title: Development of microsatellite markers for Antarctic Bryum Hedw. species

authors: Harfoot, Rhodri T.

abstract: The objective of this thesis was to isolate microsatellite markers using the Glenn (2001) method from the species Bryum argenteum so as to be able to study these markers in Antarctic populations of Bryum species. Microsatellite regions have been found to be highly polymorphic and neutral markers, and usually genus specific, thus making them ideal for population genetic studies. The populations to be studied in the future have a large distribution over the Southern Victoria Land area, ranging from the Dry Valleys to Granite Harbour and Ross Island. 
Mosses are the most abundant and widespread of the vascular plant groups within continental Antarctica. They inhabit locations that are some of the more extreme on earth and experience periods of desiccation and darkness that can last as long as four months. For these reasons the establishment of mosses in Antarctica is a subject that has attracted great debate. One hypothesis suggests that mosses first became established when the ice retreated from the land approximately 17000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial maximum. The alternative hypothesis is that mosses survived as relictual populations over this period and have recently increased their habitat range. The study of microsatellite length polymorphism in populations will allow these hypotheses to be tested. 
The genus Bryum Hedw. (Bryaceae) is a highly polymorphic, cosmopolitan genus that is abundant in Antarctica over a wide range of locations. It is found from the Sub-Antarctic zone (Sub-Antarctic islands) to the continental zone (Continental Antarctica and Southern and Eastern Antarctic Peninsula. Thus covering a wide range of habitats from warm and wet (e.g. the Sub-Antarctic islands) to cold and very dry (e.g. the McMurdo Dry Valleys). 
To study the population genetics of Antarctic Bryum species, development of microsatellite markers was necessary as it has been found that with less specific methods such as RAPD-PCR, the DNA used for the analyses had been contaminated by co-extracted DNA from fungi living on the mosses, thus confounding the results obtained. Microsatellites, once developed, are genus or family specific, thus there is little risk of amplifying a contaminant when using microsatellite markers. Abstract 
This project failed to isolate any microsatellite markers from Bryum argenteum, due to experimental difficulties that occurred at three major stages; ligation, transformation and hybridisation screening of the genomic library. Future research should be focussed on completion of microsatellite isolation for this genus and on evaluation of the population relationships among Antarctic localities.

text: Development of microsatellite markers for Antarctic Bryum Hedw. species The objective of this thesis was to isolate microsatellite markers using the Glenn (2001) method from the species Bryum argenteum so as to be able to study these markers in Antarctic populations of Bryum species. Microsatellite regions have been found to be highly polymorphic and neutral markers, and usually genus specific, thus making them ideal for population genetic studies. The populations to be studied in the future have a large distribution over the Southern Victoria Land area, ranging from the Dry Valleys to Granite Harbour and Ross Island. 
Mosses are the most abundant and widespread of the vascular plant groups within continental Antarctica. They inhabit locations that are some of the more extreme on earth and experience periods of desiccation and darkness that can last as long as four months. For these reasons the establishment of mosses in Antarctica is a subject that has attracted great debate. One hypothesis suggests that mosses first became established when the ice retreated from the land approximately 17000 years ago, at the end of the last glacial maximum. The alternative hypothesis is that mosses survived as relictual populations over this period and have recently increased their habitat range. The study of microsatellite length polymorphism in populations will allow these hypotheses to be tested. 
The genus Bryum Hedw. (Bryaceae) is a highly polymorphic, cosmopolitan genus that is abundant in Antarctica over a wide range of locations. It is found from the Sub-Antarctic zone (Sub-Antarctic islands) to the continental zone (Continental Antarctica and Southern and Eastern Antarctic Peninsula. Thus covering a wide range of habitats from warm and wet (e.g. the Sub-Antarctic islands) to cold and very dry (e.g. the McMurdo Dry Valleys). 
To study the population genetics of Antarctic Bryum species, development of microsatellite markers was necessary as it has been found that with less specific methods such as RAPD-PCR, the DNA used for the analyses had been contaminated by co-extracted DNA from fungi living on the mosses, thus confounding the results obtained. Microsatellites, once developed, are genus or family specific, thus there is little risk of amplifying a contaminant when using microsatellite markers. Abstract 
This project failed to isolate any microsatellite markers from Bryum argenteum, due to experimental difficulties that occurred at three major stages; ligation, transformation and hybridisation screening of the genomic library. Future research should be focussed on completion of microsatellite isolation for this genus and on evaluation of the population relationships among Antarctic localities.

year: 2002

title: The politics of local government and development in Sri Lanka: An analysis of the contribution of non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

authors: Akurugoda, Indi Ruwangi

subjects: local government

abstract: Sri Lanka has inherited a unitary state structure and a highly centralised approach to government administration. Since independence in 1948, various proposals to restructure government, including decentralising powers to provincial and local levels, have been proposed, but none have been fully implemented. The Sinhala nationalist parties and groups which have supported successive governments have generally rejected all decentralisation proposals. Moreover, the political elite has long been oriented towards and accepting of strong leadership from the centre, which has largely ignored local government and local development, with serious implications for much of the population.
The tsunami of 2004 and the end of the war in 2009 saw NGO support and large amounts of foreign funding flow into Sri Lanka to assist in the recovery. Central government and its leadership have controlled the whole aid management and distribution process, by directing foreign funds towards conducting large scale construction projects at the local level without considering local needs. Despite restrictions imposed by central government, a number of NGOs have begun to play an important role in promoting local development through interacting with local government bodies and local communities. NGOs can, thus, be found to be at the forefront of endeavours to address social and economic needs at the local level.
This study, examines how and why local communities have been neglected in development initiatives in Sri Lanka, and assesses the significance of support from NGOs in increasing the capacity of local government and in promoting local development. Hypotheses derived from the literature related to post-colonial criticisms, government-NGO relations, and NGO interactions in the policy process are examined and assessed. Based on research in the southern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka, this study analyses the views of national, provincial and local level political representatives and administrative officials, NGO officials and CBO representatives.
The research revealed that while local level respondents aspired to play an active role in decisions about the use of foreign support for local development, they tended to lack the knowledge and capacity to do so. Local level respondents highlighted the importance of NGO guidance in these processes, particularly in terms of promoting local people’s participation in local government decision making. This thesis concludes that NGOs can play a positive role in supporting local government in addressing development needs at the local level. Local government-NGO relations were found to have made an effective and significant contribution to fulfilling local level needs. NGOs can thus be seen to play a positive role in empowering local government and local communities and their involvement has potential to lead to a move away from highly centralised power structures.

text: The politics of local government and development in Sri Lanka: An analysis of the contribution of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Sri Lanka has inherited a unitary state structure and a highly centralised approach to government administration. Since independence in 1948, various proposals to restructure government, including decentralising powers to provincial and local levels, have been proposed, but none have been fully implemented. The Sinhala nationalist parties and groups which have supported successive governments have generally rejected all decentralisation proposals. Moreover, the political elite has long been oriented towards and accepting of strong leadership from the centre, which has largely ignored local government and local development, with serious implications for much of the population.
The tsunami of 2004 and the end of the war in 2009 saw NGO support and large amounts of foreign funding flow into Sri Lanka to assist in the recovery. Central government and its leadership have controlled the whole aid management and distribution process, by directing foreign funds towards conducting large scale construction projects at the local level without considering local needs. Despite restrictions imposed by central government, a number of NGOs have begun to play an important role in promoting local development through interacting with local government bodies and local communities. NGOs can, thus, be found to be at the forefront of endeavours to address social and economic needs at the local level.
This study, examines how and why local communities have been neglected in development initiatives in Sri Lanka, and assesses the significance of support from NGOs in increasing the capacity of local government and in promoting local development. Hypotheses derived from the literature related to post-colonial criticisms, government-NGO relations, and NGO interactions in the policy process are examined and assessed. Based on research in the southern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka, this study analyses the views of national, provincial and local level political representatives and administrative officials, NGO officials and CBO representatives.
The research revealed that while local level respondents aspired to play an active role in decisions about the use of foreign support for local development, they tended to lack the knowledge and capacity to do so. Local level respondents highlighted the importance of NGO guidance in these processes, particularly in terms of promoting local people’s participation in local government decision making. This thesis concludes that NGOs can play a positive role in supporting local government in addressing development needs at the local level. Local government-NGO relations were found to have made an effective and significant contribution to fulfilling local level needs. NGOs can thus be seen to play a positive role in empowering local government and local communities and their involvement has potential to lead to a move away from highly centralised power structures.

year: 2014

title: A life-history analysis of achievement of Māori and Pacific Island students at the Church College of New Zealand

authors: Solomon, Tereapii Elinora

subjects: Church College

abstract: The Church College of New Zealand is a private co-educational secondary school located near Hamilton, New Zealand and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Since its opening in 1958, it has hosted a large population of Polynesian students, in particular Māori.  The questions that this thesis addresses centre on the nature, history and reasons for what seems to be a disproportionately higher level of achievement amongst Māori and Pacific Island students at Church College than in New Zealand more broadly.  Through a life-history approach to research, this thesis provides an overview of the rich history behind the building of the Church College, and highlights the experiences of successful graduates over three particular timeframes - 1951-1969, 1970-1989 and the 1990s.  

A major contributing factor to the success of the students at Church College is an environment where both religious and cultural values of students are reaffirmed and considered normal.  For some students, Church College provided an environment that validated what students were being taught in their own homes.  For others, it provided a refuge from a conflicted home.  With the growing pressures of social problems within the wider community for many Māori and Pacific Island families, the school environment of  the Church College was a key factor in providing stability  and security for some students at the College.

On June 29 2006, an announcement was made by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of the phased out closure of Church College beginning in the year 2007 and eventually closing at the end of the year 2009. With Māori and Pacific Island students so under-represented in achievement and participation in education settings in New Zealand, the announcement of the closure provided an opportunity to highlight some of the successes experienced at the Church College of New Zealand.

text: A life-history analysis of achievement of Māori and Pacific Island students at the Church College of New Zealand The Church College of New Zealand is a private co-educational secondary school located near Hamilton, New Zealand and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Since its opening in 1958, it has hosted a large population of Polynesian students, in particular Māori.  The questions that this thesis addresses centre on the nature, history and reasons for what seems to be a disproportionately higher level of achievement amongst Māori and Pacific Island students at Church College than in New Zealand more broadly.  Through a life-history approach to research, this thesis provides an overview of the rich history behind the building of the Church College, and highlights the experiences of successful graduates over three particular timeframes - 1951-1969, 1970-1989 and the 1990s.  

A major contributing factor to the success of the students at Church College is an environment where both religious and cultural values of students are reaffirmed and considered normal.  For some students, Church College provided an environment that validated what students were being taught in their own homes.  For others, it provided a refuge from a conflicted home.  With the growing pressures of social problems within the wider community for many Māori and Pacific Island families, the school environment of  the Church College was a key factor in providing stability  and security for some students at the College.

On June 29 2006, an announcement was made by leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of the phased out closure of Church College beginning in the year 2007 and eventually closing at the end of the year 2009. With Māori and Pacific Island students so under-represented in achievement and participation in education settings in New Zealand, the announcement of the closure provided an opportunity to highlight some of the successes experienced at the Church College of New Zealand.

year: 2008