title: Soil chronosequences and bacterial communities of the Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica

authors: Scarrow, Joshua William

subjects: Antarctica

abstract: The Beardmore Glacier region of the Central Transantarctic Mountains (CTAM), approximately 600 km south of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), has been studied to a much lesser extent than the accessible MDV and other regions of the continent. The CTAM were visited in the 2010/2011 austral summer, and two concurrent studies undertaken; these are presented in the form of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals, as a thesis by publication.
Soil chronosequences in three of the largest ice-free areas (Ong Valley, Mount Achernar, and the Dominion Range), at altitudes above 1600 m along the polar plateau margin, were examined. Transects perpendicular to the current ice edge reveal a gradual increase in soil depth (from 2 cm to > 80 cm to underlying ice), weathering, horizonation, salt content, and a decrease in pH; all of these factors are consistent with increased soil development since time of deglaciation. Such fine scale variation in soil properties, previously overlooked in the CTAM region, cannot be mapped by Soil Taxonomy subgroups, as commonly utilised in Antarctic soil mapping. Patterns of soil thickness, clast abundance and soil chemistry all indicate a bi-modal form of soil development. It is proposed that the soil profile deepens by addition of englacial debris to the subsoil via the sublimation of underlying ice, and the weathering of supraglacial clasts at the soil surface.
The molecular characterization of bacterial communities in CTAM soils is the southernmost culture-independent soil survey to date. Community fingerprinting (ARISA) and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing demonstrated significantly different bacterial communities between eight discrete CTAM locations (5 at low altitude near the Ross Ice Shelf coast, 3 near the polar plateau > 1600 m). Abiotic environmental variables, especially those related to long-term exposure of soils to the atmosphere, correlate well with inter-site community variation. Mount Howe, the southernmost soil on the planet (87° S), harbours an extremely low biomass bacterial community, of a fundamentally different composition to all other sites. It appears that observed DNA sequences at Mount Howe are the result of atmospherically deposited bacteria, the soil being unable to support edaphic life due to extreme local climatic conditions.￼
These two studies extend previous knowledge of soil development and distribution, and microbial ecology, to the southernmost extent possible. These observations may serve as important baseline data for monitoring of this fragile system in the face of future and ongoing environmental changes.

text: Soil chronosequences and bacterial communities of the Central Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica The Beardmore Glacier region of the Central Transantarctic Mountains (CTAM), approximately 600 km south of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV), has been studied to a much lesser extent than the accessible MDV and other regions of the continent. The CTAM were visited in the 2010/2011 austral summer, and two concurrent studies undertaken; these are presented in the form of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals, as a thesis by publication.
Soil chronosequences in three of the largest ice-free areas (Ong Valley, Mount Achernar, and the Dominion Range), at altitudes above 1600 m along the polar plateau margin, were examined. Transects perpendicular to the current ice edge reveal a gradual increase in soil depth (from 2 cm to > 80 cm to underlying ice), weathering, horizonation, salt content, and a decrease in pH; all of these factors are consistent with increased soil development since time of deglaciation. Such fine scale variation in soil properties, previously overlooked in the CTAM region, cannot be mapped by Soil Taxonomy subgroups, as commonly utilised in Antarctic soil mapping. Patterns of soil thickness, clast abundance and soil chemistry all indicate a bi-modal form of soil development. It is proposed that the soil profile deepens by addition of englacial debris to the subsoil via the sublimation of underlying ice, and the weathering of supraglacial clasts at the soil surface.
The molecular characterization of bacterial communities in CTAM soils is the southernmost culture-independent soil survey to date. Community fingerprinting (ARISA) and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing demonstrated significantly different bacterial communities between eight discrete CTAM locations (5 at low altitude near the Ross Ice Shelf coast, 3 near the polar plateau > 1600 m). Abiotic environmental variables, especially those related to long-term exposure of soils to the atmosphere, correlate well with inter-site community variation. Mount Howe, the southernmost soil on the planet (87° S), harbours an extremely low biomass bacterial community, of a fundamentally different composition to all other sites. It appears that observed DNA sequences at Mount Howe are the result of atmospherically deposited bacteria, the soil being unable to support edaphic life due to extreme local climatic conditions.￼
These two studies extend previous knowledge of soil development and distribution, and microbial ecology, to the southernmost extent possible. These observations may serve as important baseline data for monitoring of this fragile system in the face of future and ongoing environmental changes.

year: 2013

title: Cross-cultural differences on work-to-family conflict and role satisfaction: A Taiwanese-British comparison

authors: Lu, Luo

subjects: work-to-family conflict (WFC)

abstract: The aim of this research was to explore relations between work and family demands and resources, work-to-family conflict (WFC), and work and family outcomes in a cross-cultural comparative context involving Taiwanese and British employees. Two-hundred and sixty-four Taiwanese employees and 137 British employees were surveyed using structured questionnaires. For both Taiwanese and British employees, work and family demands were positively related to WFC, whereas work resources were negatively related to WFC. Furthermore, WFC was negatively related to family satisfaction. More importantly, we found that nation moderated relationships between work resources and WFC, WFC and work, and family satisfaction. Specifically, work resources had a stronger protective effect for Taiwanese than British in reducing WFC, whereas WFC had a stronger detrimental effect on role satisfaction for British than Taiwanese. It is recommended that both culture-general and culture-specific effects should be taken into consideration in designing future WFC research and familyfriendly managerial practices.

text: Cross-cultural differences on work-to-family conflict and role satisfaction: A Taiwanese-British comparison The aim of this research was to explore relations between work and family demands and resources, work-to-family conflict (WFC), and work and family outcomes in a cross-cultural comparative context involving Taiwanese and British employees. Two-hundred and sixty-four Taiwanese employees and 137 British employees were surveyed using structured questionnaires. For both Taiwanese and British employees, work and family demands were positively related to WFC, whereas work resources were negatively related to WFC. Furthermore, WFC was negatively related to family satisfaction. More importantly, we found that nation moderated relationships between work resources and WFC, WFC and work, and family satisfaction. Specifically, work resources had a stronger protective effect for Taiwanese than British in reducing WFC, whereas WFC had a stronger detrimental effect on role satisfaction for British than Taiwanese. It is recommended that both culture-general and culture-specific effects should be taken into consideration in designing future WFC research and familyfriendly managerial practices.

year: 2010

title: Strawmen and the decolonisation of the academy

authors: Tauri, Juan Marcellus

subjects: Social justice

abstract: For this piece I take as my point of departure Biko Agozino’s response to a series of questions posed by a member of the audience, to a panel he was a member of during this time in New Zealand. The panel in question was part of the launch of a new journal, Decolonisation of Criminology and Justice, at AUT University, Auckland in June 2018. Biko was invited to give a speech at the launch of the journal, and participate in a panel discussion on the broad theme of ‘decolonising criminology and criminal justice’.

text: Strawmen and the decolonisation of the academy For this piece I take as my point of departure Biko Agozino’s response to a series of questions posed by a member of the audience, to a panel he was a member of during this time in New Zealand. The panel in question was part of the launch of a new journal, Decolonisation of Criminology and Justice, at AUT University, Auckland in June 2018. Biko was invited to give a speech at the launch of the journal, and participate in a panel discussion on the broad theme of ‘decolonising criminology and criminal justice’.

year: 2019-07-10