of geothermal microbial communities in Aotearoa-New Zealand

authors: Power, Jean Florence

abstract: Microbial biogeography studies, in particular for geothermal-associated habitats, have focused on spatial patterns and/or individual sites, which have limited ability to describe the dynamics of ecosystem behaviour. Here, we report the first comprehensive temporal study of bacterial and archaeal communities from an extensive range of geothermal features in Aotearoa-New Zealand. One hundred and fifteen water column samples from 31 geothermal ecosystems were taken over a 34-month period to ascertain microbial community stability (control sites), community response to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances in the local environment (disturbed sites) and temporal variation in spring diversity across different pH values (pH 3, 5, 7, 9) all at a similar temperature of 60–70°C (pH sites). Identical methodologies were employed to measure microbial diversity via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, along with 44 physicochemical parameters from each feature, to ensure confidence in comparing samples across timeframes. Our results indicated temperature and associated groundwater physicochemistry were the most likely parameters to vary stochastically in these geothermal features, with community abundances rather than composition more readily affected by a changing environment. However, variation in pH (pH ±1) had a more significant effect on community structure than temperature (±20°C), with alpha diversity failing to adequately measure temporal microbial disparity in geothermal features outside of circumneutral conditions. While a substantial physicochemical disturbance was required to shift community structures at the phylum level, geothermal ecosystems were resilient at this broad taxonomic rank and returned to a pre-disturbed state if environmental conditions re-established. These findings highlight the diverse controls between different microbial communities within the same habitat-type, expanding our understanding of temporal dynamics in extreme ecosystems.

text: Temporal dynamics of geothermal microbial communities in Aotearoa-New Zealand Microbial biogeography studies, in particular for geothermal-associated habitats, have focused on spatial patterns and/or individual sites, which have limited ability to describe the dynamics of ecosystem behaviour. Here, we report the first comprehensive temporal study of bacterial and archaeal communities from an extensive range of geothermal features in Aotearoa-New Zealand. One hundred and fifteen water column samples from 31 geothermal ecosystems were taken over a 34-month period to ascertain microbial community stability (control sites), community response to both natural and anthropogenic disturbances in the local environment (disturbed sites) and temporal variation in spring diversity across different pH values (pH 3, 5, 7, 9) all at a similar temperature of 60–70°C (pH sites). Identical methodologies were employed to measure microbial diversity via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, along with 44 physicochemical parameters from each feature, to ensure confidence in comparing samples across timeframes. Our results indicated temperature and associated groundwater physicochemistry were the most likely parameters to vary stochastically in these geothermal features, with community abundances rather than composition more readily affected by a changing environment. However, variation in pH (pH ±1) had a more significant effect on community structure than temperature (±20°C), with alpha diversity failing to adequately measure temporal microbial disparity in geothermal features outside of circumneutral conditions. While a substantial physicochemical disturbance was required to shift community structures at the phylum level, geothermal ecosystems were resilient at this broad taxonomic rank and returned to a pre-disturbed state if environmental conditions re-established. These findings highlight the diverse controls between different microbial communities within the same habitat-type, expanding our understanding of temporal dynamics in extreme ecosystems.

year: 2023-01-01

title: Exploring Community-Based Health Care Using Mobile Applications

authors: Khong, Emily Bo-Yu

subjects: Mobile Application

abstract: Chronic illness are conditions that last for a long period of time, and these illnesses require a substantial amount of medical treatment and attention from the hospitals and carers. Unfortunately the limited health resources in hospitals often result in patients receiving substandard treatment, and were often sent off with self-manage their condition. Studies have shown that patients who received little to no support are more likely to struggle with managing their condition, which often results in avoidable complications. This thesis aims to implement a mobile application, targeted towards people with traumatic brain injury and depression, by exploring different memory and social systems and data visualization techniques.

text: Exploring Community-Based Health Care Using Mobile Applications Chronic illness are conditions that last for a long period of time, and these illnesses require a substantial amount of medical treatment and attention from the hospitals and carers. Unfortunately the limited health resources in hospitals often result in patients receiving substandard treatment, and were often sent off with self-manage their condition. Studies have shown that patients who received little to no support are more likely to struggle with managing their condition, which often results in avoidable complications. This thesis aims to implement a mobile application, targeted towards people with traumatic brain injury and depression, by exploring different memory and social systems and data visualization techniques.

year: 2016

title: Intra-propositional relations and their signalling: An investigation of authentic Māori texts

authors: Whaanga, Hēmi

subjects: Language & education

abstract: I report here on one part of a research project that involved the investigation of a range of authentic Māori texts in terms of two types of meaning relation – those that operate within propositions (‘intra-propositional relations’) and those that link propositions or groups of propositions (‘inter-propositional relations’). The focus here is on intra-propositional relations (relationships within propositions). On the basis of the comparison of a number of intra-propositional relational models, a new model which draws inspiration from the work of Crombie is proposed and applied to a corpus of texts written in Māori, the emphasis being on the ways in which these relations are signalled in Māori.

text: Intra-propositional relations and their signalling: An investigation of authentic Māori texts I report here on one part of a research project that involved the investigation of a range of authentic Māori texts in terms of two types of meaning relation – those that operate within propositions (‘intra-propositional relations’) and those that link propositions or groups of propositions (‘inter-propositional relations’). The focus here is on intra-propositional relations (relationships within propositions). On the basis of the comparison of a number of intra-propositional relational models, a new model which draws inspiration from the work of Crombie is proposed and applied to a corpus of texts written in Māori, the emphasis being on the ways in which these relations are signalled in Māori.

year: 2010