title: Natural and Experimental Admixture of Invasive Blowflies in New Zealand and Australia

authors: Croft, Lillian

abstract: Across the globe, native species are being outcompeted and often reach extinction due to introduced species becoming invasive. Previously confined to their native areas due to geographical, ecological, or environmental barriers that have prevented them from expanding, human impacts have resulted in a significant increase in the number of introduced species. Such species become invasive when they begin to expand their range demographically and typically cause negative impacts in the new environment. There is no current model that allows us to predict and prevent future biological invasions, though next generation sequencing, population genomics analysis, and experimental laboratory manipulations are helping to fill critical gaps in our understanding of the invasion process. 
My first analysis (Chapter 2) explored the ability of population genetics analyses of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to identify hybridisation levels and the rate of admixture occurring in wild populations of Calliphora hilli and Calliphora stygia – two invasive blowflies found in New Zealand and originally from Australia. I analysed samples from various locations and found patterns of population genetic connectivity and structure that supported Australia as the source of the New Zealand invasion for both species. This research provided highly valuable new insights into the population structure of these two species, with hybridisation and gene flow playing a key role in their respective biological invasions. 
My second analysis (Chapter 3) first explored the population structure of the highly invasive blowfly species, Callipohra vicina, using SNP data to analyse population genomic patterns, such as genetic diversity and admixture. Following this, low genetic diversity colonies were generated from isofemale lines to simulate an invasive population that had undergone a genetic bottleneck. These low diversity lines were compared to relatively high diversity lines for a number of traits, including fecundity, body size, developmental rate, and lifespan to determine the effects of genetic diversity on population fitness. We found genetic differentiation between North and South Island New Zealand populations in the wild, while high diversity lines outcompeted low diversity lines for all measured traits in the laboratory. These results demonstrated the importance of genetic bottlenecks on invasion scenarios and suggested interesting new ideas for follow-up research.
Predicting and preventing future invasions is a significant current gap in invasion biology. Population genomic and ecological assays can together help to fill this gap to help us identify the mechanisms underlying invasive success.

text: Natural and Experimental Admixture of Invasive Blowflies in New Zealand and Australia Across the globe, native species are being outcompeted and often reach extinction due to introduced species becoming invasive. Previously confined to their native areas due to geographical, ecological, or environmental barriers that have prevented them from expanding, human impacts have resulted in a significant increase in the number of introduced species. Such species become invasive when they begin to expand their range demographically and typically cause negative impacts in the new environment. There is no current model that allows us to predict and prevent future biological invasions, though next generation sequencing, population genomics analysis, and experimental laboratory manipulations are helping to fill critical gaps in our understanding of the invasion process. 
My first analysis (Chapter 2) explored the ability of population genetics analyses of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to identify hybridisation levels and the rate of admixture occurring in wild populations of Calliphora hilli and Calliphora stygia – two invasive blowflies found in New Zealand and originally from Australia. I analysed samples from various locations and found patterns of population genetic connectivity and structure that supported Australia as the source of the New Zealand invasion for both species. This research provided highly valuable new insights into the population structure of these two species, with hybridisation and gene flow playing a key role in their respective biological invasions. 
My second analysis (Chapter 3) first explored the population structure of the highly invasive blowfly species, Callipohra vicina, using SNP data to analyse population genomic patterns, such as genetic diversity and admixture. Following this, low genetic diversity colonies were generated from isofemale lines to simulate an invasive population that had undergone a genetic bottleneck. These low diversity lines were compared to relatively high diversity lines for a number of traits, including fecundity, body size, developmental rate, and lifespan to determine the effects of genetic diversity on population fitness. We found genetic differentiation between North and South Island New Zealand populations in the wild, while high diversity lines outcompeted low diversity lines for all measured traits in the laboratory. These results demonstrated the importance of genetic bottlenecks on invasion scenarios and suggested interesting new ideas for follow-up research.
Predicting and preventing future invasions is a significant current gap in invasion biology. Population genomic and ecological assays can together help to fill this gap to help us identify the mechanisms underlying invasive success.

year: 2024

title: Necessary non-apodicity: Hermeneutic priority and textual authority in Christian-Muslim dialogue

authors: Pratt, Douglas

subjects: Christian

abstract: This article seeks to explore something of the significance of the notion of necessary non-apodicity as a leitmotif for the reading of sacred text in the context of Christian-Muslim dialogical engagement. Far from being a contentious challenge to received traditions of the status and reception of our respective scriptures, it contends that the notion of an inherent requirement to apply hermeneutic tools and approaches to sacred text is a mark of the mode of divine revelation as such. The absolute word of God was and is spoken into and through multifarious concrete contexts; the apprehension of the divine message throughout changing contexts and differing situations is thus intended to invite interpretive engagement necessarily. Or, put otherwise, the hermeneutical task that necessarily applies to the reading of scripture suggests that the sacred text of divine revelation is marked by necessary non-apodicity. In exploring this idea further, the article addresses some general issues of Christian and Muslim perspectives on sacred text then turns to an examination of the 2007 letter, 'A Common Word', from Muslims to Christians that seeks a renewed emphasis on dialogue.

text: Necessary non-apodicity: Hermeneutic priority and textual authority in Christian-Muslim dialogue This article seeks to explore something of the significance of the notion of necessary non-apodicity as a leitmotif for the reading of sacred text in the context of Christian-Muslim dialogical engagement. Far from being a contentious challenge to received traditions of the status and reception of our respective scriptures, it contends that the notion of an inherent requirement to apply hermeneutic tools and approaches to sacred text is a mark of the mode of divine revelation as such. The absolute word of God was and is spoken into and through multifarious concrete contexts; the apprehension of the divine message throughout changing contexts and differing situations is thus intended to invite interpretive engagement necessarily. Or, put otherwise, the hermeneutical task that necessarily applies to the reading of scripture suggests that the sacred text of divine revelation is marked by necessary non-apodicity. In exploring this idea further, the article addresses some general issues of Christian and Muslim perspectives on sacred text then turns to an examination of the 2007 letter, 'A Common Word', from Muslims to Christians that seeks a renewed emphasis on dialogue.

year: 2009

title: ‘Inside Out’: The politics of enumerating the nation by ethnicity

authors: Kukutai, Tahu

abstract: Since the 1990s, state practices of counting and classifying populations by ethnicity have come under increased scrutiny within the social sciences (Arel 2002 ; Kertzer and Arel 2002 ; Nobles 2000 ; Perlmann and Waters 2002 ; Petersen 1997 ; Statistics Canada and U.S. Census Bureau 1993 ). A number of excellent case studies have provided critical insights into how and why ethnic enumeration is pursued in particular times and places. ¹ However, with some notable exceptions (Morning 2008 ; Rallu
et al. 2006 ), little attention has been given to theorizing or empirically testing a global
model of ethnic classifi cation and counting. Consequently, there is a limited understanding
about the general conditions that impede or encourage state recognition of ethnicity in the national census and the forms that such recognition takes.

text: ‘Inside Out’: The politics of enumerating the nation by ethnicity Since the 1990s, state practices of counting and classifying populations by ethnicity have come under increased scrutiny within the social sciences (Arel 2002 ; Kertzer and Arel 2002 ; Nobles 2000 ; Perlmann and Waters 2002 ; Petersen 1997 ; Statistics Canada and U.S. Census Bureau 1993 ). A number of excellent case studies have provided critical insights into how and why ethnic enumeration is pursued in particular times and places. ¹ However, with some notable exceptions (Morning 2008 ; Rallu
et al. 2006 ), little attention has been given to theorizing or empirically testing a global
model of ethnic classifi cation and counting. Consequently, there is a limited understanding
about the general conditions that impede or encourage state recognition of ethnicity in the national census and the forms that such recognition takes.

year: 2015