title: Functional ecology of an Antarctic Dry Valley

authors: Chan, Yuki

abstract: The McMurdo Dry Valleys are the largest ice-free region in Antarctica and are critically at risk from climate change. The terrestrial landscape is dominated by oligotrophic mineral soils and extensive exposed rocky surfaces where biota are largely restricted to microbial communities, although their ability to perform the majority of geobiological processes has remained largely uncharacterized. Here, we identified functional traits that drive microbial survival and community assembly, using a metagenomic approach with GeoChip-based functional gene arrays to establish metabolic capabilities in communities inhabiting soil and rock surface niches in McKelvey Valley. Major pathways in primary metabolism were identified, indicating significant plasticity in autotrophic, heterotrophic, and diazotrophic strategies supporting microbial communities. This represents a major advance beyond biodiversity surveys in that we have now identified how putative functional ecology drives microbial community assembly. Significant differences were apparent between open soil, hypolithic, chasmoendolithic, and cryptoendolithic communities. A suite of previously unappreciated Antarctic microbial stress response pathways, thermal, osmotic, and nutrient limitation responses were identified and related to environmental stressors, offering tangible clues to the mechanisms behind the enduring success of microorganisms in this seemingly inhospitable terrain. Rocky substrates exposed to larger fluctuations in environmental stress supported greater functional diversity in stress-response pathways than soils. Soils comprised a unique reservoir of genes involved in transformation of organic hydrocarbons and lignin-like degradative pathways. This has major implications for the evolutionary origin of the organisms, turnover of recalcitrant substrates in Antarctic soils, and predicting future responses to anthropogenic pollution.

text: Functional ecology of an Antarctic Dry Valley The McMurdo Dry Valleys are the largest ice-free region in Antarctica and are critically at risk from climate change. The terrestrial landscape is dominated by oligotrophic mineral soils and extensive exposed rocky surfaces where biota are largely restricted to microbial communities, although their ability to perform the majority of geobiological processes has remained largely uncharacterized. Here, we identified functional traits that drive microbial survival and community assembly, using a metagenomic approach with GeoChip-based functional gene arrays to establish metabolic capabilities in communities inhabiting soil and rock surface niches in McKelvey Valley. Major pathways in primary metabolism were identified, indicating significant plasticity in autotrophic, heterotrophic, and diazotrophic strategies supporting microbial communities. This represents a major advance beyond biodiversity surveys in that we have now identified how putative functional ecology drives microbial community assembly. Significant differences were apparent between open soil, hypolithic, chasmoendolithic, and cryptoendolithic communities. A suite of previously unappreciated Antarctic microbial stress response pathways, thermal, osmotic, and nutrient limitation responses were identified and related to environmental stressors, offering tangible clues to the mechanisms behind the enduring success of microorganisms in this seemingly inhospitable terrain. Rocky substrates exposed to larger fluctuations in environmental stress supported greater functional diversity in stress-response pathways than soils. Soils comprised a unique reservoir of genes involved in transformation of organic hydrocarbons and lignin-like degradative pathways. This has major implications for the evolutionary origin of the organisms, turnover of recalcitrant substrates in Antarctic soils, and predicting future responses to anthropogenic pollution.

year: 2013

title: Grappling with ambiguity and contradiction: an examination of the role of reflexivity in coach education research

authors: Crocket, Hamish Robert

subjects: Coach education

abstract: In this article, I analyse the complex process of developing a beginner coach education programme for ultimate Frisbee (ultimate) in collaboration with New Zealand Ultimate and volunteer coaches within New Zealand’s ultimate community. I construct a reflexive account of this participatory action research project, which sought to generate pedagogically informed coach education that would benefit New Zealand’s ultimate community and meet Sport New Zealand’s coaching policies. I focus on particular contextual challenges and opportunities, such as ultimate’s lack of resourcing, and SportNZ’s Coach Development Framework, and, in a reflexive manner, consider how my biography impacted this project.

text: Grappling with ambiguity and contradiction: an examination of the role of reflexivity in coach education research In this article, I analyse the complex process of developing a beginner coach education programme for ultimate Frisbee (ultimate) in collaboration with New Zealand Ultimate and volunteer coaches within New Zealand’s ultimate community. I construct a reflexive account of this participatory action research project, which sought to generate pedagogically informed coach education that would benefit New Zealand’s ultimate community and meet Sport New Zealand’s coaching policies. I focus on particular contextual challenges and opportunities, such as ultimate’s lack of resourcing, and SportNZ’s Coach Development Framework, and, in a reflexive manner, consider how my biography impacted this project.

year: 2017

title: "He taketake, he hurumanu te moana i rōhia ai": Mā te Māori ngā toronga o te motu ki whenua kē e taurima?

authors: Dewes, Kaneihana

subjects: Iwi taketake

abstract: Kai te tino ia o te tuhinga rangahau nei, he whakatōmene i te āhua kaiārahi o te Māori i ngā tūāhua hono ki ahurea kē. Mā konei e whakatau ai, e whakatūwherahia rānei ngā āhuatanga e mea ana mā te Māori ngā toronga o te motu ki whenua kē e taurima. He momo tēnei nā te Māori, i takea mai i ngā mahi pokai moana, me ngā waka i whakaterea i ngā rohenga moana o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, ā, puta noa. Waihoki, he taonga tonu wā tātau kai ngā tauira o ngā tūhononga ahurea o ngā iwi taketake o te ao; he taonga anō kai waenganui i a tātau ngā whenua maha i pakanga ki rāwāhi, he tohu nui nā te ‘price of citizenship’. He momo nā te Māori te tātaki i ngā mahi whakarauora reo, waihoki, he rite tonu te noho tahi ki whenua kē i roto i te kōingo ki te whakatipu i te reo o te whenua. Mā konei, ka marohi ai te hiranga o Te Reo Māori me ngā Tikanga Māori, tēnei hiranga e tohu ana i te hua o ngā hononga ahurea ki ngā iwi taketake huri noa, kia whai hua mō Niu Tireni i ngā toronga ki whenua kē.

text: "He taketake, he hurumanu te moana i rōhia ai": Mā te Māori ngā toronga o te motu ki whenua kē e taurima? Kai te tino ia o te tuhinga rangahau nei, he whakatōmene i te āhua kaiārahi o te Māori i ngā tūāhua hono ki ahurea kē. Mā konei e whakatau ai, e whakatūwherahia rānei ngā āhuatanga e mea ana mā te Māori ngā toronga o te motu ki whenua kē e taurima. He momo tēnei nā te Māori, i takea mai i ngā mahi pokai moana, me ngā waka i whakaterea i ngā rohenga moana o Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, ā, puta noa. Waihoki, he taonga tonu wā tātau kai ngā tauira o ngā tūhononga ahurea o ngā iwi taketake o te ao; he taonga anō kai waenganui i a tātau ngā whenua maha i pakanga ki rāwāhi, he tohu nui nā te ‘price of citizenship’. He momo nā te Māori te tātaki i ngā mahi whakarauora reo, waihoki, he rite tonu te noho tahi ki whenua kē i roto i te kōingo ki te whakatipu i te reo o te whenua. Mā konei, ka marohi ai te hiranga o Te Reo Māori me ngā Tikanga Māori, tēnei hiranga e tohu ana i te hua o ngā hononga ahurea ki ngā iwi taketake huri noa, kia whai hua mō Niu Tireni i ngā toronga ki whenua kē.

year: 2022