title: Molecular Systematics of the New Caledonian Cryptocaryeae (Lauraceae)

authors: Carter, Sophie Nicole

subjects: Phylogenetics

abstract: New Caledonia is an archipelago located in the southwest pacific.  It has a tropical climate influenced by the surrounding sea and is recognised as a “biodiversity hotspot”.  The flora of New Caledonia is poorly understood especially in regards to Lauraceae which has not undergone taxonomic revision since Kostermans 1974 taxonomic treatment.
The aim of this study was to test the taxonomic delimitations of the Lauraceae sub-family Cryptocaryeae in New Caledonia.  This study tested whether the New Caledonian Beilschmiedia, Cryptocarya and Endiandra are monophyletic.  Were these genera the result of one or more colonization events?  This study tested if the Cryptocarya group forms two clades as suggested by Rowher et al. (2014) and van der Merwe et al. (2016).
The phylogenetic analyses were conducted using ITS and Bayesian inference, 58 new complete ITS sequences were generated. Majority of the sequences generated were New Caledonian specimens, overall the topology of the tree was well supported.
New Caledonian Beilschmiedia and Endiandra are monophyletic, whereas, the New Caledonian Cryptocarya are not monophyletic.  New Caledonian Beilschmiedia and Endiandra are most likely the result of a single colonization event for each genus and subsequent radiation.  New Caledonian Cryptocarya are most likely the result of multiple colonization events.  The relationship between the clades of Beilschmiedia and Endiandra are unresolved.  Cryptocarya forms two strongly support clades supporting the findings of Rohwer et al. (2014) and van der Merwe et al. (2016).
Between Beilschmiedia, Cryptocarya and Endiandra, there are at least six putative new species and five genetically diverse species.  These samples need to undergo taxonomic revision and potential reidentification.  The biogeographical relationship between New Caledonian Cryptocaryeae and the rest of the Cryptocaryeae sampled is unresolved and requires further data collection and study.

text: Molecular Systematics of the New Caledonian Cryptocaryeae (Lauraceae) New Caledonia is an archipelago located in the southwest pacific.  It has a tropical climate influenced by the surrounding sea and is recognised as a “biodiversity hotspot”.  The flora of New Caledonia is poorly understood especially in regards to Lauraceae which has not undergone taxonomic revision since Kostermans 1974 taxonomic treatment.
The aim of this study was to test the taxonomic delimitations of the Lauraceae sub-family Cryptocaryeae in New Caledonia.  This study tested whether the New Caledonian Beilschmiedia, Cryptocarya and Endiandra are monophyletic.  Were these genera the result of one or more colonization events?  This study tested if the Cryptocarya group forms two clades as suggested by Rowher et al. (2014) and van der Merwe et al. (2016).
The phylogenetic analyses were conducted using ITS and Bayesian inference, 58 new complete ITS sequences were generated. Majority of the sequences generated were New Caledonian specimens, overall the topology of the tree was well supported.
New Caledonian Beilschmiedia and Endiandra are monophyletic, whereas, the New Caledonian Cryptocarya are not monophyletic.  New Caledonian Beilschmiedia and Endiandra are most likely the result of a single colonization event for each genus and subsequent radiation.  New Caledonian Cryptocarya are most likely the result of multiple colonization events.  The relationship between the clades of Beilschmiedia and Endiandra are unresolved.  Cryptocarya forms two strongly support clades supporting the findings of Rohwer et al. (2014) and van der Merwe et al. (2016).
Between Beilschmiedia, Cryptocarya and Endiandra, there are at least six putative new species and five genetically diverse species.  These samples need to undergo taxonomic revision and potential reidentification.  The biogeographical relationship between New Caledonian Cryptocaryeae and the rest of the Cryptocaryeae sampled is unresolved and requires further data collection and study.

year: 2017

title: Simple stereo matching algorithm for localising keypoints in a restricted search space

authors: Seabright, Matthew

abstract: Modern stereo matching algorithms generally rely on matching image features such as colour and texture to find corresponding matches between images. They can provide very good results but be very computationally intensive. However, in cases where the objects to be localised lie approximately on a known plane, a much simpler algorithm can be applied. One such case is localising kiwifruit in modern orchards, as the plants are trained to grow in a planar structure known as a pergola. The proposed algorithm uses tight distance limits (based on orchard geometry) to reduce the search space for matching fruit to a small window. For the majority of kiwifruit, the search window is small enough to contain only one fruit in the adjacent image, giving only a single solution. In cases where there are tightly grouped fruit or false positive fruit detections adjacent to true positive fruit detections, there can be multiple potential matching solutions. To solve these, each potential solution is evaluated based on how closely it conforms to the mean object distance from camera and a solution is selected. On real world test data containing 121 image pairs, the algorithm has a 99.2 % true positive rate. Computation time was 1.97 ms per image pair.

text: Simple stereo matching algorithm for localising keypoints in a restricted search space Modern stereo matching algorithms generally rely on matching image features such as colour and texture to find corresponding matches between images. They can provide very good results but be very computationally intensive. However, in cases where the objects to be localised lie approximately on a known plane, a much simpler algorithm can be applied. One such case is localising kiwifruit in modern orchards, as the plants are trained to grow in a planar structure known as a pergola. The proposed algorithm uses tight distance limits (based on orchard geometry) to reduce the search space for matching fruit to a small window. For the majority of kiwifruit, the search window is small enough to contain only one fruit in the adjacent image, giving only a single solution. In cases where there are tightly grouped fruit or false positive fruit detections adjacent to true positive fruit detections, there can be multiple potential matching solutions. To solve these, each potential solution is evaluated based on how closely it conforms to the mean object distance from camera and a solution is selected. On real world test data containing 121 image pairs, the algorithm has a 99.2 % true positive rate. Computation time was 1.97 ms per image pair.

year: 2018

title: Indigenous knowledge, methodology and mayhem: What is the role of methodology in producing indigenous insights? A discussion from Mātauranga Māori

authors: Smith, Linda Tuhiwai

abstract: The emergence of an academic discourse called Indigenous knowledge internationally, and mātauranga Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand, presents some substantive challenges to concepts of knowing and being, of knowledge creation, knowledge work and the making of meaning. These challenges engage us across philosophical, disciplinary, institutional, inter-generational, territorial and community boundaries, presenting an opportunity to imagine this field anew, and the theories and methodologies that inform contemporary Māori or Indigenous Studies. This article raises some discussion about ‘research methodologies’ being used when discussing mātauranga Māori and Indigenous knowledge (hereafter referred to as IK mātauranga). Research methodologies are often associated with specific disciplines of knowledge and viewed as the primary if not singular way in which knowledge is generated. Arguably, IK mātauranga occupies a different knowledge space from traditional academic disciplines, including their transdisciplinary interstices. This article speaks to a gnawing sense that mayhem is at play, as the academic work around IK mātauranga begins to consolidate and become institutionalised away from its indigenous communities and contexts, where it began and where it still informs identities, ways of living and being.

text: Indigenous knowledge, methodology and mayhem: What is the role of methodology in producing indigenous insights? A discussion from Mātauranga Māori The emergence of an academic discourse called Indigenous knowledge internationally, and mātauranga Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand, presents some substantive challenges to concepts of knowing and being, of knowledge creation, knowledge work and the making of meaning. These challenges engage us across philosophical, disciplinary, institutional, inter-generational, territorial and community boundaries, presenting an opportunity to imagine this field anew, and the theories and methodologies that inform contemporary Māori or Indigenous Studies. This article raises some discussion about ‘research methodologies’ being used when discussing mātauranga Māori and Indigenous knowledge (hereafter referred to as IK mātauranga). Research methodologies are often associated with specific disciplines of knowledge and viewed as the primary if not singular way in which knowledge is generated. Arguably, IK mātauranga occupies a different knowledge space from traditional academic disciplines, including their transdisciplinary interstices. This article speaks to a gnawing sense that mayhem is at play, as the academic work around IK mātauranga begins to consolidate and become institutionalised away from its indigenous communities and contexts, where it began and where it still informs identities, ways of living and being.

year: 2016