title: Managing denitrification in human-dominated landscapes

authors: Schipper, Louis A.

subjects: N

abstract: Increases in food supply and fossil fuel consumption are among the hallmarks of the 20th century. These changes share a common characteristic – they both contribute to an excess supply of plant-available (i.e., reactive) nitrogen – with negative consequences to ecosystems and water supplies across the globe. While there are vast quantities of di-nitrogen gas (N₂) in the atmosphere, this form of N is unavailable (termed unreactive N) to the vast majority of biological life (Galloway et al., 2003). Globally, this unreactive N can be converted to reactive N by four major processes: N-fixing microorganisms (often in symbiotic association with plants, 140 TgNyear⁻¹), industrial fertilizer production (125 TgNyear⁻¹), fossil fuel combustion (25 TgNyear⁻¹), and lightning (5 TgNyear⁻¹) (Schlesinger, 2009). The benefits of increased food production by use of N inputs are clear. World economies also continue to rely on fossil fuels for transport and fertilizer production. As with many biogeochemical processes that are manipulated at global scales, increased N inputs has adverse and unintended consequences (Galloway et al., 2008).

text: Managing denitrification in human-dominated landscapes Increases in food supply and fossil fuel consumption are among the hallmarks of the 20th century. These changes share a common characteristic – they both contribute to an excess supply of plant-available (i.e., reactive) nitrogen – with negative consequences to ecosystems and water supplies across the globe. While there are vast quantities of di-nitrogen gas (N₂) in the atmosphere, this form of N is unavailable (termed unreactive N) to the vast majority of biological life (Galloway et al., 2003). Globally, this unreactive N can be converted to reactive N by four major processes: N-fixing microorganisms (often in symbiotic association with plants, 140 TgNyear⁻¹), industrial fertilizer production (125 TgNyear⁻¹), fossil fuel combustion (25 TgNyear⁻¹), and lightning (5 TgNyear⁻¹) (Schlesinger, 2009). The benefits of increased food production by use of N inputs are clear. World economies also continue to rely on fossil fuels for transport and fertilizer production. As with many biogeochemical processes that are manipulated at global scales, increased N inputs has adverse and unintended consequences (Galloway et al., 2008).

year: 2010

title: Temporal dynamics of microbial communities in geothermal hotsprings of the Taupo Volcanic Zone

authors: Lowe, Caitlin Louise

subjects: microbial

abstract: Few studies of microbial biogeography address temporal variability in physicochemical conditions and communities in geothermal environments. Here we examine the temporal variability of 43 chemical analytes, temperature and pH in association with microbial community composition of 69 water samples collected bimonthly from 12 hotsprings of the Taupo Volcanic Zone between December 2015 and October 2016. Communities and physicochemical parameters were characterized using a combination of next generation Ion Torrent sequencing (16S rRNA), UV-spectrometry, ICP-MS, FIA and gas chromatography. Using correlation association tests, significant physicochemical changes (P<0.05) were correlated with temporal variations in microbial community composition in six of the target hotsprings. Of these six hotsprings, temperature and pH were the most influential variables associated with community changes and commonly covaried with the Aquificae, Deinococcus-Thermus and Proteobacteria at four sites. Downstream effects of rainfall using rainfall and geothermal bore water datasets could be linked with physicochemical and microbial community changes during the winter months at two of these sites. This study contributes to our understanding of geothermal microbial dynamics in stable and variable geothermal environme nts, and highlights that geothermal hotsprings are not isolated from their surrounding environment.

text: Temporal dynamics of microbial communities in geothermal hotsprings of the Taupo Volcanic Zone Few studies of microbial biogeography address temporal variability in physicochemical conditions and communities in geothermal environments. Here we examine the temporal variability of 43 chemical analytes, temperature and pH in association with microbial community composition of 69 water samples collected bimonthly from 12 hotsprings of the Taupo Volcanic Zone between December 2015 and October 2016. Communities and physicochemical parameters were characterized using a combination of next generation Ion Torrent sequencing (16S rRNA), UV-spectrometry, ICP-MS, FIA and gas chromatography. Using correlation association tests, significant physicochemical changes (P<0.05) were correlated with temporal variations in microbial community composition in six of the target hotsprings. Of these six hotsprings, temperature and pH were the most influential variables associated with community changes and commonly covaried with the Aquificae, Deinococcus-Thermus and Proteobacteria at four sites. Downstream effects of rainfall using rainfall and geothermal bore water datasets could be linked with physicochemical and microbial community changes during the winter months at two of these sites. This study contributes to our understanding of geothermal microbial dynamics in stable and variable geothermal environme nts, and highlights that geothermal hotsprings are not isolated from their surrounding environment.

year: 2017

title: Barriers and incentives to Māori participation in the profession of psychology: A report for the New Zealand Psychologists' Board

authors: Levy, Michelle Patricia

subjects: bicultural approaches

abstract: It is well known that Māori are over-represented within the client group of psychologists. Despite ongoing attempts to recruit and retain more Māori within the discipline of psychology, the numbers of Māori psychologists continues to remain low, raising serious concerns about the ability of the profession to effectively meet the needs of its clientele. The salient barrier to increasing Māori participation in psychology is the environments in which Māori students of psychology and Māori psychologists are required to participate. Areas covered include current Māori participation in psychology, barriers to Māori participation such as psychology's reliance on western paradigms, lack of Māori participation in psychology training programmes, lack of support for Māori psychology students, and a lack of commitment to Māori development in psychology.

text: Barriers and incentives to Māori participation in the profession of psychology: A report for the New Zealand Psychologists' Board It is well known that Māori are over-represented within the client group of psychologists. Despite ongoing attempts to recruit and retain more Māori within the discipline of psychology, the numbers of Māori psychologists continues to remain low, raising serious concerns about the ability of the profession to effectively meet the needs of its clientele. The salient barrier to increasing Māori participation in psychology is the environments in which Māori students of psychology and Māori psychologists are required to participate. Areas covered include current Māori participation in psychology, barriers to Māori participation such as psychology's reliance on western paradigms, lack of Māori participation in psychology training programmes, lack of support for Māori psychology students, and a lack of commitment to Māori development in psychology.

year: 2002-09-01