title: Symbolic order and material agency: A cultural ecology of native forest remnants on Waikato dairy farms

authors: Jay, Grace Mairi M.

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: Loss of native biological diversity is a world-wide problem of growing international concern.  One of the main causes of native biodiversity loss is destruction and degradation of native habitat through land development for agriculture.  

The Waikato region is an example of the destruction and degradation of native habitat in association with the development and intensification of farming, including dairy farming.  This thesis explores cultural reasons for the loss of native forest in the Waikato region, and reasons why fragments of native forest remain.  The research involves a participant observation study of 'typical' dairy farm families for 9 months of the dairy year, in-depth interviews of dairy farmers who have protected a significant proportion of their land for conservation of native habitat, a questionnaire of dairy farmers, and an examination of dairy farm magazines and other literature to identify the values and attitudes that motivate dairy farmers in relation to land management and protection of native habitat.

The title of the thesis suggests two elements that are important for understanding the loss and persistence of native forest in Waikato's farmed landscapes.  Symbolic reason refers to the values, attitudes and perceptions of farmers that derive from socio-political and economic forces which encourage productivist practises that leave little opportunity for native forest to survive.  Material agency refers to the local circumstances of particular farms and individual people which enable native forest to persist.   The thesis argues that persistence of native forest depends on the idiosyncrasies of material circumstance in the face of relentless pressure to transform the production landscape for economic purposes.  

The thesis concludes with a suggestion that policies to assist survival of native habitat in farmed landscapes need to include ones that encourage the odds in favour of fortuitous circumstance.  In the face of globalised economic pressures, policies for conservation of native biodiversity need to involve a 'portfolio' of measures that apply to individual landowners and the wider rural community by recognising, assisting and rewarding management for non-production values.

text: Symbolic order and material agency: A cultural ecology of native forest remnants on Waikato dairy farms Loss of native biological diversity is a world-wide problem of growing international concern.  One of the main causes of native biodiversity loss is destruction and degradation of native habitat through land development for agriculture.  

The Waikato region is an example of the destruction and degradation of native habitat in association with the development and intensification of farming, including dairy farming.  This thesis explores cultural reasons for the loss of native forest in the Waikato region, and reasons why fragments of native forest remain.  The research involves a participant observation study of 'typical' dairy farm families for 9 months of the dairy year, in-depth interviews of dairy farmers who have protected a significant proportion of their land for conservation of native habitat, a questionnaire of dairy farmers, and an examination of dairy farm magazines and other literature to identify the values and attitudes that motivate dairy farmers in relation to land management and protection of native habitat.

The title of the thesis suggests two elements that are important for understanding the loss and persistence of native forest in Waikato's farmed landscapes.  Symbolic reason refers to the values, attitudes and perceptions of farmers that derive from socio-political and economic forces which encourage productivist practises that leave little opportunity for native forest to survive.  Material agency refers to the local circumstances of particular farms and individual people which enable native forest to persist.   The thesis argues that persistence of native forest depends on the idiosyncrasies of material circumstance in the face of relentless pressure to transform the production landscape for economic purposes.  

The thesis concludes with a suggestion that policies to assist survival of native habitat in farmed landscapes need to include ones that encourage the odds in favour of fortuitous circumstance.  In the face of globalised economic pressures, policies for conservation of native biodiversity need to involve a 'portfolio' of measures that apply to individual landowners and the wider rural community by recognising, assisting and rewarding management for non-production values.

year: 2004

title: Characterisation of Food Intake and Expression of Feeding-Related Genes in The VPA Rat Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder

authors: Laloli, Kathryn

subjects: Autism

abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting roughly 1% of the global population. Aberrant food selectivity (AFS) is a common comorbid symptom of ASD which can result in nutritional deficiencies, increased parental stress and reduced quality of life. However, alarmingly little research has been conducted investigating the nature and the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of AFS in ASD. This study attempts to determine whether the VPA rat model of ASD exhibits AFS when presented with various diet types. These include standard chow and water, palatable sweet tastants (sucrose, saccharin and complex liquid diet) and finally palatable high fat milks. The mRNA expression levels of oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, dynorphin and kappa-opioid receptor were then determined. These genes have previously demonstrated to be involved in both feeding and social behaviours. The VPA rats were found to consume less standard chow and water, yet increased intake of the sweet tastants was observed. Additionally, in the VPA rats’ oxytocin expression in the hypothalamus was increased, as was dynorphin expression in the hypothalamus and brainstem. Increased expression of the anorexigenic oxytocin may have resulted in the decreased intake of chow and water, and could potentially be a result of increased leptin or melanocortin levels. However, increased dynorphin expression may be responsible for the increased intake of the palatable sweet tastants, via inhibition of proopiomelanocortin or neuropeptide S. The development of effective treatments for AFS in ASD requires an understanding of the underlying neurological mechanisms. This research provides the first evidence of AFS and elevated oxytocin and dynorphin expression in the VPA rat model of ASD, thus paving the way for further research in this area.

text: Characterisation of Food Intake and Expression of Feeding-Related Genes in The VPA Rat Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting roughly 1% of the global population. Aberrant food selectivity (AFS) is a common comorbid symptom of ASD which can result in nutritional deficiencies, increased parental stress and reduced quality of life. However, alarmingly little research has been conducted investigating the nature and the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms of AFS in ASD. This study attempts to determine whether the VPA rat model of ASD exhibits AFS when presented with various diet types. These include standard chow and water, palatable sweet tastants (sucrose, saccharin and complex liquid diet) and finally palatable high fat milks. The mRNA expression levels of oxytocin, oxytocin receptor, dynorphin and kappa-opioid receptor were then determined. These genes have previously demonstrated to be involved in both feeding and social behaviours. The VPA rats were found to consume less standard chow and water, yet increased intake of the sweet tastants was observed. Additionally, in the VPA rats’ oxytocin expression in the hypothalamus was increased, as was dynorphin expression in the hypothalamus and brainstem. Increased expression of the anorexigenic oxytocin may have resulted in the decreased intake of chow and water, and could potentially be a result of increased leptin or melanocortin levels. However, increased dynorphin expression may be responsible for the increased intake of the palatable sweet tastants, via inhibition of proopiomelanocortin or neuropeptide S. The development of effective treatments for AFS in ASD requires an understanding of the underlying neurological mechanisms. This research provides the first evidence of AFS and elevated oxytocin and dynorphin expression in the VPA rat model of ASD, thus paving the way for further research in this area.

year: 2017

title: The use of functionalised biochar to enhance phosphorus removal in woodchip bioreactors. The integration of mātauranga Māori to enhance the cultural aspects of woodchip bioreactors.

authors: Taoho, Brandon

subjects: Woodchip bioreactor

abstract: Nutrient pollution, resulting from excessive releases of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) into waterways, poses a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Elevated nutrient levels can result in eutrophication, which can have detrimental effects on the health of waterbodies and their biota. Woodchip bioreactors are effective, edge-of-field technologies that can help mitigate nutrient pollution by lowering nutrient concentrations in agricultural drainage systems known to carry leached N and P into waterways. However, one limitation to their design is their ineffectiveness at removing P. The inclusion of functionalised biochar is one potential solution to enhance P removal in woodchip bioreactors. There is a growing need to mitigate nutrient pollution in New Zealand that does not depend on a western-centric perspective only. Integration of mātauranga Māori and western science into the design and operations of a woodchip bioreactor is one approach to incorporate both knowledge systems to the goal of mitigating nutrient pollution. In this dissertation, a column experiment was used to compare the P removal efficiencies of two treatments of functionalised biochar, and one treatment of woodchips when subjected to stream water spiked with P. Subsequently, a single phosphate extraction was done to determine the phosphate absorption capacities of each treatment. The results showed that the two functionalised biochar treatments had the highest efficacy in reducing P concentrations in the P-spiked stream water compared to the woodchip-only treatment. Both treatments also showed higher P absorption, evidenced from the Fe-P/Feox ratio, within the phosphate extraction experiment. A wānanga was organised at Matahuru Marae, Lake Waikare, to share mātauranga Māori on how to culturally enhance woodchip bioreactors from a Te Ao Māori perspective. Participants recommended that native woodchips be incorporated into woodchip bioreactors because of their inherent association to the land and people. Overall, the results implied that functionalised biochar is an effective solution to enhance P removal in woodchip bioreactors due to their biophysical properties to absorb and retain P. Secondly, incorporating native woodchips into woodchip bioreactors systems potentially offers a sustainable and culturally respected alternative to conventional wood chips, aligning with Māori values and tikanga

text: The use of functionalised biochar to enhance phosphorus removal in woodchip bioreactors. The integration of mātauranga Māori to enhance the cultural aspects of woodchip bioreactors. Nutrient pollution, resulting from excessive releases of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) into waterways, poses a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Elevated nutrient levels can result in eutrophication, which can have detrimental effects on the health of waterbodies and their biota. Woodchip bioreactors are effective, edge-of-field technologies that can help mitigate nutrient pollution by lowering nutrient concentrations in agricultural drainage systems known to carry leached N and P into waterways. However, one limitation to their design is their ineffectiveness at removing P. The inclusion of functionalised biochar is one potential solution to enhance P removal in woodchip bioreactors. There is a growing need to mitigate nutrient pollution in New Zealand that does not depend on a western-centric perspective only. Integration of mātauranga Māori and western science into the design and operations of a woodchip bioreactor is one approach to incorporate both knowledge systems to the goal of mitigating nutrient pollution. In this dissertation, a column experiment was used to compare the P removal efficiencies of two treatments of functionalised biochar, and one treatment of woodchips when subjected to stream water spiked with P. Subsequently, a single phosphate extraction was done to determine the phosphate absorption capacities of each treatment. The results showed that the two functionalised biochar treatments had the highest efficacy in reducing P concentrations in the P-spiked stream water compared to the woodchip-only treatment. Both treatments also showed higher P absorption, evidenced from the Fe-P/Feox ratio, within the phosphate extraction experiment. A wānanga was organised at Matahuru Marae, Lake Waikare, to share mātauranga Māori on how to culturally enhance woodchip bioreactors from a Te Ao Māori perspective. Participants recommended that native woodchips be incorporated into woodchip bioreactors because of their inherent association to the land and people. Overall, the results implied that functionalised biochar is an effective solution to enhance P removal in woodchip bioreactors due to their biophysical properties to absorb and retain P. Secondly, incorporating native woodchips into woodchip bioreactors systems potentially offers a sustainable and culturally respected alternative to conventional wood chips, aligning with Māori values and tikanga

year: 2023