title: Pandora’s box down-under: origins and numbers of mustelids transported to New Zealand for biological control of rabbits

authors: King, Carolyn M.

subjects: Invasive species

abstract: This paper describes one of the world’s first large-scale experiments in biological control of a major vertebrate pest of agriculture, which was tried in New Zealand during the second half of the nineteenth century. Starting from the late 1860s, pasture damage in Southland and Otago by European rabbits was causing serious reductions in productivity of sheep (wool clip and lambing percentages) associated with malnutrition of the breeding ewes, and a consequent decline in the value of pastoral land. In response, and despite repeated local and international warnings, ferrets, stoats and weasels (Mustela furo, M. erminea and M. nivalis) were liberated on the worst of the rabbit-infested pastures. They were perceived as the ‘natural enemies of the rabbit’ but (unlike foxes) too small to threaten lambs. Over the 50 years after 1870, upwards of 75,000 ferrets, most imported from Australia or locally bred, were released in the South Island. Over the decade 1883–1892, at least 7838 stoats and weasels arrived from Britain. At least 25 shipments are known, with an average of only 10% mortality per shipment. Of the 3585 animals listed by species, 73% were weasels. The total cost of the ferret programme cannot now be estimated; that of stoats and weasels alone was at least £5441, probably twice that, or >$NZ 1–2 million in today’s money. Mustelids (and cats) killed many young rabbits, which was helpful because rates of change in rabbit populations are sensitive to variations in juvenile mortality, but in the most rabbit-prone semi-arid lands, mustelids could not remove enough rabbits to prevent the continuing damage to sheep pastures. The era of deliberate introductions of mustelids to control rabbits in New Zealand was short, expensive, and unsuccessful.

text: Pandora’s box down-under: origins and numbers of mustelids transported to New Zealand for biological control of rabbits This paper describes one of the world’s first large-scale experiments in biological control of a major vertebrate pest of agriculture, which was tried in New Zealand during the second half of the nineteenth century. Starting from the late 1860s, pasture damage in Southland and Otago by European rabbits was causing serious reductions in productivity of sheep (wool clip and lambing percentages) associated with malnutrition of the breeding ewes, and a consequent decline in the value of pastoral land. In response, and despite repeated local and international warnings, ferrets, stoats and weasels (Mustela furo, M. erminea and M. nivalis) were liberated on the worst of the rabbit-infested pastures. They were perceived as the ‘natural enemies of the rabbit’ but (unlike foxes) too small to threaten lambs. Over the 50 years after 1870, upwards of 75,000 ferrets, most imported from Australia or locally bred, were released in the South Island. Over the decade 1883–1892, at least 7838 stoats and weasels arrived from Britain. At least 25 shipments are known, with an average of only 10% mortality per shipment. Of the 3585 animals listed by species, 73% were weasels. The total cost of the ferret programme cannot now be estimated; that of stoats and weasels alone was at least £5441, probably twice that, or >$NZ 1–2 million in today’s money. Mustelids (and cats) killed many young rabbits, which was helpful because rates of change in rabbit populations are sensitive to variations in juvenile mortality, but in the most rabbit-prone semi-arid lands, mustelids could not remove enough rabbits to prevent the continuing damage to sheep pastures. The era of deliberate introductions of mustelids to control rabbits in New Zealand was short, expensive, and unsuccessful.

year: 2017

title: Coping with design complexity: a conceptual framework for design alternatives and variants

authors: Bowen, Judy

subjects: computer science

abstract: Interaction design processes are characterised by multi-disciplinary teamwork and by an interplay of creative, situated and analytical thinking. Although design in the domain of human-computer interaction has been widely investigated, the focus of research has been mainly on the user’s role and several authors refer to the need for a deeper understanding of the increasingly complex interaction design processes. This paper suggests a conceptual framework for interaction design that accommodates and unifies different perspectives from general design research while considering the specificities of the domain. Within the framework, description and analysis is done through the lens of design spaces, design artefacts, and refinement relationships between design artefacts. The framework extends existing concepts of design spaces by introducing complex spaces which acknowledge that design is rarely an individual activity but is more often undertaken by teams of designers. The framework also offers a distinction between design options into alternatives and variants to better describe and guide processes of idea generation and a convergence within, and between different sub-spaces and sub-teams. Different types of refinement between design artefacts are also discussed.

text: Coping with design complexity: a conceptual framework for design alternatives and variants Interaction design processes are characterised by multi-disciplinary teamwork and by an interplay of creative, situated and analytical thinking. Although design in the domain of human-computer interaction has been widely investigated, the focus of research has been mainly on the user’s role and several authors refer to the need for a deeper understanding of the increasingly complex interaction design processes. This paper suggests a conceptual framework for interaction design that accommodates and unifies different perspectives from general design research while considering the specificities of the domain. Within the framework, description and analysis is done through the lens of design spaces, design artefacts, and refinement relationships between design artefacts. The framework extends existing concepts of design spaces by introducing complex spaces which acknowledge that design is rarely an individual activity but is more often undertaken by teams of designers. The framework also offers a distinction between design options into alternatives and variants to better describe and guide processes of idea generation and a convergence within, and between different sub-spaces and sub-teams. Different types of refinement between design artefacts are also discussed.

year: 2017

title: Ko Te Ika-a-Māui rānei?

authors: Takurua, Nātana

abstract: Tēnei au te noho nei me te kōroiroi o whakaaro i roto i a Hinengaro. He aha rā te take kāore i mau mai ai ngā ingoa Māori tūturu, whai mana nei i te taenga mai o te Pākehā ki Aotearoa nei? Nā wai i kī ka hurihia ngā ingoa kua tapaina noatia e ngā mātua tīpuna kia noho ko te North me te South
Island?

text: Ko Te Ika-a-Māui rānei? Tēnei au te noho nei me te kōroiroi o whakaaro i roto i a Hinengaro. He aha rā te take kāore i mau mai ai ngā ingoa Māori tūturu, whai mana nei i te taenga mai o te Pākehā ki Aotearoa nei? Nā wai i kī ka hurihia ngā ingoa kua tapaina noatia e ngā mātua tīpuna kia noho ko te North me te South
Island?

year: 2009