title: Using Engel curves to measure CPI bias for Indonesia

authors: Olivia, Susan

subjects: CPI bias

abstract: To measure real income growth over time a price index is needed to adjust for changes in the cost of living. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is often used for this task but studies from several countries show the CPI is a biased measure of changes in the cost of living, leading to potentially wrong estimates of the rate of growth of real income. In this paper CPI bias for Indonesia is calculated by estimating food Engel curves for households with the same level of CPI-deflated incomes at four different points in time between 1993 and 2008. The results suggest CPI bias was initially negative during the Asian Crisis but has been positive since 2000. Over the entire period, CPI bias has averaged four percent annually, equivalent to almost one-third of the measured inflation rate.

text: Using Engel curves to measure CPI bias for Indonesia To measure real income growth over time a price index is needed to adjust for changes in the cost of living. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is often used for this task but studies from several countries show the CPI is a biased measure of changes in the cost of living, leading to potentially wrong estimates of the rate of growth of real income. In this paper CPI bias for Indonesia is calculated by estimating food Engel curves for households with the same level of CPI-deflated incomes at four different points in time between 1993 and 2008. The results suggest CPI bias was initially negative during the Asian Crisis but has been positive since 2000. Over the entire period, CPI bias has averaged four percent annually, equivalent to almost one-third of the measured inflation rate.

year: 2012-06

title: The blowfly Chrysomya latifrons inhabits fragmented rainforests, but shows no population structure.

authors: Butterworth, Nathan J.

subjects: Diptera

abstract: Climate change and deforestation are causing rainforests to become increasingly fragmented, placing them at heightened risk of biodiversity loss. Invertebrates constitute the greatest proportion of this biodiversity, yet we lack basic knowledge of their population structure and ecology. There is a compelling need to develop our understanding of the population dynamics of a wide range of rainforest invertebrates so that we can begin to understand how rainforest fragments are connected, and how they will cope with future habitat fragmentation and climate change. Blowflies are an ideal candidate for such research because they are widespread, abundant, and can be easily collected within rainforests. We genotyped 188 blowflies (Chrysomya latifrons) from 15 isolated rainforests and found high levels of gene flow, a lack of genetic structure between rainforests, and low genetic diversity - suggesting the presence of a single large genetically depauperate population. This highlights that: (1) the blowfly Ch. latifrons inhabits a ~ 1000 km stretch of Australian rainforests, where it plays an important role as a nutrient recycler; (2) strongly dispersing flies can migrate between and connect isolated rainforests, likely carrying pollen, parasites, phoronts, and pathogens along with them; and (3) widely dispersing and abundant insects can nevertheless be genetically depauperate. There is an urgent need to better understand the relationships between habitat fragmentation, genetic diversity, and adaptive potential-especially for poorly dispersing rainforest-restricted insects, as many of these may be particularly fragmented and at highest risk of local extinction.

text: The blowfly Chrysomya latifrons inhabits fragmented rainforests, but shows no population structure. Climate change and deforestation are causing rainforests to become increasingly fragmented, placing them at heightened risk of biodiversity loss. Invertebrates constitute the greatest proportion of this biodiversity, yet we lack basic knowledge of their population structure and ecology. There is a compelling need to develop our understanding of the population dynamics of a wide range of rainforest invertebrates so that we can begin to understand how rainforest fragments are connected, and how they will cope with future habitat fragmentation and climate change. Blowflies are an ideal candidate for such research because they are widespread, abundant, and can be easily collected within rainforests. We genotyped 188 blowflies (Chrysomya latifrons) from 15 isolated rainforests and found high levels of gene flow, a lack of genetic structure between rainforests, and low genetic diversity - suggesting the presence of a single large genetically depauperate population. This highlights that: (1) the blowfly Ch. latifrons inhabits a ~ 1000 km stretch of Australian rainforests, where it plays an important role as a nutrient recycler; (2) strongly dispersing flies can migrate between and connect isolated rainforests, likely carrying pollen, parasites, phoronts, and pathogens along with them; and (3) widely dispersing and abundant insects can nevertheless be genetically depauperate. There is an urgent need to better understand the relationships between habitat fragmentation, genetic diversity, and adaptive potential-especially for poorly dispersing rainforest-restricted insects, as many of these may be particularly fragmented and at highest risk of local extinction.

year: 2023-03

title: Te hau mihi ata mātauranga Māori and science - Cross cultural dialogue

authors: Joseph, Robert

abstract: The Te Hau Mihi Ata Mātauranga Māori and Science research project (the research project) will explore ways to link mātauranga Māori and western science. The purpose of the research project is to open a new creative knowledge space to unleash innovative thinking and cross-cultural connection that is unique to New Zealand which can be a source of untapped economic, social, environmental and cultural potential. The historic marginalisation of alternative value and knowledge systems has prevented quality engagement and dialogue between these two knowledge systems in New Zealand. The research project will develop, inter alia, a new inter-cultural dialogue process between Māori educated in western-based science and experts in mātauranga Māori.

text: Te hau mihi ata mātauranga Māori and science - Cross cultural dialogue The Te Hau Mihi Ata Mātauranga Māori and Science research project (the research project) will explore ways to link mātauranga Māori and western science. The purpose of the research project is to open a new creative knowledge space to unleash innovative thinking and cross-cultural connection that is unique to New Zealand which can be a source of untapped economic, social, environmental and cultural potential. The historic marginalisation of alternative value and knowledge systems has prevented quality engagement and dialogue between these two knowledge systems in New Zealand. The research project will develop, inter alia, a new inter-cultural dialogue process between Māori educated in western-based science and experts in mātauranga Māori.

year: 2008-11