title: The Non-Market Value of Biodiversity Enhancement in New Zealand's Planted Forests

authors: Yao, Richard

subjects: non-market value

abstract: This study investigates the non-market value of biodiversity enhancement in New Zealand’s planted forests using the stated choice experiments (CE) approach. This study focuses on two issues. One issue is policy orientated where we estimate the non-market value of biodiversity enhancement and the determinants of this value. The other issue is about the neutrality of major experimental design criteria used in CE. Specifically, we examine the impact of using different criteria on attribute non-attendance, choice variability, choice determinism and learning. 

To estimate the non-market value of biodiversity enhancement, a random parameters logit model with error components is used to analyse choice data collected from 209 respondents across New Zealand. The panel nature of the choice data set is exploited to calculate the marginal willingness-to-pay (WTP) for environmental attributes of each respondent. Panel random-effects regression models are subsequently employed to determine the factors that influence individual-specific WTP values. Results suggest that New Zealand taxpayers would be willing to pay $26.5 million per year for five years for a proposed biodiversity enhancement programme. Random effects regression analysis suggest that respondents living close to large planted forests (i.e., less than 10 kilometres away) would pay more for the programme. 

To study whether the selection of experimental design criterion affects attribute non-attendance and choice variability, we analyse a balanced sample with split designs. The balanced sample is composed of 1509 choice observations equally distributed across three experimental designs, namely: orthogonal, Bayesian D-efficient and optimal orthogonal. Results from latent class logit analysis suggest that tasks derived from the Bayesian D-efficient design (BDD) criterion are more attended than those derived from orthogonal and optimal orthogonal designs. Heteroskedastic logit analysis indicates that, unlike the two other designs, higher choice task complexity (as measured by entropy proxies) in the BDD does not increase choice variability of respondents. This is indicated by the absence of a significant increase in the variance of the Gumbel error in the choice data collected using BDD unlike the data collected using the two other criteria.

To study whether the three experimental designs vary in terms of choice determinism and task order effects, a separate analysis of the balanced data set using heteroskedastic logit models is undertaken. Results show that higher levels of choice task complexity (as measured by attribute dispersion proxies) in BDD contribute to increasing choice determinism of respondents but not in the orthogonal design. Choice data collected using BDD choice tasks exhibit a steady learning effect, unlike the other designs which do not exhibit any form of continuous learning. 

We conclude that the BDD criterion provides choice tasks that are superior compared to the other two design criteria. Choice data collected using this criterion has a higher quality as indicated by more attended choice tasks, lower choice variability and a pattern of continuous learning. These results point to a higher behavioural efficiency of respondents in evaluating complex choice tasks. However, these results might be specific to the choice data collected in this current study. We suggest that future studies should further investigate the impacts of different experimental designs to verify the findings of this study.

text: The Non-Market Value of Biodiversity Enhancement in New Zealand's Planted Forests This study investigates the non-market value of biodiversity enhancement in New Zealand’s planted forests using the stated choice experiments (CE) approach. This study focuses on two issues. One issue is policy orientated where we estimate the non-market value of biodiversity enhancement and the determinants of this value. The other issue is about the neutrality of major experimental design criteria used in CE. Specifically, we examine the impact of using different criteria on attribute non-attendance, choice variability, choice determinism and learning. 

To estimate the non-market value of biodiversity enhancement, a random parameters logit model with error components is used to analyse choice data collected from 209 respondents across New Zealand. The panel nature of the choice data set is exploited to calculate the marginal willingness-to-pay (WTP) for environmental attributes of each respondent. Panel random-effects regression models are subsequently employed to determine the factors that influence individual-specific WTP values. Results suggest that New Zealand taxpayers would be willing to pay $26.5 million per year for five years for a proposed biodiversity enhancement programme. Random effects regression analysis suggest that respondents living close to large planted forests (i.e., less than 10 kilometres away) would pay more for the programme. 

To study whether the selection of experimental design criterion affects attribute non-attendance and choice variability, we analyse a balanced sample with split designs. The balanced sample is composed of 1509 choice observations equally distributed across three experimental designs, namely: orthogonal, Bayesian D-efficient and optimal orthogonal. Results from latent class logit analysis suggest that tasks derived from the Bayesian D-efficient design (BDD) criterion are more attended than those derived from orthogonal and optimal orthogonal designs. Heteroskedastic logit analysis indicates that, unlike the two other designs, higher choice task complexity (as measured by entropy proxies) in the BDD does not increase choice variability of respondents. This is indicated by the absence of a significant increase in the variance of the Gumbel error in the choice data collected using BDD unlike the data collected using the two other criteria.

To study whether the three experimental designs vary in terms of choice determinism and task order effects, a separate analysis of the balanced data set using heteroskedastic logit models is undertaken. Results show that higher levels of choice task complexity (as measured by attribute dispersion proxies) in BDD contribute to increasing choice determinism of respondents but not in the orthogonal design. Choice data collected using BDD choice tasks exhibit a steady learning effect, unlike the other designs which do not exhibit any form of continuous learning. 

We conclude that the BDD criterion provides choice tasks that are superior compared to the other two design criteria. Choice data collected using this criterion has a higher quality as indicated by more attended choice tasks, lower choice variability and a pattern of continuous learning. These results point to a higher behavioural efficiency of respondents in evaluating complex choice tasks. However, these results might be specific to the choice data collected in this current study. We suggest that future studies should further investigate the impacts of different experimental designs to verify the findings of this study.

year: 2012

title: Is Semantic Query Optimization Worthwhile?

authors: Genet, Bryan Howard

subjects: semantic query optimization

abstract: The term quote semantic query optimization quote (SQO) denotes a methodology whereby queries against databases are optimized using semantic information about the database objects being queried. The result of semantically optimizing a query is another query which is syntactically different to the original, but semantically equivalent and which may be answered more efficiently than the original. SQO is distinctly different from the work performed by the conventional SQL optimizer. The SQL optimizer generates a set of logically equivalent alternative execution paths based ultimately on the rules of relational algebra. However, only a small proportion of the readily available semantic information is utilised by current SQL optimizers. Researchers in SQO agree that SQO can be very effective. However, after some twenty years of research into SQO, there is still no commercial implementation. In this thesis we argue that we need to quantify the conditions for which SQO is worthwhile. We investigate what these conditions are and apply this knowledge to relational database management systems (RDBMS) with static schemas and infrequently updated data. Any semantic query optimizer requires the ability to reason using the semantic information available, in order to draw conclusions which ultimately facilitate the recasting of the original query into a form which can be answered more efficiently. This reasoning engine is currently not part of any commercial RDBMS implementation. We show how a practical semantic query optimizer may be built utilising readily available semantic information, much of it already captured by meta-data typically stored in commercial RDBMS. We develop cost models which predict an upper bound to the amount of optimization one can expect when queries are pre-processed by a semantic optimizer. We present a series of empirical results to confirm the effectiveness or otherwise of various types of SQO and demonstrate the circumstances under which SQO can be effective.

text: Is Semantic Query Optimization Worthwhile? The term quote semantic query optimization quote (SQO) denotes a methodology whereby queries against databases are optimized using semantic information about the database objects being queried. The result of semantically optimizing a query is another query which is syntactically different to the original, but semantically equivalent and which may be answered more efficiently than the original. SQO is distinctly different from the work performed by the conventional SQL optimizer. The SQL optimizer generates a set of logically equivalent alternative execution paths based ultimately on the rules of relational algebra. However, only a small proportion of the readily available semantic information is utilised by current SQL optimizers. Researchers in SQO agree that SQO can be very effective. However, after some twenty years of research into SQO, there is still no commercial implementation. In this thesis we argue that we need to quantify the conditions for which SQO is worthwhile. We investigate what these conditions are and apply this knowledge to relational database management systems (RDBMS) with static schemas and infrequently updated data. Any semantic query optimizer requires the ability to reason using the semantic information available, in order to draw conclusions which ultimately facilitate the recasting of the original query into a form which can be answered more efficiently. This reasoning engine is currently not part of any commercial RDBMS implementation. We show how a practical semantic query optimizer may be built utilising readily available semantic information, much of it already captured by meta-data typically stored in commercial RDBMS. We develop cost models which predict an upper bound to the amount of optimization one can expect when queries are pre-processed by a semantic optimizer. We present a series of empirical results to confirm the effectiveness or otherwise of various types of SQO and demonstrate the circumstances under which SQO can be effective.

year: 2007

title: Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti

authors: Maxwell, Te Kahautu

abstract: Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti competed at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition 2014 to qualify for the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition 2015, Christchurch. Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti placed first overall, 1st mōteatea, 1st, Haka, 1st Whakawātea, 1st Female Leader, 1st Male Leader, 1st Waiata Tira, 1st Te Reo, 1st Original Composition, 1st Costume, 2nd Waiata a Ringa, 2nd, Poi, 2nd Whakaeke.

text: Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti competed at the Mātaatua Regional Kapa Haka Competition 2014 to qualify for the Te Matatini World Championship Kapa Haka Competition 2015, Christchurch. Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti placed first overall, 1st mōteatea, 1st, Haka, 1st Whakawātea, 1st Female Leader, 1st Male Leader, 1st Waiata Tira, 1st Te Reo, 1st Original Composition, 1st Costume, 2nd Waiata a Ringa, 2nd, Poi, 2nd Whakaeke.

year: 2014-02-22