title: The role of Empodisma robustum litter in CO₂ exchange at Kopuatai bog

authors: Keyte Beattie, Alexandra Margaret

subjects: Empodisma robustum

abstract: Respiration from the decomposition of standing dead litter in peatlands influences the ecosystem carbon balance through its contribution to total ecosystem respiration (ER). This research determined the proportion of ER estimated at Kopuatai bog that is sourced from the decomposition of Empodisma robustum litter in the canopy. Canopy harvests were carried out to measure the mass of standing litter in the canopy; laboratory litter incubations were used to measure respiration rates over a range of temperatures and moisture contents; and a simple model was developed to estimate annual litter respiration using inputs of canopy wetness duration and canopy temperature.

E. robustum litter comprised an average of 51% of the total canopy biomass, with 0.92 kg m⁻² standing litter dry matter in 1.8 kg m⁻² of total canopy dry matter. The majority of this litter is located in the lower part of the canopy. Very low respiration rates were measured for the E. robustum litter, although respiration was significantly higher in litter which was more physically decomposed (R₁₀ = 0.44 (± 0.1) μmol kg⁻¹ s⁻¹) than that which was freshly dead (R₁₀ = 0.24 (± 0.05) μmol kg⁻¹ s⁻¹). Litter respiration showed a strong temperature response, and was moisture-limited below approximately 50% moisture content. The model of litter respiration estimated that standing dead E. robustum litter contributed 59 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ (8.8%) to annual total ER. This represents an estimated litter turnover time of 7 – 8 years. While the contribution of litter respiration to ER is relatively small, the resulting large mass of recalcitrant litter in the canopy may contribute to E. robustum’s ability to engineer its environment.

text: The role of Empodisma robustum litter in CO₂ exchange at Kopuatai bog Respiration from the decomposition of standing dead litter in peatlands influences the ecosystem carbon balance through its contribution to total ecosystem respiration (ER). This research determined the proportion of ER estimated at Kopuatai bog that is sourced from the decomposition of Empodisma robustum litter in the canopy. Canopy harvests were carried out to measure the mass of standing litter in the canopy; laboratory litter incubations were used to measure respiration rates over a range of temperatures and moisture contents; and a simple model was developed to estimate annual litter respiration using inputs of canopy wetness duration and canopy temperature.

E. robustum litter comprised an average of 51% of the total canopy biomass, with 0.92 kg m⁻² standing litter dry matter in 1.8 kg m⁻² of total canopy dry matter. The majority of this litter is located in the lower part of the canopy. Very low respiration rates were measured for the E. robustum litter, although respiration was significantly higher in litter which was more physically decomposed (R₁₀ = 0.44 (± 0.1) μmol kg⁻¹ s⁻¹) than that which was freshly dead (R₁₀ = 0.24 (± 0.05) μmol kg⁻¹ s⁻¹). Litter respiration showed a strong temperature response, and was moisture-limited below approximately 50% moisture content. The model of litter respiration estimated that standing dead E. robustum litter contributed 59 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ (8.8%) to annual total ER. This represents an estimated litter turnover time of 7 – 8 years. While the contribution of litter respiration to ER is relatively small, the resulting large mass of recalcitrant litter in the canopy may contribute to E. robustum’s ability to engineer its environment.

year: 2014

title: Imbalance in surrender: the backing of warrants procedure with Australia under Part 4 of the Extradition Act 1999

authors: Butler, Rynae Daphne

subjects: backed warrant procedure

abstract: The backing-of-warrants is a fast-track procedure for extradition regulated under Part 4 of the Extradition Act 1999.  This thesis critically scrutinises a recent review of the legislation by the Law Commission as it relates to the impact of its proposed new Act on the current backed-warrant procedure, particularly as it relates to Australia.  The Commission’s proposal that its new Act will achieve the Commission’s objective to “strike the necessary and appropriate balance between protecting the rights of those whose extradition is sought and providing an efficient mechanism for extradition” will be analysed and critiqued.    It will be shown that, the Commission has tipped the balance towards the liberty interests of the requested person, when it proposed to increase the breadth of grounds by which the courts may refuse surrender under a new “unjust or oppressive” provision. As a consequence, the proposed legislative provisions may risk breaching the doctrine of comity and frustrating the backed-warrant procedure. This thesis further posits that comity should not be over-emphasised, particularly as the Commission has not at all or has inadequately considered the disparity that exists between the way comity is applied in practise by the Australian and New Zealand courts. As a consequence, the proposed less onerous test for Australia, is unjustified. While the Commission’s proposal gives weight to the growing importance of human rights as a determining factor in surrender nevertheless, the Commission’s proposals lack coherency and fail to delineate between the standard procedure and the backed-warrant procedure. In absence of any evidence that the efficacy of the backed-warrant procedure is wanting, the impact of the Commission’s proposals, are unlikely therefore to achieve the balance it strives to achieve.   The argument put here is that there is a strong principled case for strengthening human rights protections in the current backed-warrant procedure. In that regard, this thesis advances the proposition that in combination, the Commission’s New Zealand Bill of Rights proposal and a role for a proposed central authority - subject to reconceptualising comity in this context to one that includes a human rights component.  To that end, this thesis advocates replacing the balancing act paradigm that purports to reconcile the competing interests underpinning extradition with an assessment of human rights as a primary determining factor in surrender at both the initial stages and latter stages of the backed-warrant procedure. This model, as proposed, will maintain the fast-track nature of the backed-warrant procedure as it would allow the judiciary to differentiate risk between low-level and gross forms of human rights violations or abuse.  Finally, this thesis posits that the jurisprudential acceptance in the courts of the extraterritorial effect of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 in relation to Australian Police conduct in New Zealand merits attention.

text: Imbalance in surrender: the backing of warrants procedure with Australia under Part 4 of the Extradition Act 1999 The backing-of-warrants is a fast-track procedure for extradition regulated under Part 4 of the Extradition Act 1999.  This thesis critically scrutinises a recent review of the legislation by the Law Commission as it relates to the impact of its proposed new Act on the current backed-warrant procedure, particularly as it relates to Australia.  The Commission’s proposal that its new Act will achieve the Commission’s objective to “strike the necessary and appropriate balance between protecting the rights of those whose extradition is sought and providing an efficient mechanism for extradition” will be analysed and critiqued.    It will be shown that, the Commission has tipped the balance towards the liberty interests of the requested person, when it proposed to increase the breadth of grounds by which the courts may refuse surrender under a new “unjust or oppressive” provision. As a consequence, the proposed legislative provisions may risk breaching the doctrine of comity and frustrating the backed-warrant procedure. This thesis further posits that comity should not be over-emphasised, particularly as the Commission has not at all or has inadequately considered the disparity that exists between the way comity is applied in practise by the Australian and New Zealand courts. As a consequence, the proposed less onerous test for Australia, is unjustified. While the Commission’s proposal gives weight to the growing importance of human rights as a determining factor in surrender nevertheless, the Commission’s proposals lack coherency and fail to delineate between the standard procedure and the backed-warrant procedure. In absence of any evidence that the efficacy of the backed-warrant procedure is wanting, the impact of the Commission’s proposals, are unlikely therefore to achieve the balance it strives to achieve.   The argument put here is that there is a strong principled case for strengthening human rights protections in the current backed-warrant procedure. In that regard, this thesis advances the proposition that in combination, the Commission’s New Zealand Bill of Rights proposal and a role for a proposed central authority - subject to reconceptualising comity in this context to one that includes a human rights component.  To that end, this thesis advocates replacing the balancing act paradigm that purports to reconcile the competing interests underpinning extradition with an assessment of human rights as a primary determining factor in surrender at both the initial stages and latter stages of the backed-warrant procedure. This model, as proposed, will maintain the fast-track nature of the backed-warrant procedure as it would allow the judiciary to differentiate risk between low-level and gross forms of human rights violations or abuse.  Finally, this thesis posits that the jurisprudential acceptance in the courts of the extraterritorial effect of the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 in relation to Australian Police conduct in New Zealand merits attention.

year: 2017

title: Iwi, institutes, societies & community led initiatives

authors: Whaanga, Hēmi

abstract: With the rapid evolution, innovation and incredible growth of ICT, the avenues to exchange, access, manage, create, disseminate, display and research Indigenous data and Mātauranga Māori have increased at astounding rates. This generation, often referred to as ‘digital natives', ‘homo zappiëns’, ‘Net generation’, ‘millennials’, ‘i-generation’ (see, for example Akçayır, Dündar, & Akçayır, 2016; Kirschner & De Bruyckere, 2017; Prensky, 2001; Yong & Gates, 2014), have been raised, immersed and exposed to a myriad of digital technologies, video games, computers, digital music players and cellular phones during their brief lifetimes. Technologies have dramatically transformed how each generation access, communicate, share knowledge, distribute and view information. Social networks like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest, Tumblr and social networking apps such as Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat, QQ Chat, QZone, Viber, LINE, and Snapchat, with billons of active users per month, are as familiar to this generation as was the radio, television and landline telephones to the Baby Boomers who grew up with pre-cellphone mobile technology.

text: Iwi, institutes, societies & community led initiatives With the rapid evolution, innovation and incredible growth of ICT, the avenues to exchange, access, manage, create, disseminate, display and research Indigenous data and Mātauranga Māori have increased at astounding rates. This generation, often referred to as ‘digital natives', ‘homo zappiëns’, ‘Net generation’, ‘millennials’, ‘i-generation’ (see, for example Akçayır, Dündar, & Akçayır, 2016; Kirschner & De Bruyckere, 2017; Prensky, 2001; Yong & Gates, 2014), have been raised, immersed and exposed to a myriad of digital technologies, video games, computers, digital music players and cellular phones during their brief lifetimes. Technologies have dramatically transformed how each generation access, communicate, share knowledge, distribute and view information. Social networks like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, Pinterest, Tumblr and social networking apps such as Messenger, WhatsApp, WeChat, QQ Chat, QZone, Viber, LINE, and Snapchat, with billons of active users per month, are as familiar to this generation as was the radio, television and landline telephones to the Baby Boomers who grew up with pre-cellphone mobile technology.

year: 2017