title: Are all teenagers emotionally illiterate? Charting a neuroscientific storying of normative deficit

authors: Payne, Monica A.

subjects: adolescents

abstract: Defining ‘emotional illiteracy’ is a task located within the broader context of expert (and subsequently public) assumptions regarding the normally expectable competencies of the age group concerned. In the late 1990s a series of neuroscientific studies reporting adolescents' limited ability to recognize emotional states from facial expressions seemed to present radically new developmental benchmarks. Although these studies were subsequently subjected to considerable methodological and interpretive criticism, some incautious assertions regarding teenagers' general inability to respond appropriately, especially in emotionally charged situations, continued to flourish. This paper charts the creation and maintenance of these ideas over the past decade to illustrate how, when primary sources are not carefully checked, powerful messages for which there is dubious empirical evidence can become incorporated into expert advice. It also suggests the importance of linking neuroscientific claims to other strands of contemporary Western efforts to define and contrast normative and disordered emotional behaviour in adolescence.

text: Are all teenagers emotionally illiterate? Charting a neuroscientific storying of normative deficit Defining ‘emotional illiteracy’ is a task located within the broader context of expert (and subsequently public) assumptions regarding the normally expectable competencies of the age group concerned. In the late 1990s a series of neuroscientific studies reporting adolescents' limited ability to recognize emotional states from facial expressions seemed to present radically new developmental benchmarks. Although these studies were subsequently subjected to considerable methodological and interpretive criticism, some incautious assertions regarding teenagers' general inability to respond appropriately, especially in emotionally charged situations, continued to flourish. This paper charts the creation and maintenance of these ideas over the past decade to illustrate how, when primary sources are not carefully checked, powerful messages for which there is dubious empirical evidence can become incorporated into expert advice. It also suggests the importance of linking neuroscientific claims to other strands of contemporary Western efforts to define and contrast normative and disordered emotional behaviour in adolescence.

year: 2012

title: Effects of climate and land use change on invasive species: A case study of Tradescantia fluminensis (Vell.) in New Zealand

authors: Storey, Liza Preethy

subjects: Tradescantia fluminensis

abstract: Climate change, land use change and invasive species are transforming global biodiversity at multiple scales. Projections are for threats to biodiversity from these global changes to continue into the future, with varied and discernible distribution changes for many species. Concomitantly, these global changes will interact with each other to further exacerbate the problem, as exemplified in this study. In New Zealand, climate change is expected to affect landscapes, fragmented and disturbed by land use change, further increasing the potential invasibility of these landscapes for a suite of existing and emerging invasive species. 

This thesis is concerned with the combined effects of climate and land use changes on the spatial distribution of the sub-tropical invasive plant, Tradescantia fluminensis (Vell.). The contribution of this thesis is to undertake an integrated assessment of the distribution change for this species in New Zealand. On the basis that climatic variables affect species distribution at larger scales, while land use, habitat, disturbance and dispersal mechanisms affect distribution at smaller scales, two separate analyses were undertaken. At the national scale BioCLIM and the Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) were implemented using the variables: minimum temperature (July-August), MTminJ-A, and annual water deficit (November-February). At the landscape scale, only ENFA was implemented, using the variables: MTminJ-A, ECOSAT riparian classes (habitat) and proximity to roads, urban areas and streams (disturbance and dispersal sources). Three scenarios of climate change (CCSR B1-Low, CSIRO9 A1B-Mid and HadCM A1FI-High) and two scenarios of land use change (SmartGrowth and Buildout) were developed to the year 2050, using the CLIMPACTS Open Framework Modelling System and Geographic Information Systems, GIS, techniques respectively. The baseline species distribution model was extrapolated in ENFA, using the 2050 scenarios. Changes to potential threat from this species to protected areas at the landscape level were assessed spatially at the landscape level. This approach and its results are novel for this species.

At the national scale the results for the modelling show that climate change will increase the potential habitat suitability of Tradescantia under all combined scenarios of CCSR, CSIRO9 and HadCM for mean minimum temperature (July-August), MTminJ-A and Annual Water Deficit, AWD. At the case study landscape, in the Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga also the modelling results showed that climate change and land use changes will increase the suitability for Tradescantia by 2050. 

The 'core' or highest suitability areas increase under all future scenarios. At the national level core suitability increased by about 13% for the CCSR:B1-Low and CSIRO9:A1B-Mid and 22% for HadCM:A1FI-High combined scenario on the North Island. On the South Island, core areas increased by a much lower margin - 1.4%, 2.3% and 2.9% for CCSR:B1-Low, CSIRO9:A1B-Mid and HadCM:A1FI-High combined scenarios respectively. At the landscape level core areas increased by 5%, 8% and 21% for the CCSR:B1-Low+SmartGrowth, Darlam:A1b-Mid+SmartGrwoth and HadCM:A1FI-High+Build-out combined scenarios, respectively. This is true also for the Protected areas within the case study landscape, and indicate that the increasing if Tradescantia is able to track both climate and land use change through its dispersal and migration within the landscape 9 primarily in the inland and upland direction), then is will pose a greater risk to native habitats than at present.

Integrated assessments and the outputs they produce are essential to exploring anticipated changes (through scenario-building) and in understanding the change spatial context and magnitude of projected changes from the combined effects of climate and land use changes into the future and need to be integrated into biodiversity-biosecurity management at multiple scales.

text: Effects of climate and land use change on invasive species: A case study of Tradescantia fluminensis (Vell.) in New Zealand Climate change, land use change and invasive species are transforming global biodiversity at multiple scales. Projections are for threats to biodiversity from these global changes to continue into the future, with varied and discernible distribution changes for many species. Concomitantly, these global changes will interact with each other to further exacerbate the problem, as exemplified in this study. In New Zealand, climate change is expected to affect landscapes, fragmented and disturbed by land use change, further increasing the potential invasibility of these landscapes for a suite of existing and emerging invasive species. 

This thesis is concerned with the combined effects of climate and land use changes on the spatial distribution of the sub-tropical invasive plant, Tradescantia fluminensis (Vell.). The contribution of this thesis is to undertake an integrated assessment of the distribution change for this species in New Zealand. On the basis that climatic variables affect species distribution at larger scales, while land use, habitat, disturbance and dispersal mechanisms affect distribution at smaller scales, two separate analyses were undertaken. At the national scale BioCLIM and the Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) were implemented using the variables: minimum temperature (July-August), MTminJ-A, and annual water deficit (November-February). At the landscape scale, only ENFA was implemented, using the variables: MTminJ-A, ECOSAT riparian classes (habitat) and proximity to roads, urban areas and streams (disturbance and dispersal sources). Three scenarios of climate change (CCSR B1-Low, CSIRO9 A1B-Mid and HadCM A1FI-High) and two scenarios of land use change (SmartGrowth and Buildout) were developed to the year 2050, using the CLIMPACTS Open Framework Modelling System and Geographic Information Systems, GIS, techniques respectively. The baseline species distribution model was extrapolated in ENFA, using the 2050 scenarios. Changes to potential threat from this species to protected areas at the landscape level were assessed spatially at the landscape level. This approach and its results are novel for this species.

At the national scale the results for the modelling show that climate change will increase the potential habitat suitability of Tradescantia under all combined scenarios of CCSR, CSIRO9 and HadCM for mean minimum temperature (July-August), MTminJ-A and Annual Water Deficit, AWD. At the case study landscape, in the Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga also the modelling results showed that climate change and land use changes will increase the suitability for Tradescantia by 2050. 

The 'core' or highest suitability areas increase under all future scenarios. At the national level core suitability increased by about 13% for the CCSR:B1-Low and CSIRO9:A1B-Mid and 22% for HadCM:A1FI-High combined scenario on the North Island. On the South Island, core areas increased by a much lower margin - 1.4%, 2.3% and 2.9% for CCSR:B1-Low, CSIRO9:A1B-Mid and HadCM:A1FI-High combined scenarios respectively. At the landscape level core areas increased by 5%, 8% and 21% for the CCSR:B1-Low+SmartGrowth, Darlam:A1b-Mid+SmartGrwoth and HadCM:A1FI-High+Build-out combined scenarios, respectively. This is true also for the Protected areas within the case study landscape, and indicate that the increasing if Tradescantia is able to track both climate and land use change through its dispersal and migration within the landscape 9 primarily in the inland and upland direction), then is will pose a greater risk to native habitats than at present.

Integrated assessments and the outputs they produce are essential to exploring anticipated changes (through scenario-building) and in understanding the change spatial context and magnitude of projected changes from the combined effects of climate and land use changes into the future and need to be integrated into biodiversity-biosecurity management at multiple scales.

year: 2009

title: eDNA-based detection of New Zealand freshwater mussel (kākahi) populations using digital PCR

authors: Ferris, Kelsey

subjects: eDNA

abstract: Globally, freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered taxa due to pollution, nutrient loading, habitat fragmentation, and species introduction attributable to anthropogenic activities. New Zealand freshwater mussels (kākahi) are ecological engineers and integral species in freshwater ecosystems. However, kākahi populations are expected to decline 70% by 2024 in part due to their unique reproductive cycle involving an obligatory phoretic relationship with declining native fish. Kākahi distribution and abundance throughout New Zealand is poorly understood due to time-consuming surveying techniques of concealed and morphologically cryptic species. A rapid and reliable method is required for the detection and identification of these ‘Threatened’ kākahi populations for conservation and management. Therefore, this study aimed to i) validate an environmental DNA (eDNA) based detection method for New Zealand freshwater mussels using digital PCR (dPCR); ii) determine the most appropriate sampling season for kākahi eDNA; and iii) determine whether eDNA could be used to detect effects of fish barriers on kākahi distribution.
In vivo trials determined that filtration of field samples within 24 hours of collection minimised eDNA degradation and that prefiltration effectively removed inhibitory detritus and glochidia. The lowest concentration of eDNA which could accurately be detected to infer abundance (≥3.2 copies/µL) or presence (0.32-3.19 copies/µL) of kākahi eDNA was determined.  Duplicate field samples were collected from the Waingaro River and Kahuhuru Stream at sites downstream of fish barriers and upstream of low-flow or all-flow barriers in December, May, and August to investigate spatial and temporal variation in eDNA concentrations. As hypothesised, December was the most effective month to sample, yielding the highest eDNA concentrations due to reduced dilution and heightened water temperatures. Based on eDNA, kākahi species distribution did not appear correlated with fish barriers, but all-flow barriers likely impeded fish host movement to significantly reduce the total kākahi eDNA concentrations found upstream. 
eDNA detection can be used by regional councils to effectively infer presence/absence of kākahi populations and direct further conventional surveying efforts to the most impactful locations. This method allows rapid determination of distribution and densities at a national scale to aid conservation management of this taonga (treasured) species.

text: eDNA-based detection of New Zealand freshwater mussel (kākahi) populations using digital PCR Globally, freshwater mussels are one of the most endangered taxa due to pollution, nutrient loading, habitat fragmentation, and species introduction attributable to anthropogenic activities. New Zealand freshwater mussels (kākahi) are ecological engineers and integral species in freshwater ecosystems. However, kākahi populations are expected to decline 70% by 2024 in part due to their unique reproductive cycle involving an obligatory phoretic relationship with declining native fish. Kākahi distribution and abundance throughout New Zealand is poorly understood due to time-consuming surveying techniques of concealed and morphologically cryptic species. A rapid and reliable method is required for the detection and identification of these ‘Threatened’ kākahi populations for conservation and management. Therefore, this study aimed to i) validate an environmental DNA (eDNA) based detection method for New Zealand freshwater mussels using digital PCR (dPCR); ii) determine the most appropriate sampling season for kākahi eDNA; and iii) determine whether eDNA could be used to detect effects of fish barriers on kākahi distribution.
In vivo trials determined that filtration of field samples within 24 hours of collection minimised eDNA degradation and that prefiltration effectively removed inhibitory detritus and glochidia. The lowest concentration of eDNA which could accurately be detected to infer abundance (≥3.2 copies/µL) or presence (0.32-3.19 copies/µL) of kākahi eDNA was determined.  Duplicate field samples were collected from the Waingaro River and Kahuhuru Stream at sites downstream of fish barriers and upstream of low-flow or all-flow barriers in December, May, and August to investigate spatial and temporal variation in eDNA concentrations. As hypothesised, December was the most effective month to sample, yielding the highest eDNA concentrations due to reduced dilution and heightened water temperatures. Based on eDNA, kākahi species distribution did not appear correlated with fish barriers, but all-flow barriers likely impeded fish host movement to significantly reduce the total kākahi eDNA concentrations found upstream. 
eDNA detection can be used by regional councils to effectively infer presence/absence of kākahi populations and direct further conventional surveying efforts to the most impactful locations. This method allows rapid determination of distribution and densities at a national scale to aid conservation management of this taonga (treasured) species.

year: 2020