title: Nutrient and sediment dynamics in two coastal plain rivers in the Bay of Plenty

authors: Wilson, Nicholas

abstract: A large amount of literature concerns eutrophication development in lakes, reservoirs, or estuaries. In contrast, literature concerning to the development of eutrophication in flowing waters is more scarce and, in New Zealand, what there is mostly concerns smaller wadable, cobble-bedded streams and not large soft-bottomed lowland rivers. Lowland rivers are at the distal end of the catchment and suffer from accumulated multiple stressors pertaining to the surrounding land use. In New Zealand coastal plain catchments, land is generally high producing pasture, urban development, or other arable practices 
The aim of this study was to develop a better understanding of how two major land-use related contaminants, nitrate, and suspended sediments, vary in two Bay of Plenty rivers, the Kaituna and the Rangitaiki, as they cross the coastal plain.  Key goals were to determine the extent to which contaminant concentrations are attenuated or enhanced during this passage. These are two significant North Island New Zealand river systems, with intensive agricultural activities in the lowland part of the catchment. Longitudinal sampling of the lowland reaches took place between November 2020 to June 2021; additional spring samples were collected in November 2021 and early December 2021. The study included measures of nitrate, suspended sediment, turbidity chlorophyll-a, pH, and dissolved oxygen, and nitrate samples from tributary flows and a limited collection of aquatic macrophytes, to assess other aspects of water quality.
The Rangitaiki and Kaituna Rivers both tended to show increasing nitrate concentration as they flowed across the coastal plain, reaching median concentrations of 0.31 and 0.54 mg/NO₃-N/L respectively. Effects of both groundwater and tributaries were evident. Suspended sediment was at relatively low concentrations within both rivers, and generally showed no substantive increase across the lowland reaches of both rivers. Chlorophyll-a and nitrate showed seasonality, and this was largely due to processes in upstream lakes or reservoirs. Little attenuation or development of phytoplankton in the river was evidenced by changes in chlorophyll concentrations, likely due to the very short residence time of water in this part of the river (<24 h). Furthermore, nitrate and suspended solids behaved differently, and there was no correlation in either river p>0.05 nor between nitrate and chlorophyll-a, p>0.05.
Downstream changes in measured variables in the Rangitaiki and Kaituna rivers could ultimately be related to land use within the lower catchment. The lower Rangitaiki River nitrate concentration is largely dictated by seasonality within Lake Matahina and activities within the upper catchment, likely supplemented by groundwater influx and any minor drains discharging to the lowland river. The Kaituna River nitrate concentration is predominantly a product of the intensive agricultural catchment, with four significant tributary inflows along the lowland reach, all of which are nitrate rich. Nitrogen enrichment was sufficient to support non-native macrophyte growth, but other adverse effects associated with eutrophication were not realised in either river. This is likely due to a combination of the short residence times within both rivers, the abrasive flow preventing macrophytes accumulating sufficiently to block the channel and the turbulent, shallow water allowing ready reaeration. These results do emphasise the need for further study on lowland rivers to assess the effects of nutrient and sediment enrichment, and the extent to which existing guidelines on river are well suited to lowland reaches.

text: Nutrient and sediment dynamics in two coastal plain rivers in the Bay of Plenty A large amount of literature concerns eutrophication development in lakes, reservoirs, or estuaries. In contrast, literature concerning to the development of eutrophication in flowing waters is more scarce and, in New Zealand, what there is mostly concerns smaller wadable, cobble-bedded streams and not large soft-bottomed lowland rivers. Lowland rivers are at the distal end of the catchment and suffer from accumulated multiple stressors pertaining to the surrounding land use. In New Zealand coastal plain catchments, land is generally high producing pasture, urban development, or other arable practices 
The aim of this study was to develop a better understanding of how two major land-use related contaminants, nitrate, and suspended sediments, vary in two Bay of Plenty rivers, the Kaituna and the Rangitaiki, as they cross the coastal plain.  Key goals were to determine the extent to which contaminant concentrations are attenuated or enhanced during this passage. These are two significant North Island New Zealand river systems, with intensive agricultural activities in the lowland part of the catchment. Longitudinal sampling of the lowland reaches took place between November 2020 to June 2021; additional spring samples were collected in November 2021 and early December 2021. The study included measures of nitrate, suspended sediment, turbidity chlorophyll-a, pH, and dissolved oxygen, and nitrate samples from tributary flows and a limited collection of aquatic macrophytes, to assess other aspects of water quality.
The Rangitaiki and Kaituna Rivers both tended to show increasing nitrate concentration as they flowed across the coastal plain, reaching median concentrations of 0.31 and 0.54 mg/NO₃-N/L respectively. Effects of both groundwater and tributaries were evident. Suspended sediment was at relatively low concentrations within both rivers, and generally showed no substantive increase across the lowland reaches of both rivers. Chlorophyll-a and nitrate showed seasonality, and this was largely due to processes in upstream lakes or reservoirs. Little attenuation or development of phytoplankton in the river was evidenced by changes in chlorophyll concentrations, likely due to the very short residence time of water in this part of the river (<24 h). Furthermore, nitrate and suspended solids behaved differently, and there was no correlation in either river p>0.05 nor between nitrate and chlorophyll-a, p>0.05.
Downstream changes in measured variables in the Rangitaiki and Kaituna rivers could ultimately be related to land use within the lower catchment. The lower Rangitaiki River nitrate concentration is largely dictated by seasonality within Lake Matahina and activities within the upper catchment, likely supplemented by groundwater influx and any minor drains discharging to the lowland river. The Kaituna River nitrate concentration is predominantly a product of the intensive agricultural catchment, with four significant tributary inflows along the lowland reach, all of which are nitrate rich. Nitrogen enrichment was sufficient to support non-native macrophyte growth, but other adverse effects associated with eutrophication were not realised in either river. This is likely due to a combination of the short residence times within both rivers, the abrasive flow preventing macrophytes accumulating sufficiently to block the channel and the turbulent, shallow water allowing ready reaeration. These results do emphasise the need for further study on lowland rivers to assess the effects of nutrient and sediment enrichment, and the extent to which existing guidelines on river are well suited to lowland reaches.

year: 2022

title: Child poverty and media advocacy in aotearoa

authors: Barnett, Alison Reremoana

subjects: child poverty

abstract: New Zealand has one of the worst rates of child poverty in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Research has shown that modern mass media provide a mediated cultural forum through which policy responses to child poverty are socially negotiated and from which public support for children in need is either cultivated or undermined. This thesis focuses on the role of media advocacy by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) who attempt to widen public debate and legitimate options for addressing child poverty. I investigate the case of the Government's Working for Families package and the controversy surrounding the media release of CPAG's negative evaluation of the package in the form of a research report Cut Price Kids. Attention is given to competing ideological frames underlying the Government's package, in the form of neo-liberal emphases on distinctions between  God's  and the  Devil's  poor. Attention is also given to CPAG's response, in the form of communitarian notions of collective responsibility for all families in need. Specifically, I analyse the role of the mass media in framing child poverty as a social issue across three levels of mass communication - production, representation, and reception. At the production level interviews were held with six journalists involved with reporting on Cut Price Kids and two members of CPAG. Fifteen Government and 5 CPAG press releases were also explored to document media production processes and restraints on public deliberations. In addition, the ideological stances influencing the framing of coverage were investigated. At the media representation level 21 press, seven radio, and five television items were analysed to establish the scope of public debate, whose perspectives were included, and the ways in which differing perspectives are combined. At the reception level four focus group discussions with lower socio-economic status (SES) parent groups, as well as follow-up photo-based interviews with eight participants were explored in order to document the role of media coverage in the lives of families with children living in poverty. Across levels, findings suggest that journalists are restrained by professional practices which maintain the importance of balance and detached objectivity, rather than interpretations of appropriate responses to child poverty. Tensions between the Government's emphasis on restricting support to families with parents in paid employment and CPAG's emphasis on the need to not discriminate against the children of out of work families framed coverage. The lower SES parents participating at the reception level challenged the restrained nature of coverage, which excluded people such as themselves, and openly questioned media characterisations of them as  bludgers  who are irresponsible parents. Overall, findings support the view that media are a key component of ongoing social dialogues through which public understandings of, and policy responses to, child poverty are constructed. Specifically, psychologists need to engage more with processes of symbolic power which shape the public construction of child poverty in a conservative manner that can lead to victim blaming, and restrains opportunities for addressing this pressing social concern.

text: Child poverty and media advocacy in aotearoa New Zealand has one of the worst rates of child poverty in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Research has shown that modern mass media provide a mediated cultural forum through which policy responses to child poverty are socially negotiated and from which public support for children in need is either cultivated or undermined. This thesis focuses on the role of media advocacy by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) who attempt to widen public debate and legitimate options for addressing child poverty. I investigate the case of the Government's Working for Families package and the controversy surrounding the media release of CPAG's negative evaluation of the package in the form of a research report Cut Price Kids. Attention is given to competing ideological frames underlying the Government's package, in the form of neo-liberal emphases on distinctions between  God's  and the  Devil's  poor. Attention is also given to CPAG's response, in the form of communitarian notions of collective responsibility for all families in need. Specifically, I analyse the role of the mass media in framing child poverty as a social issue across three levels of mass communication - production, representation, and reception. At the production level interviews were held with six journalists involved with reporting on Cut Price Kids and two members of CPAG. Fifteen Government and 5 CPAG press releases were also explored to document media production processes and restraints on public deliberations. In addition, the ideological stances influencing the framing of coverage were investigated. At the media representation level 21 press, seven radio, and five television items were analysed to establish the scope of public debate, whose perspectives were included, and the ways in which differing perspectives are combined. At the reception level four focus group discussions with lower socio-economic status (SES) parent groups, as well as follow-up photo-based interviews with eight participants were explored in order to document the role of media coverage in the lives of families with children living in poverty. Across levels, findings suggest that journalists are restrained by professional practices which maintain the importance of balance and detached objectivity, rather than interpretations of appropriate responses to child poverty. Tensions between the Government's emphasis on restricting support to families with parents in paid employment and CPAG's emphasis on the need to not discriminate against the children of out of work families framed coverage. The lower SES parents participating at the reception level challenged the restrained nature of coverage, which excluded people such as themselves, and openly questioned media characterisations of them as  bludgers  who are irresponsible parents. Overall, findings support the view that media are a key component of ongoing social dialogues through which public understandings of, and policy responses to, child poverty are constructed. Specifically, psychologists need to engage more with processes of symbolic power which shape the public construction of child poverty in a conservative manner that can lead to victim blaming, and restrains opportunities for addressing this pressing social concern.

year: 2006

title: Analysis of errors in the writing of first year university students of Māori

authors: Earnshaw, Lorene

subjects: Te reo Māori

abstract: This paper presents a survey of the range of grammatical and lexical errors made in written Māori by University students taking an introductory course in Māori language. We begin by introducing, and discussing the motivation for, an error classification system which accommodates different classes of error. We then provide an analysis of errors in three different types of student writing: homework assignments, impromptu tests and examination transcripts. We conclude with some remarks about the patterns of error which we found.

text: Analysis of errors in the writing of first year university students of Māori This paper presents a survey of the range of grammatical and lexical errors made in written Māori by University students taking an introductory course in Māori language. We begin by introducing, and discussing the motivation for, an error classification system which accommodates different classes of error. We then provide an analysis of errors in three different types of student writing: homework assignments, impromptu tests and examination transcripts. We conclude with some remarks about the patterns of error which we found.

year: 2004-09