title: Integrative analysis of stressor gradients reveals multiple discrete trait‐defined axes underlie community assembly

authors: Barrett, Isabelle C.

abstract: The generalizable functional attributes of organisms (traits) relate strongly to their environment across multiple levels of biological organization, making trait-based approaches a powerful mechanistic framework to understand species distributions and community composition in relation to environmental change. To investigate how a wide range of stressor types shape stream macroinvertebrate communities, we conducted an integrative analysis using community and taxon trait information across drying, flooding, eutrophication, fine sediment, and acid mine drainage (AMD) gradients. Each gradient spanned relatively unimpacted to severely impacted sites. To characterize community change in response to stressors, we incorporated abundance-based trait information from all stressor gradients in a single trait-based ordination (nonmetric multidimensional scaling), defining the trait space within which each stressor gradient acted. We hypothesized that different stressors would apply different environmental filters, moving communities along distinct axes in trait space and resulting in communities with definable trait combinations. Particularly strong relationships were associated with anthropogenically derived stressors (fine sediment, eutrophication, and AMD) compared to natural stressors (drying and flooding). Anthropogenic stressors instigated significant movement of communities along multiple axes in trait space, likely driven by limited adaptation to these novel stressors. We demonstrate that trait-based analysis of communities across multiple stressor gradients can support a more comprehensive understanding of how community composition changes than taxonomic methods or investigation of a single stressor type, and could underpin community-focused management actions.

text: Integrative analysis of stressor gradients reveals multiple discrete trait‐defined axes underlie community assembly The generalizable functional attributes of organisms (traits) relate strongly to their environment across multiple levels of biological organization, making trait-based approaches a powerful mechanistic framework to understand species distributions and community composition in relation to environmental change. To investigate how a wide range of stressor types shape stream macroinvertebrate communities, we conducted an integrative analysis using community and taxon trait information across drying, flooding, eutrophication, fine sediment, and acid mine drainage (AMD) gradients. Each gradient spanned relatively unimpacted to severely impacted sites. To characterize community change in response to stressors, we incorporated abundance-based trait information from all stressor gradients in a single trait-based ordination (nonmetric multidimensional scaling), defining the trait space within which each stressor gradient acted. We hypothesized that different stressors would apply different environmental filters, moving communities along distinct axes in trait space and resulting in communities with definable trait combinations. Particularly strong relationships were associated with anthropogenically derived stressors (fine sediment, eutrophication, and AMD) compared to natural stressors (drying and flooding). Anthropogenic stressors instigated significant movement of communities along multiple axes in trait space, likely driven by limited adaptation to these novel stressors. We demonstrate that trait-based analysis of communities across multiple stressor gradients can support a more comprehensive understanding of how community composition changes than taxonomic methods or investigation of a single stressor type, and could underpin community-focused management actions.

year: 2022

title: The effect of age and experience on hazard perception and speed  choice in male drivers

authors: Crosswell, Rebekah Jane

subjects: hazard perception

abstract: There are many deaths on New Zealand roads each year, due to speeding related incidents. Teenage drivers (aged 15 to 24 years) are excessively represented in crash statistics. Young drivers seem to have poor hazard perception abilities compared to that of Older Experienced drivers, and may have problems choosing the appropriate speed for the road conditions.
While speeding is difficult to measure in real world situations, the use of a laboratory speed choice task in the current study allowed for speed choice to be studied in a controlled laboratory setting, in an objective way. The current experiment investigated hazard perception and speed choice in males (with higher crash statistics compared to females) using four groups, Young Novice, Advanced Novice, Young Experienced and Older Experienced drivers. Independent variables included age (ranging from 15 to 60 years), experience (Young Novice, Advanced Novice, Young Experienced and Older Experienced) and differing weather conditions (dry and wet) on rural roads and day and night conditions on urban roads. Participants were given a hazard perception dual task as per where they had a primary task of detecting immediate hazards, as well as performing a secondary task of keeping a small dot within a small square, stimulating the steering in real driving. For the Video Speed Choice Task (VST), participants were shown the video clips and asked “how fast do you think you were travelling?” And “what would be the ideal speed appropriate for the road conditions?” The results showed that younger drivers were more likely to select slower speeds, closer to the speed limit, whereas Older Experienced drivers chose greater speeds. Slower speeds were chosen during night-time conditions, and wet conditions. These unexpected results may be for a number of reasons, to be discussed in the following thesis. They will be examined in terms of the current literature on hazard perception, speed choice and driver safety in New Zealand and overseas. Implications of the current study and future research will also be discussed.

text: The effect of age and experience on hazard perception and speed  choice in male drivers There are many deaths on New Zealand roads each year, due to speeding related incidents. Teenage drivers (aged 15 to 24 years) are excessively represented in crash statistics. Young drivers seem to have poor hazard perception abilities compared to that of Older Experienced drivers, and may have problems choosing the appropriate speed for the road conditions.
While speeding is difficult to measure in real world situations, the use of a laboratory speed choice task in the current study allowed for speed choice to be studied in a controlled laboratory setting, in an objective way. The current experiment investigated hazard perception and speed choice in males (with higher crash statistics compared to females) using four groups, Young Novice, Advanced Novice, Young Experienced and Older Experienced drivers. Independent variables included age (ranging from 15 to 60 years), experience (Young Novice, Advanced Novice, Young Experienced and Older Experienced) and differing weather conditions (dry and wet) on rural roads and day and night conditions on urban roads. Participants were given a hazard perception dual task as per where they had a primary task of detecting immediate hazards, as well as performing a secondary task of keeping a small dot within a small square, stimulating the steering in real driving. For the Video Speed Choice Task (VST), participants were shown the video clips and asked “how fast do you think you were travelling?” And “what would be the ideal speed appropriate for the road conditions?” The results showed that younger drivers were more likely to select slower speeds, closer to the speed limit, whereas Older Experienced drivers chose greater speeds. Slower speeds were chosen during night-time conditions, and wet conditions. These unexpected results may be for a number of reasons, to be discussed in the following thesis. They will be examined in terms of the current literature on hazard perception, speed choice and driver safety in New Zealand and overseas. Implications of the current study and future research will also be discussed.

year: 2012

title: Help or hindrance? New Zealand audience perspectives on subtitled media

authors: Kirk, Victoria

abstract: This research presents a picture of audiences’ patterns of engagement with internationally subtitled media in Hamilton, New Zealand. Utilising an audience reception framework to investigate audiences’ interactions with, and evaluations of subtitled media, this research unites the disciplines of Audio Visual Translation and Screen and Media Studies in a specific locale, with an emphasis on the reception of audio visual translated media. Findings in this research also provide a discussion of the wider contexts of audience reception in New Zealand, by investigating local subtitled media in relation to media accessibility processes found in the distinctive cultural landscape of New Zealand. Ultimately, this research finds the situation in New Zealand regarding audiences and the reception of both local English and Māori language media, as well as international subtitled media, exhibits complex polarisations in both the local translation industry production and audience attitudes towards bilingual media. In contrast to this, is the proliferation of international media with subtitles, which is appreciated by Hamilton residents since it provides diverse, accessible, and enjoyable content through a variety of media platforms.

text: Help or hindrance? New Zealand audience perspectives on subtitled media This research presents a picture of audiences’ patterns of engagement with internationally subtitled media in Hamilton, New Zealand. Utilising an audience reception framework to investigate audiences’ interactions with, and evaluations of subtitled media, this research unites the disciplines of Audio Visual Translation and Screen and Media Studies in a specific locale, with an emphasis on the reception of audio visual translated media. Findings in this research also provide a discussion of the wider contexts of audience reception in New Zealand, by investigating local subtitled media in relation to media accessibility processes found in the distinctive cultural landscape of New Zealand. Ultimately, this research finds the situation in New Zealand regarding audiences and the reception of both local English and Māori language media, as well as international subtitled media, exhibits complex polarisations in both the local translation industry production and audience attitudes towards bilingual media. In contrast to this, is the proliferation of international media with subtitles, which is appreciated by Hamilton residents since it provides diverse, accessible, and enjoyable content through a variety of media platforms.

year: 2019