Dissertations / Theses: 'New Zealand agriculture'

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Capurro, Alejandro. "Comparing agricultural financing in Uruguay and New Zealand." Lincoln University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/2344.

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In 2008, New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) was four times the size of Uruguay’s, and its export earnings were five times Uruguay’s. Nevertheless, agricultural products accounted for over 60% of export earnings for both economies. This highlighted the importance that the agricultural sectors of Uruguay and New Zealand had to their respective foreign trade sectors. The success with which both countries’ agricultural sectors solved their financial needs would be influential to their export sectors and overall economies. Through the use of expert interviews, a multiple-case study strategy was employed to carry out a comparative study of the agricultural financing systems of Uruguay and New Zealand. The findings revealed contrasting situations in both countries. Chief among them were the differences encountered in agricultural debt relative to agriculture’s contribution to total GDP in each country. In Uruguay this figure was 26% whereas in New Zealand it amounted to almost 400%. The differences found were largely attributable to the institutional frameworks in place in each country (i.e. the legal and cultural norms that structure political, social and economic interactions), as well as the historical contexts in which the institutions evolved. In Uruguay, the institutional framework limited producers’ possibilities of accessing bank credit due to restrictive central bank regulations. The lack of access to international credit markets by Uruguayan banks due to the country’s unfavourable credit risk rating was an additional factor which limited credit availability. These were largely a result of the financial crisis (and the subsequent recession) that had occurred in the region in 2002. Producers in Uruguay were able to access costlier seasonal capital and some medium-term capital from informal lenders such as cooperatives, processors and input suppliers. Nevertheless, if they required medium and long term credit, Uruguayan farmers needed to deal with the banking system. Furthermore, the high cost of registering mortgages, combined with long-term loan facilities that generally did not go for longer than ten years, resulted in a limited demand for high-volume, long-term credit on producers’ side. Almost the exact opposite situation was found in New Zealand. No great financial turmoil had affected New Zealand since the economic reforms of 1984, in which the economy in general was deregulated. An institutional framework which promoted access to credit, combined with a favourable country credit risk rating which promoted open access to overseas funding for banks, meant that the agricultural sector was able to expand its use of credit uninterruptedly since the early 1990s. Also, in contrast with the Uruguayan case, mortgaging of properties was relatively straightforward and inexpensive, and long term lending could be approved for terms of generally up to 20 years. These factors contributed to the expansion of rural credit in New Zealand. However, New Zealand’s agricultural debt was found to be greatly exposed to one subsector (the dairy farming sector). Moreover, the level of debt of New Zealand’s agricultural sector surpassed its contribution to GDP many times over, which raised doubts concerning the long-term sustainability of that level of debt.

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Filion, Katie. "Designing a national restaurant inspection disclosure system for New Zealand." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/6957.

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Master of Science Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology Douglas A. Powell The World Health Organization estimates that up to 30% of individuals in developed countries become ill from food or water each year, with up to 70% of these illnesses estimated to be linked to food service. Restaurant inspections aim to prevent restaurant-associated foodborne outbreaks while enhancing consumer confidence in the safety of food prepared in these establishments. Inspection disclosure systems have been developed as a tool for consumers and incentive for foodservice operators. Disclsosure systems are common in developed countries; however, they are inconsistent. Previous research has not determined the best format to disclose inspection results to the public while providing incentives for operators. This research aimed to develop a consistent, compelling and trusted disclosure system for New Zealand. The research evaluated existing disclosure systems operating internationally and nationally. The national review interviewed with Environmental Health Officers (EHOs)(n=8), operators (n=109) and consumers (n=244), and findings were used for card designs. Cards were evaluated internally (n=43), then by 11 focus groups (n=68). Two cards, letter and gauge, were introduced to food premises (n=371) in six districts for three months for evaluation. Operators (n=269) and consumers (n=991) were interviewed to determine which design best communicated inspection results. The majority of operators indicated they had not received consumer feedback about the card, and half felt the card was something consumers would use. Less than half of consumers indicated they noticed cards prior to entering a premises; from these data it appeared the letter attracted more initial attention (78% of respondents) than the gauge (45%). Consumers indicated card placement was an important factor in noticing cards. Nearly all interviewed consumers indicated they expected cards at restaurants, take-aways and fish n’ chips shops. When asked which card they preferred, 58% (n=38) of operators with the gauge preferred the letter; and 79% (n=47) of operators with the letter preferred the letter. Consumer preference was for the letter, with 88% (n=133) of those in gauge districts preferring the letter, and 72% (n=161) of those in letter districts preferring the letter. Based on these data the letter card was recommended for a national inspection disclosure system for New Zealand.

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Kurtovic, Ivan. "Digestive lipases from Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and New Zealand hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) - purification, characterization, application and immobilization." Thesis, McGill University, 2011. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=103635.

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Lipases from two New Zealand commercial fish species, Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and New Zealand hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae) were investigated. The lipases were extracted from the pyloric ceca and purified by affinity chromatography and gel filtration. Calcium ions and sodium cholate were absolutely necessary both for lipase stability in a polyacrylamide gel and for optimum activity against p-nitrophenol esters. Both fish lipases had a pI value of 5.8 ± 0.1, were most active at 35°C, were thermally labile, had a pH optimum of 8-8.5, were more acid stable compared to other fish lipases studied to date, and showed good stability in several water-immiscible solvents. The salmon enzyme was an overall better catalyst for the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl caprate based on its higher turnover number and lower activation energy for the hydrolysis reaction. Based on their chemical and catalytic properties, the salmon and hoki enzymes were classified as carboxyl ester lipases. Chinook salmon and hoki lipases were then evaluated as flavour modifying agents in dairy products. Cream was either incubated with the fish lipases or two commercially available lipases used in dairy flavour development. The fish enzymes were more similar to calf pregastric esterase in terms of the total amount and types of fatty acids released (mainly short chain) over the course of the reaction. The highest specificity was towards the key dairy product flavour and odour compounds, butanoic and hexanoic acids. Immobilization of the salmon lipase was then carried out on two hydrophobic supports. Salmon lipase immobilized on octyl-Sepharose had 40- and 10-fold higher activity (on a dry weight basis) against a tributyrin emulsion than the same lipase immobilized on Lewatit VP OC 1600 and a microbial lipase immobilized on Lewatit (Novozym 435), respectively. Salmon lipase-octyl-Sepharose was highly active against both ghee and fish oil emulsions, but salmon lipase-Lewatit and Novozym 435 had very low activities against the fish oil emulsion.The potential for flavour enhancement in dairy products with both fish lipases was demonstrated based on the free fatty acid composition and sensory characteristics of lipase-treated creams. In addition, the immobilized salmon lipase showed potential for low temperature modifications of emulsified lipids. Les lipases de deux espèces de poissons commerciaux en Nouvelle-Zélande, le saumon quinnat (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) et le hoki de la Nouvelle-Zélande (Macruronus novaezelandiae) ont été étudiées. Les lipases ont été extraites des caeca pyloriques et purifiées par chromatographie d'affinité et gel filtration. Les ions de calcium et cholate de sodium étaient absolument nécessaires pour la stabilité de la lipase dans un gel de polyacrylamide et de l'activité optimale contre les esters p-nitrophénol. Les deux lipases de poissons avaient une valeur pI de 5.8 ± 0.1, ont été les plus actives à 35°C, ont été thermolabiles, a un pH optimum de 8 à 8.5, ont été plus stables en milieu acide par rapport à d'autres lipases de poissons étudiées à ce jour, et ont montré une bonne stabilité dans plusieurs solvants miscibles à l'eau. L'enzyme du saumon a été un catalyseur globalement meilleure pour l'hydrolyse de caprate p-nitrophényl en fonction de son nombre de rotation élevé et faible énergie d'activation pour la réaction d'hydrolyse. Sur la base de leurs propriétés chimiques et catalytiques, les enzymes de saumon et hoki ont été classées comme des lipases ester carboxylique. Les lipases du saumon quinnat et hoki ont été aussi évaluées comme agents de modification de la saveur dans les produits laitiers. La crème a été mise à incuber avec les lipases de poisson ou avec deux lipases disponibles dans le commerce utilisées dans le développement du goût des produits laitiers. Les enzymes de poissons avaient plus des similitude avec l'estérase prégastrique du veau en termes de montant total et les types d'acides gras libérés (principalement à chaîne courte) au cours de la réaction. La plus grande spécificité a été observée aux composés clés de la saveur et odeurs des produits laitiers: les acides butanoïque et hexanoïque. L'Immobilisation de la lipase de saumon a ensuite été effectuée sur deux supports hydrophobes. La lipase de saumon immobilisée sur octyl-Sépharose avait une activité 40- et 10-fois plus élevée (sur la base du poids sec) par rapport à une émulsion de tributyrine que la même lipase immobilisée sur Lewatit VP OC 1600 et une lipase microbienne immobilisée sur Lewatit (Novozym 435), respectivement. La lipase-octyl-Sépharose de saumon a été très active à la fois contre le ghee et les émulsions d'huile de poisson, mais la lipase-Lewatit et Novozym 435 de saumon avaient des activités très faible contre l'émulsion d'huile de poisson. Le potentiel d'amélioration de la saveur dans les produits laitiers avec les deux lipases de poisson a été démontré sur la base de la composition des acides gras libres et les caractéristiques sensorielles des crèmes traitées avec lipases. De plus, la lipase de saumon immobilisée a démontré un potentiel pour des modifications au niveau des lipides émulsionnés à basse température.

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Menzies, Diane. "Clean and green? Environmental quality on the New Zealand dairy farm." Lincoln University, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1553.

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This study explores issues arising from the adoption of the term 'clean and green' for marketing New Zealand dairy products. Three dimensions of environmental quality were investigated: that of sustainable dairying and best practice for the benefit of farmers and the industry; resource management legislation and being a 'good neighbour'; and export marketing opportunities and issues. The study was undertaken during a time of major structural upheaval in the dairy industry, including yearly company amalgamations in the study area, rapid conversion of farmland to dairying, as well as factory expansion to process the increasing supply of product. The focus of the study was on the individual farmer, how perceptions and preferences are formed, and how in turn, these influence farm practice. World views drawn from Cultural Theory were adopted as the basis for analysis. Farmers were classified according to particular world views and the symbolic and reflexive use of concepts such as 'clean and green' was analysed. A model of overlapping ecological, agricultural and social systems was used to develop a wider understanding of preference formation. Through a mixed methodology, focusing on a case study approach, farmer and stakeholder world views were compared on key themes, including the 'clean green' pastoral myth, 'cues for care' and environmental issues. Media discourse as well as consumer views were used to expand understanding of the context. The study found that both farmers (within their groups) and stakeholders held different objectives and opinions on environmental issues and options for change, based on their various world views and preferences. There was general agreement both among farmers and stakeholders on the New Zealand 'clean green' image and 'cues for care', or signs that indicate good farm management. The reason for this was demonstrated to be the way in which these two aspects are communicated; through symbolic images that each individual perceived in terms of their respective world view. A symbolic form of action, an environmental management system, was trialled with farmers. Analysis indicated that national aspirations created by the 'clean green' pastoral myth required farmers to respond to environmental expectations, but that an image that symbolized environment as care and quality, rather than as place was needed to provide a less ambiguous goal. The findings of the trial were integrated with theory to interpret context and develop policy, strategy and action proposals for a system for environmental quality for the industry. The study has implications for non-regulatory mechanisms relevant to sustainable dairy farming, communication within the rural community, and branding.

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Chellew, Brittany. "How Effectively does New Zealand Export to the European Union? A Multidisciplinary Approach." Thesis, University of Canterbury. National Centre for Research on Europe, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/2679.

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For a small state such as New Zealand, trade and economic partnerships are extremely important for economic survival. However, the tyranny of distance complicates this somewhat. Historically, New Zealand has always been dependent on exporting agricultural products. There are examples in New Zealand’s history of innovative ideas being utilised to New Zealand’s economic advantage, such as the advent of refrigerated shipping to the United Kingdom. An important economic partner for New Zealand is the European Union. The European Union is the world’s largest trade power, a formidable partner for a small state, such as New Zealand, to contend with in trade related matters. The agricultural protectionist policies of the European Union are an issue for New Zealand to work around. However, the European Union is also a welcoming market for high quality products that New Zealand should supply. New Zealand’s small size means that the country has to focus on producing high quality products rather than mass production. This thesis proposes to make recommendations for the types of products New Zealand should export to the European Union, in what quantities, and by which methods. This is important for New Zealand producers and exporters to take into account if New Zealand is to expand its exports to the European Union.

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James, Matt. "Detailed characterisation of ground water nitrate/leachate flow in gravelly deposits using EM and GPR methods with particular reference to temporal flow changes." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Geological Science, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/10270.

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Irthing Road is situated 20 kilometres north of the small town of Lumsden in Northern Southland, New Zealand. Irthing Road is accessed from State Highway 97 and leads north-west for 7 kilometres up the Irthing Creek Valley. The research site is situated 4.4 kilometres from the Irthing Road - State Highway 97 intersection and the area is at 300 metres elevation above sea level on gently south sloping Quaternary alluvial deposits. The study was initiated by Environment Southland and Southern Geophysical Ltd with the intention of investigating the potential uses of near surface geophysics in the mapping of shallow groundwater contamination, specifically agriculturally sourced nitrates and leachates. The changes in land use and the introduction of high density grazing of dairy cattle on free draining soils in Southland has created cause for concern around the ease at which large volumes of contaminants could potentially gain access to the shallow groundwater system. The investigation of the Irthing Road field site included: (1) background research into historical land use changes that may have affected the area 2) a study of the Lumsden area geological and hydrogeological setting 3) six trips to the field site throughout the year to collect near surface geophysical data using a Geonics Ltd EM31-MK2, Dualem Inc. DUAL-EM 421s, and Sensors & Software pulseEKKO Pro GPR system; 4) ground- water testing conducted by Environment Southland; 5) an evaluation of the geophysical and groundwater data sets to identify whether leachate concentrations were high enough to register an anomalous response 6) the identification of how the groundwater system at the Irthing Road field site behaves 7) a conclusion as to the effectiveness of all three near surface geophysical techniques in this application. The major conclusions that emerged from this study are: (1) the groundwater system is transporting a large volume of water beneath the site and this leads to such effi- cient removal of contaminants that the concentrations are not high enough to register a response in the geophysical data 2) the groundwater system is highly sensitive to rain- fall and this is a contributing factor to the variation within the geophysical data 3) the Geonics Ltd EM31-MK2 and Sensors & Software pulseEKKO Pro GPR system returned highly consistent results and have great potential in further contaminated groundwater applications 4) Environment Southlands' DUAL-EM 421s needs more consistency, how- ever the device has a lot of potential once reliability can be ensured 5) further research is needed to determine the contamination ow paths and destinations at a larger, regional scale.

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Kross, Sara Mae. "The efficacy of reintroducing the New Zealand falcon into the vineyards of Marlborough for pest control and falcon conservation." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Biological Sciences, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/6726.

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In our ever more populated world, the rapid expansion and intensification of agriculture is driving worldwide biodiversity loss, and the interactions between production landscapes and wildlife conservation are becoming increasingly important. Farming systems depend on ecosystem services such as biological control, while conservationists are calling for the establishment of conservation initiatives in non-preserve landscapes. Despite this, the goals of agriculture and the goals of predator-conservation are rarely mutual. Here, I demonstrate one of the first examples of a mutually beneficial scenario between agriculture and predator conservation. I used, as a case study, a reintroduction project that translocated individuals of the threatened New Zealand falcon (Falco novaeseelandiae) from the hills of Marlborough into vineyards, to determine if predators can survive within an agricultural landscape while simultaneously providing that landscape with biological control services. Examples of vertebrates providing biological control to agriculture are rare. I show that the presence of falcons in vineyards caused an economically important reduction in grape damage worth over US $230/ ha. Falcon presence caused a 78- 83% reduction in the number of introduced European pest birds, which resulted in a 95% reduction in the damage caused by these species. Falcon presence did not cause a reduction in the abundance of the native silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), but did halve the damage caused by this species. To assess the conservation value of the falcon translocations, I used remote videography, direct observations and prey analysis to measure the behavioural changes associated with the relocation of falcons from their natural habitat in the hills and into vineyards. Falcons in vineyard nests had higher nest attendance, higher brooding rates, and higher feeding rates than falcons in hill nests. Additionally, parents in vineyard nests fed their chicks a greater amount of total prey and larger prey items compared to parents in hill nests. I also found an absence of any significant diet differences between falcons in hill and vineyard habitats, suggesting that the latter may be a suitable alternative habitat for falcons. Because reintroduced juvenile falcons were released in areas devoid of adult falcons, it was possible that they were missing essential training normally provided by their parents. I used direct observations to demonstrate that the presence of siblings had similar effects to the presence of parents on the development of juvenile behaviour, with individuals flying, hunting, and playing more often when conspecifics were present. Finally, through the use of artificial nests and remote videography, I identified that falcons nesting in vineyards are likely to suffer lower predation rates. I also found that falcons in vineyards are predated by a less dangerous suite of animals (such as hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus, and avian predators), than their counterparts in the hills, which are predated by more voracious species (such as stoats, Mustela erminea, and feral cats, Felis catus). The work presented in this thesis has also added to the current knowledge of New Zealand falcon breeding behaviour, prey preferences, and behavioural development. Although agricultural regions globally are rarely associated with raptor conservation, and the ability of raptors to control the pests of agricultural crops has not been previously quantified, these results suggest that translocating New Zealand falcons into vineyards has potential for both the conservation of this species, and for providing biological control services to agriculture

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Gawith, David. "Estimating the adaptation deficit : an empirical analysis of the constraints on climate change adaptation in agriculture." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2018. https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/274921.

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Agricultural adaptation to climate change is often simulated by changes in land use over time. Land use is commonly optimised in economic models, which rests on the neoclassical economic assumption of rational choice among farmers. A wealth of experimental and empirical evidence demonstrates that rational choice can be a poor approximation of human decision making. Models simulating adaptation by optimising producers’ behaviour are in effect simulating adaptive potential. Much evidence demonstrates that adaptive potential does not necessarily translate into adaptation. This investigation focuses on the ways by which farmers’ real-world adaptive behaviours depart from those assumed by the dominant economic models of agricultural responses to climate change. These departures are characterised as adaptation constraints, and they are assessed through an empirical case study of adaptive behaviours in the Hikurangi catchment, New Zealand. Data are collected using a mixed methodology comprising an extensive survey of rural decision making, to which this study contributes, and a suite of semi-structured interviews. The interviews give an understanding of the origins and processes of adaptation constraints, while the surveys provide information about the extent to which they impact adaptive propensity. These adaptation constraints are then formalised as mathematical rules and written into an existing agent-based model of land use change, which is substantially modified for the purposes of this study. Different combinations of constraints are then tested in order to produce estimates of their economic impacts. The constraints on adaptation are found to significantly reduce profits relative to a specification that assumes rational choice among farmers. This is understood to be the first empirically derived estimate of the extent of the adaptation deficit. The size of the deficit identified in this study implies that current economic models are likely to significantly underestimate the costs of adaptation to climate change, the benefits of climate change mitigation, and the residual loss and damage climate change will cause.

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Moore, Tom. "Nitrate-nitrogen effects on benthic invertebrate communities in streams of the Canterbury Plains." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Biological Sciences, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/9936.

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Aquatic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to human impacts associated with agricultural land-use, which provide multiple stressors altering community composition, important ecosystem functions and human valued properties of freshwaters. However, the increased occurrence of excessive levels of nitrate-nitrogen has raised major concerns about toxicity and stress on aquatic life, especially in regions such as the Canterbury Plains, New Zealand. The aims of this thesis were to identify nitrate-nitrogen effects on stream communities, and additionally provide field data to inform proposed national bottom lines for nutrients in New Zealand streams. A field survey was conducted on 41 small streams on the Canterbury Plains spanning a nitrate-nitrogen gradient (mean 0.4 – 11.3 mg/L). Spot nitrate-nitrogen was collected during and after the field survey to measure temporal variation in stream nitrate-nitrogen concentration for six months. This showed nitrate-nitrogen concentration varied between season and sub-region, where concentrations increased in winter and Ashburton had higher nitrate-nitrogen than Rangiora and Lincoln, respectively. These regimes of nitrate-nitrogen showed similar patterns in mean, median and maximum concentrations. To be confident my spot nitrate-nitrogen provided a true representation of long-term water chemistry, I compared Environment Canterbury 12 monthly data with my six monthly data in a sub-set of 15 sites. This comparison showed similar nitrate-nitrogen patterns and range of values between the two datasets. I then compared 12 common benthic invertebrate biotic metrics with my nitrate-nitrogen data and found none were correlated with this contaminant. For example, the Macroinvertebrate Community Index and quantitative variant (QMCI) derived to measure the response to organic pollution provided inconsistent results when applied to my streams. Nevertheless, gut content stoichiometry of the common mayfly grazer Deleatidium spp. indicated improvement in food quality (lower C:N ratio) with higher nitrate-nitrogen concentrations. These results indicated either nitrate-nitrogen does not alter invertebrate structural metrics across this nitrate-nitrogen gradient, or that these biotic metrics measure community structure aspects not affected by nitrate-nitrogen. I then investigated possible community composition patterns across the nitrate-nitrogen gradient. Unconstrained ordination (on presence/absence data) showed invertebrate communities at my sites were influenced primarily by discharge and shade, with the next most important driver being nitrate-nitrogen. A constrained ordination (on the same data) testing the singular effect of nitrate-nitrogen showed a marginally non-significant change in composition, with higher variability in community composition at higher nitrate-nitrogen concentrations. A further aim of my study was to test the draft nitrate-nitrogen bands proposed by Hickey (2013). These nitrate-nitrogen bands may advise guidelines to protect aquatic organisms as required by the National Policy Statement on Freshwater. Analysis of my invertebrate communities showed differences in composition, particularly at < 1 and > 6.9 mg/L bands. Several predatory caddisfly taxa: Triplectides, Neurochorema and Oeconesus were identified as potential indicator species of communities associated with low nitrate-nitrogen. These findings show that nitrate-nitrogen effects are difficult to detect, and that it is not the main driver of community composition in Canterbury streams. However, nitrate-nitrogen may be an important stressor for sensitive benthic invertebrate communities, as effects were observed on pollution tolerant organisms in this study. Therefore, this research has implications for freshwater ecologists and environmental managers striving to improve the health of streams on the Canterbury Plains.

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Murray, Nicole Anne. "Who gets their hands 'dirty' in the knowledge society? Training for the skilled trades in New Zealand." Lincoln University, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1714.

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The vision of New Zealand as a 'knowledge society' is a mantra that has opened the twenty-first century. Underpinning any 'knowledge society', however; are people who turn resources into concrete products and who build, maintain and service the technological and social infrastructure essential to society. This thesis examines the skilled trades and, in particular, how people are trained for those trades. Industry training is a crucial component of the wealth-generating capabilities of New Zealand. It is also an essential part of the way that many young people make the transition from school to work and from adolescence to adulthood. The means of training tradespeople has moved over the years from the rigid and prescriptive apprenticeship system, to the more voluntaristic, industry-led 'industry training' strategy, introduced following the Industry Training Act 1992. Regardless of the system used to organise training, however, there have been long-standing problems in New Zealand with achieving the optimum number of skilled workers, possessing the correct 'mix' of skills required. In this research, based upon semi-structured interviews with industry training stakeholders four industry case studies, policy content analysis and an in-depth examination of the Modem Apprenticeships scheme, I ask three key questions. First, what are the things that, as a country, we could or should reasonably expect a 'good' industry training system to contribute to? These may be things like: an adequate supply of appropriately skilled workers, the ability to upskill or reskill these workers as needed, clear transition routes for young people, lifelong learning opportunities, equity goals and foundation skills. Second, I ask how the current system performs against these criteria. The short answer is that the performance is 'patchy'. There are dire skill shortages in many areas. While opportunities for workplace upskilling, reskilling or 'lifelong learning' are available, I argue that they are not yet cemented into a 'training culture'. Workplace-based learning is an important transition route for a small percentage of our young people but the favoured route is some form of tertiary education, which may be an expensive and not necessarily relevant option. Third, I ask why the performance of New Zealand's industry training system is often less than desirable. My argument is that the problems and solutions thereof, of skill formation in New Zealand have been understood largely in terms of the supply-side. That is, we have either critiqued, or looked to reform, whatever system has been in place to train skilled workers. The inadequacy of this approach is evident from weaknesses in the ability of either the prescriptive apprenticeship system or the voluntaristic industry training strategy to deliver an appropriately skilled workforce. Thus, I also examine the demand side of skill formation: the wider influences that impact on employers' training decisions. Training decisions made by individual employers, the aggregation of which represent the level and quality of training for New Zealand as a whole, are influenced by a plethora of factors. At the micro level of the employer or firm, I explore barriers to training and some of the constraints to the demand for skills. I then examine broader influences, such as the changing shape of the workforce, labour market regulation and wider economic factors, all of which impact on training levels.

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Williams, Rachael M. "Do geographical indications promote sustainable rural development? : two UK case studies and implications for New Zealand rural development policy." Lincoln University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/585.

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Geographical indications (GIs) are one form of protective labelling used to indicate the origin of food and alcohol products. The role of protected geographical indicators as a promising sustainable rural development tool is the basis for this research. The protection of geographical indications is a rather controversial subject and much research is still required for both sides of the debate. The research method employed for this study is qualitative critical social science. Two Case studies are used to investigate the benefits brought to rural areas through the protection of GIs. The case studies include the GIs Jersey Royal and Welsh Lamb both from the United Kingdom a member of the European Union (the EU is in favour of extended protection of GIs for all agro-food products under the 1994 WTO/TRIPS agreement on geographical indications). Twenty-five indepth interviews were conducted for this study the duration of the interviews was approximately one hour. The study identifies predominantly indirect links between GIs and sustainable rural development, through economic and social benefits bought to rural areas by the GIs investigated - less of a connection was found to ecological elements. No considerable cost for GI protection was discovered. This finding suggests that GIs are worthwhile for implementation in New Zealand as a rural development tool.

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Winkworth, Cynthia Lee, and n/a. "Land use and Giardia in Otago." University of Otago. Department of Zoology, 2008. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20081219.162139.

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Agriculture is key to New Zealand�s economy with land-use conversions in response to market forces occurring regularly. Recently, high-intensity dairy farming has replaced low-density livestock farming, often degrading surrounding waterways. Of particular concern is that dairy cattle can be a source of the parasite Giardia, which in humans is a common cause of gastrointestinal infection. Thus, this thesis evaluated whether dairy farm conversions posed significant consequences for public health. First I examined the prevalence of Giardia in calves in a rapidly intensifying dairying region of New Zealand. A total of 1190 faecal samples were collected from calves one to seven weeks old during two spring calving seasons and screened by direct immunofluorescent microscopy. Giardia cysts were detected in 31% of samples. To evaluate the potential risk that this environmental source of Giardia posed to the human population, molecular genotyping was used to compare forty Giardia strains isolated from calves with thirty isolates from humans collected in the same region and period. Sequencing the β-giardin gene, Giardia duodenalis assemblages A and B were identified from both hosts, with genotype comparisons revealing substantial overlap of identical genotypes for both assemblages, implying zoonotic transmission. Environmental agencies routinely promote the planting of streamside edges to decrease nonpoint pollution from dairy farms entering waterways. However, current methods for tracking pathogens across farmland and into waterways via surface runoff are limited and typically have been developed using artificially created landscapes. Furthermore, no studies have investigated how Giardia moves across the landscape in farm surface runoff. I developed a field-based tracking method specific for Giardia and used this technique to compare the ability of recently planted vegetation strips with bare soil strips cleared of vegetation at decreasing pathogen concentrations; a typical scenario when planting barriers to reduce waterway contamination. A spike containing a bromide tracer and inactivated Giardia cysts was applied in drip-irrigated surface runoff, with one-minute samples collected from the bottom of the plot. A significant treatment effect was identified for Giardia, with 26% fewer detected in runoff from the planted strip, highlighting the immediate benefit of vegetation planting in removing pathogens. Next I evaluated the effects of four riparian treatments on Giardia runoff: exotic pasture grass and weeds growing in the absence of cattle grazing due to fencing, in comparison to monocultural plantings of three New Zealand native grassland species. Runoff experiments were performed after planting, both prior to and following the main summer growing season. Bromide recovery was high from all four treatments (54 - 99%), with no significant treatment effects. By comparison, Giardia recovery was low (1 - 13%). Prior to summer, two native species reduced Giardia in runoff more than the pasture grass/weed treatment which was almost vegetation-free at this time. After summer, Giardia recoveries were uniformly lower in all treatments. These results demonstrate that after one growing season, fencing waterways produces riparian buffers, via the growth of exotic pasture plants released from grazing, that decrease pathogen concentrations in surface runoff to concentrations indistinguishable from native plantings. Given infectious organisms are known to be in the environment, it is important to assess the risk these pose to human populations. Findings from this research can be used to improve currently available risk-assessment models for Giardia transmission from infected dairy animals via water to humans.

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Bell, Angela Maureen. "Councils' use of the RMA and LGA in coastal development decisions : towards sustainability : a thesis presented in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Resource and Environment Planning at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1346.

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The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) gave councils a mandate and an obligation to promote sustainability. Along with this it also introduced an expectation that the environment will be better managed than previously. Evidence shows that the environment is continuing to be degraded. This is especially evident in the coastal environment where in the early 2000s there has been unprecedented development pressure. The addition of the Local Government Act in 2002 (LGA) has strengthened councils’ sustainability mandate by stipulating a sustainable development approach and supporting processes and principles. Because the RMA and LGA have a similar sustainability directive there has been a push to utilise the compatible strengths that the LGA offers to enhance the outcomes achieved through RMA decisions, therefore, integrating and aligning the LGA and RMA. This research used case studies, including interviews, to examine how councils use their RMA and LGA mandates in coastal development decisions. The research found that currently there is little integration of the LGA’s requirements and sustainability direction in RMA coastal subdivision decisions. The case study analysis showed that using the principles and processes in the LGA and also a council’s policies, strategies, and plans other than RMA documents would provide up to date policy direction and contextual information that would be useful for RMA decisions and could provide a more sustainable outcome if used. The case studies identified a significant number of barriers to achieving sustainability through the RMA, including that much of the policy direction in RMA planning documents is not considered in deliberations. A number of these barriers are also likely to reduce attempts to integrate and align the LGA and RMA, unless they are addressed.

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Lin, Xiaoxiao. "Evaluation of Kahne rumen sensors in fistulated sheep and cattle under contrasting feeding conditions : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Agriculture at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1313.

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The Kahne rumen sensor (bolus) is a device developed to measure temperature, pressure and pH in non-fistulated animals. This bolus allows real-time monitoring of the rumen environment, which could help preventing health problems such as rumen acidosis in cows. It is less invasive to use boluses compared to other technologies that measure the ruminal pH (e.g. rumenocentesis). Kahne boluses and transceivers are commercially available in the market. Several studies on the relationships between data recorded by the bolus and actual data recorded by independent devices were conducted. The bolus temperature and pressure were compared with actual temperature and pressure under controlled conditions. The pH drift was studied by comparing the difference between bolus and direct measurement over time. The capture of the data was calculated for each bolus in various experiments to examine the factors affecting the data capture rate of the boluses. Animal to animal variation was studied using boluses in a group of cows fed and managed under uniform conditions. An animal experiment involving fistulated cows eating two different diets was performed using boluses to monitor the changes of ruminal pH. There was no apparent interruption to normal animal behaviour as a result of using boluses. Regression relationships between bolus measurements and actual data for both temperature and pressure were developed and used for calibration of bolus data. The pH drift was a problem, as the regression relation between the pH difference and the time for one bolus from one experiment could not represent this bolus on other experiment. The data capture rate on the hourly basis ranged from 0 to 100%, but was usually between 30 to 70%. The data capture rate was affected by many factors and further studies to identify these factors are needed. A study of animal to animal variation suggests that in a comparison of 2 treatments, a minimum 3 cows per group would be required to detect the standard deviation of 0.11 for a pH difference of 5% of the mean (approximately 0.35 pH units). Seventeen cows per group would be required to detect the standard deviation of 0.33 for the same difference. The boluses effectively monitored the ruminal pH change in cows easting two different diets and the profile of change of pH was successfully analysed. Feeding 7.6 kg baleage twice a day cause pH to decrease at 0.009 pH units per minute during feeding, while offering a similar quantity of grass and hay once a day resulted in a decrease of 0.0009 pH units per minute during feeding. The beginning of pH increase was about 1 hour following feeding and continuous during resting and rumination. The level of pH increase did not differ significantly for two diets.. The Kahne devices appear to have advantages compared to other technologies for the measurement of parameters of the rumen environment on a real-time basis. Boluses are especially good at intensively monitoring the temperature, pressure, and pH in the rumen. The major limitations of this technology to be used are the data capture rate and the pH drift. By improving the limitations found in the experiment, the Kahne rumen sensor could become very useful for both scientific research and under commercial conditions for monitoring animal health.

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Arthur, Jarred Bradley. "The influence of upstream forest on macroinvertebrate communities in pastoral landscapes." Thesis, University of Canterbury. School of Biological Sciences, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/4925.

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The conversion of native forest to agricultural land has been an on-going issue threatening the health of New Zealand’s freshwater systems. However, despite the fact that this has been occurring since early European settlement, our understanding of the mechanistic relationships between riparian vegetation and stream condition are poorly developed. This research investigated: (i) how forests affect downstream benthic macroinvertebrate communities in pasture and the environmental factors driving community change; (ii) how upstream forest size impacted the rate of change in downstream environmental drivers and associated macroinvertebrate community structure; and (iii) whether the addition of coarse particulate organic matter (a single potential driver of forest community structure) can reset community structure to that of a forested state. Physico-chemical conditions, basal energy resources, and macroinvertebrates were surveyed in several New Zealand headwater streams. At Mount Egmont National Park, 10-12 sites were surveyed across a longitudinal forest-pasture gradient in each of five streams flowing from continuous forest to dairy farmland. My results showed that forests can have marked effects downstream. From the forest edge, water temperatures increased consistently, with a rise of approximately 0.2ºC per 100 m of downstream distance. By contrast, coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) decreased rapidly downstream of the forest, however, low levels of “forest-derived” CPOM were still present 300m downstream from the forest edge. These environmental changes drove significant shifts in macroinvertebrate community structure. Moreover, pasture communities were markedly different from those in forest, despite being only 100 m from the forest edge. In particular, total macroinvertebrate and EPT richness and densities decreased, and communities shifted from evenly distributed allochthonous-based communities to autochthonous-based communities, highly dominated by molluscs (e.g., Potamopyrgus spp.) Subsequent surveys of 6-8 sites across a longitudinal forest-pasture gradient in each of eleven streams flowing from forest fragments of different sizes into grazed pastures throughout the Canterbury region, indicated that stream temperature increased more rapidly downstream of small- and medium-sized fragments, than larger fragments. A Berger-Parker dominance index also indicated that macroinvertebrates responded principally to water temperature, with communities being more highly dominated by temperature-tolerant molluscs in streams flowing from small-sized forest fragments. Several headwater streams in Canterbury were also highly retentive, with marked CPOM rarely exported beyond 50 m downstream of the forest. Experimental additions of leaf litter to the pasture reaches of the same streams dramatically increased amounts of stored benthic CPOM. Although non-significant, trends indicated that EPT and shredder densities increased at litter addition sites, providing promise that CPOM can function as a mechanism directly enhancing healthy stream communities. My findings support the contention that when the replanting of entire stream reaches is infeasible, the use of riparian management strategies which focus on the planting of intermittent patches along stream banks can potentially improve stream habitat and community health downstream.

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Beban, Alice. "Organic agriculture: an empowering development strategy for small-scale farmers? A Cambodian case study : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/971.

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This thesis explores claims that organic agriculture may be an empowering development strategy by investigating the impacts of conversion to organic farming systems on the lives of small-scale farmers in Cambodia. The thesis interrogates the diverse uses and abuses of the term =empowerment‘ in development rhetoric and argues for an empowerment model that is derived from farmers‘ self-defined concepts of development. This model was used to conduct a qualitative case study involving semistructured interviews and focus groups with members of organics initiatives in seven diverse Cambodian communities. Results indicate that many farmers in all communities felt that their most important objective was not only to achieve food security, but to be able to grow sufficient rice to feed their family. Farmers joined the organics initiatives primarily to improve their health and reduce the cost of farming inputs. As a result of joining the initiatives, all farmers (including both certified and non-certified organic farmers) felt they had improved their health and food security. Most farmers also increased incomes, created stronger family and community ties and felt they had more control over their livelihoods. These benefits were not, however, distributed equally amongst individuals or communities. Very poor and isolated farmers could not generally access benefits. The three main factors that determined the impact of the organics initiatives on farmer empowerment were identified as: the individual‘s level of resources, the strength of the farmer group, and the policies and values of the supporting organisation. The implications for future initiatives are, firstly, the tremendous potential for farmers and wider rural communities to benefit from organic agriculture as a development strategy. However, this study also shows that if organics is to be viable for low-resource people, it may be necessary to promote both resources and techniques in organics initiatives. Also, a focus on building strong relationships both within the farmers group and linkages with local and wider stakeholders may enhance long-term sustainability of organics initiatives.

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Leithner, Christian. "The Economic Voting Hypothesis : Australia, Canada and New Zealand." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 1991. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.362145.

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Miller, Craig J. "Conservation ecology of riparian forest within the agricultural landscape: West Coast, New Zealand." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Forestry, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/4801.

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This study seeks to determine the spatial extent and characteristics of riparian forest on the South Island's West Coast, and to examine the ecological status and condition of riparian forest patches within the West Coast's agricultural landscape. The majority of West Coast riparian forest occurs on south Westland floodplains. Further north these forests were found to comprise <20% of the vegetation cover in 16/27 of the region's Ecological Districts. Today >80 000 ha (53%) of the floodplains are in pasture, and <1% of the farmed areas are in indigenous forest. Remaining forests on the farmed floodplains are comprised of many small patches (mean size 3.7 ± 0.3 ha), with only 13 patches  9 ha.

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Sheldon-Sayer, Lynne. "The vegetation of Maud Island, Marlborough, New Zealand." Lincoln University, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1707.

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Maud Island (Te Hoiere - "a long paddle or mighty pull") is a moderately sized island of 309 hectares, located in the Pelorus Sound (41°, 02 'S, 173° 54 'E) Marlborough, at the north-east end of the South Island of New Zealand. It has a long history of human modification and impacts since its colonisation by Maori and early Europeans. The vegetation of Maud Island has been studied in the 1980's and again in the early 1990's. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe how the vascular plant communities vary in species composition across Maud Island, (2) determine which environmental factors are important predictors of the variation in species composition of Maud Island plant communities, and (3) describe the pattern of succession of the plant communities on Maud Island over the last twenty years. In this 2001 study, I comprehensively sampled the vegetation on Maud Island using a Reconnaissance Description Procedure in a total of 158 plots across the island and compared these results to previous descriptions. I also retook photos at permanent photo points to provide a visual comparison of vegetation change. In total, 219 plant species were identified; 177 species occurred within the plots and 42 additional species were observed while walking around the coastline and walking tracks. Six dominant plant species occurred in over 70% of the plots. They were Pteridium esculentum, Pseudopanax arboreus, Hebe stricta var. stricta, Melicytus ramiflorus, Ozothamnus leptophylla and Coprosma robusta. Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis resulted in the description of eight different plant communities on the island. Detrended correspondence analysis showed a high degree of turnover in species composition among these communities. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that slope and moisture were particularly important predictors of variation in plant species composition. The environmental factors that best predicted to variation communities were slope, moisture, and a gradient in historical disturbance. Comparisons of present and past vegetation maps and photos (ground and aerial) showed, in terms of the successional pathways of the vegetation on Maud Island, that over time, the vegetation is reverting from short stature grassland and scrub to predominantly forest scrub and young secondary forest.

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Becken, Susanne. "Energy use in the New Zealand tourism sector." Phd thesis, Lincoln University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/440.

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Energy use associated with tourism has rarely been studied, despite a potentially considerable contribution to global or national energy demand and concomitant greenhouse gas emissions. In New Zealand, tourism constitutes an increasingly important economic sector that is supported by the Government to induce further economic growth. At the same time New Zealand is facing the challenge of reducing currently increasing fossil fuel combustion and carbon dioxide emissions. As a response, this study investigated the contribution tourism makes to energy use in New Zealand. In particular it has examined the role of the three main tourism subsectors (transport, accommodation, and attractions/activities), and different domestic and international 'tourist types'. Seven separate data analyses provided inputs for building a model based on 'tourist types' from which energy use in the New Zealand tourism sector could be estimated. Tourism was found to contribute at least 5.6% to national energy demand, which is larger than its 4.9% contribution to GDP in 2000. Transport, in particular domestic air and car travel, was identified as the dominant energy consumer. Within the accommodation sub-sector, hotels are the largest energy consumers, both in total and on a per visitor-night basis. Of the three sub-sectors, attractions and activities contribute least to energy use, however, activities such as scenic flights or boat cruises were recognised as being energy intensive. As a result of larger visitor volumes, domestic tourists contribute more to energy consumption than international tourists. Domestic and international tourists types differ in their energy consumption patterns, for example measured as energy use per travel day. Tourist types that rely on air travel are the most energy intensive ones, for example the domestic 'long air business' travellers or the international 'coach tourists'. The importance of international tourists' energy use will increase, given current growth rates. There are many options to decrease energy use of the tourism sector, with the most effective ones being within the energy intensive transport sub-sector. Increasing vehicle efficiencies and decreasing travel distances appear to be the most promising measures. This study argues that energy use depends largely on tourists' travel behaviour. Changing behaviour is possible but is postulated to be very difficult, and further research is needed to better understand tourists' motivations, expectations and decision-making. Only then, can strategies be developed and implemented to alter travel behaviours to better balance energy use, other environmental impacts and economic yield. Such a balance is a crucial consideration in the search for more sustainable forms of tourism.

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Reiser, Axel. "Resource efficiency of the ski industry in New Zealand." Lincoln University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1266.

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Skiing and snowboarding are popular recreation activities in New Zealand, as well as constituting important components of the winter tourism product. The 2001 snow season witnessed record visitor numbers. Skier days have increased by more than 10% compared with the previous year to 1.254 million. The traditionally “nature related” activity of skiing, however has increasingly often been discussed in the light of excessive resource consumption and pollution of alpine environments. Since no research on resource efficient management of ski fields has been undertaken in New Zealand, this study examined environmental awareness and actions of ski field managers, resource consumption benchmarks (water and energy use, solid waste production), along with resource use related visitor behaviour. Two separate surveys were undertaken to collect relevant information from ski field managers and ski field visitors. While a census of managers across New Zealand was conducted with a mail-back questionnaire (all 27 ski fields were contacted, response rate 44%), the visitor survey was undertaken on-site at six selected ski fields in Canterbury, South Island (total responses: N=259). Analysis of the survey results showed that managers generally acted to protect the environment and resources, however, at different levels for the various indicators measured. Energy use and air pollution were rarely perceived to be environmentally important. Accordingly, only few actions were undertaken to reduce energy use. This is surprising, since energy consumption proved to be a major feature of ski field management. Given the additionally large amounts of water consumed (mainly for snowmaking) and solid waste produced on the mountain, skiing has to be classified as a resource intensive activity. Resource consumption is intensified further, when the impacts associated with tourists being transported to, and from, the mountain are considered. Energy use for “ski trip transport” within New Zealand is two times larger (180 MJ) than energy use associated with ski field infrastructure use (90 MJ) on a per skier day basis. There are several options to improve the environmental performance of ski fields, ranging from modernising equipment, optimising snowmaking and providing efficient transport alternatives. Additionally, increased cooperation between ski field managers, local governments and research institutes could potentially result in environmentally smarter operational practices. Internationally, New Zealand’s ski areas compare relatively well, mainly because of limited on-mountain entertainment and accommodation development, which keeps resource consumption and pollution low compared with European and North American ski fields. However, this research also indicated that New Zealand’s ski field visitors increasingly demand facilities and services similar to those overseas, which in turn may result in larger environmental impacts. New Zealand is generally believed to be a green and nature-related destination and its ski areas still blend well into the natural environment. Hence, there is some potential for the New Zealand ski industry to develop a unique product in such a way that it is both, sustainable and distinguishable from other international markets.

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Bortagaray, Isabel. "The building of agro-biotechnology capabilities in small countries the cases of Costa Rica, New Zealand and Uruguay /." Diss., Available online, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007, 2007. http://etd.gatech.edu/theses/available/etd-07082007-235743/.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. Herrera, Hector, Committee Member ; Cozzens, Susan, Committee Chair ; Rogers, Juan, Committee Member ; Shapira, Philip, Committee Member ; Bowman, Kirk, Committee Member.

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Horsburgh, Simon, and n/a. "A feasibility study of occupational exposure and acute injury outcome information collection methods for New Zealand agricultural workers." University of Otago. Dunedin School of Medicine, 2006. http://adt.otago.ac.nz./public/adt-NZDU20060831.110516.

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Background: Agricultural workers in New Zealand have high rates of occupational injury compared to most other occupational groups. They are also over-represented in work-related fatal injury statistics. While it is recognised that the personal and social costs of occupational injuries to agricultural workers are considerable, the ability to develop and evaluate evidence-based injury control strategies for this group has been limited by the lack of quality information on occupational exposures and injury events. Aim: The aim of this thesis was to develop and pilot a comprehensive occupational exposure and acute injury outcome data collection system for agricultural workers which will provide an evidence base for a public health approach to acute occupational injury control within the agricultural sector of New Zealand. The thesis objectives were therefore to: * Develop study methods to collect occupational exposure and injury outcome information. * Assess the likely validity of these study methods. * Determine the feasibility of implementing the study methods. * Suggest modifications to the study methods to enhance their validity and feasibility. Methods: Pastoral farms in the Waitaki region of New Zealand were identified using a database of New Zealand farm owners. The owners and workers on these farms were contacted and asked to participate. Participants were required to complete an Initial Questionnaire which included items on farm and personal characteristics, the farm environment, training, safety perceptions and attitudes and safety behaviour. Participants were then monitored for six months. During the monitoring period each participant completed a monthly log of their work activities during the preceding week. Any work-related injuries to workers on participating farms were also recorded and reported monthly. Participants who were injured were followed up for an interview to obtain detailed injury event information. At the end of the monitoring period a second Questionnaire was administered to assess change during the study. Participants were asked about any occupational injury events during the study as part of one of the monthly logs and the second Questionnaire to provide a comparison measure to the monthly reports. A random third of participating farms were visited at the end of the study to assess the validity of participants� reports on the farm environment. Results: Sixty-two farms were recruited into the study, a recruitment rate of 24%. This resulted in 82 study participants. Fifty-seven farms and 72 participants completed the study, resulting in retention rates of 92% and 88% respectively. Return of study items was high, with the lowest observed level of return being 92%. Levels of response error were low in most of the study items, with exceptions being the recording of the hours spent handling animals (37%) and total hours worked (22%). Most postal items (over 68%) were returned before a reminder call was made. Participants� reports about the farm environment closely matched the observations made during the visits, with little evidence of significant misreporting. The validity of reported injury events during the study could not be determined, as the two methods of capturing injury events identified different events. Conclusions: Within the limitations of the study, most of the study methods appeared to be feasible and have acceptable validity. The low recruitment rate and issues with validating the capture of injury events indicated that modifications to the study design were necessary to achieve acceptable validity and feasibility, however. Recommendations were made on how feasibility and validity might be improved.

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Mukherjee, Sandipan. "On the estimation of nitrous oxide flux from agricultural fields of Canterbury New Zealand using micro-meteorological methods." Thesis, University of Canterbury. Department of Geography, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/8454.

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Traditionally, agricultural nitrous oxide (N₂O) emission of New Zealand has been measured using chambers or lysimeters, and micrometeorological flux measurement experiments have been very few. Since micrometerological flux measurement systems have the advantage of measuring spatially integrated flux values for longer time periods compared to measurements made using chambers, development and verification of such a system was needed for New Zealand's agro-meteorological conditions. In this study, efficacy of such a combined flux gradient (FG) - eddy covariance (EC) micrometeorological flux measurement system is verified by continuously measuring N₂O fluxes from some control and mitigated agricultural plots of New Zealand. The control fields had natural N₂O emission, whereas, the mitigated plots were treated with chemicals to reduce N₂O emission. In this combined FG-EC method, the turbulent eddy diffusivities were estimated using the Monin-Obukhov (M-O) similarity theory based parameterization (where diffusion velocity `dhp' was used) and a thermal approach (where eddy diffusivity `kht' was used) from the EC measurements. These transfer coefficients (kht and dhp) along with the measured N₂O concentration differences were then fitted to the traditional FG equation to compute final flux values. As the primary objective of this study, measured fluxes from two different seasons and from two approaches were compared for consistency and then verified against published results. Under this wider objective of verification of the FG-EC micrometeorological method of N₂O flux estimation, this research thesis addresses three key issues: (i) assessment of error propagation in the measured flux through the eddy diffusivity - to understand the random error dynamics of the system and to estimate precision of the overall method, (ii) quantification and separation of N₂O source area emission rates from adjacent plots - to identify the contribution of an individual plot to the measured flux when multi-plot fluxes were measured from sources with different biogenic characters, and (iii) quantification of the effect of animal grazing and mitigation on the measured flux and actual emission rate of N₂O - to assess robustness of the FG-EC micrometeorological system. As a fourth objective of this study, (iv) new scaling properties of a turbulence surface layer model of a convective atmosphere is investigated as an alternative to the standard M-O similarity theory, as significant questioning of the M-O theory has been reported in some recent publications. Results from the verification experiment showed that the daily measured flux values obtained from this combined micrometeorlogical system for control plots varied between 0-191.9 and 0-491.8 gN₂O-N.ha⁻¹.day⁻¹ for autumn and spring experiments, respectively, for the parameterization method. Similarly, the daily mean flux values were found to be 10.9 ± 0.98 and 11.7 ± 0.57 gN₂O-N.ha⁻¹.day⁻¹ for the autumn and spring seasons, respectively. All these values were found to be of the same order of previously reported values in the literature and found to verifying that this FG-EC system works well under a range of meteorological conditions within a defined error range. Therefore, when the propagated random error was computed in the final flux value using kht and dhp, the mean relative error in kht was found to be higher than the mean relative error in dhp, irrespective of stability. From a Monte-Carlo type simulation of the random error, it was found that the maximum error can be up to 80% for kht irrespective of stability, and 49% and 35% for dhp respectively for stable (1/L ≥ 0, where L is Obukhov length) and unstable (1/L < 0) atmosphere. Errors in the concentration differences were estimated based on the minimum resolvable estimates from the gas analyzer and the associated random errors were found to be 6% and 8% for unstable and stable conditions. Finally, the total mean random error in the N2Oflux values was found to be approximately of the order of 9% and 12% for the parameterization method for unstable and stable conditions, respectively, and 16.5% for the thermal method, irrespective of stability. Objective (ii) of this research was addressed by developing a `footprint fraction' based inverse footprint method. Results of the footprint analysis method were assessed, first, by comparing footprint fractions obtained from both an analytical footprint model and a `forward' simulation of a backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLs) model; and second, by comparing the source area emission rates of a control plot obtained from the footprint analysis method and from the `backward' simulation of the bLs model. It was observed that the analytical footprint fractions were realistic as they compared well with the values obtain from the bLs model. The actual emission rates were found to be on average 2.1% higher than the measured flux values for the control plots. On average 4.3% of the measured fluxes were found to be contributed by source areas outside of the field domain. Again, the proposed footprint method of emission rate estimation was found to work well under a wider range of atmospheric stability, as the inverse footprint model and bLs model based emission rates were found to correlate well (0.70 and 0.61 for autumn and spring, respectively) with a 99% statistical significance. Similarly when the effect of grazing on the N₂O fluxes was considered, a 90% enhancement in the flux values was observed after grazing, followed by a decreasing trend in fluxes. However, contrary to existing knowledge of mitigation of N₂O flux by an inhibitor, this study found no statistically significant effect of mitigation in the pastoral emission of N₂O. Error accumulation, lesser soil N₂O production potential and/or inefficiency of the FG-EC method was conjectured to be reason/s for such discrepancy and some alternative convective boundary layer turbulence scaling was tested. Separate field measurement data, including the vertical profile measurements of the convective boundary layer and sonic anemometer measurements within the surface layer were used for this purpose. The spectral analysis of the vertical wind component, temperature and heat flux revealed that this new model of the convective boundary layer, which explains atmospheric boundary layer turbulence in terms of some nonlocal parameters, is more suitable than the traditional Monin-Obukhov similarity theory based model of atmospheric turbulence where the atmospheric flow properties are local. Therefore, it can be concluded that this new model of turbulence might provide the framework for a newer model of flux estimation in future. Overall, the FG-EC model of N₂O flux estimation method seems to work well within a certain error range. However, more field applications of this FG-EC method are needed for different agro-meteorological conditions of New Zealand before this method is accepted as a standard method of flux estimation, particularly, inefficiency in detecting the effect of mitigation should be tested. Development of an alternative flux gradient model which includes nonlocal atmospheric surface parameters might also be considered as a future research objective.

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Thull, Jean-Paul. "Management of stock effluent spillage from trucks in New Zealand." Lincoln University, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/778.

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The key objective of this multi-disciplinary research was to seek for feasible solutions to avoid effluent from livestock trucks spilling onto roads. Stock effluent spillage mainly poses road safety hazards and environmental damage, and also causes offence to road users and tourists. This task required reviewing previous institutional actions, assessing the power of the existing legislation, and evaluating the interests and attitudes of the stakeholder groups involved in the overall livestock supply chain. It was also necessary to consider politics, administration, public policy and economics, gaining the willing cooperation and confidence of the stakeholder groups through application of 'Soft Systems Methodology' (SSM). A key component was the creation of a 13 minute video and its associated brochure as a primary tool for a stakeholder educational awareness programme. It was necessary to analyse the complex relationships between livestock preparation prior to transport; effluent produced in-transit; and end product quality factors. Detailed information pertaining to the nature of livestock shipments by truck in the South Island of New Zealand had to be collected and verified. All the above information were fed into the calculation of an ideal network of in-transit effluent discharge sites on State Highways in the South Island of New Zealand. Assuming the adoption of best practice throughout the supply chain, it was possible to recommend sustainable solutions. The problem is amenable to solution. Adoption of a strong Industry Code of Practice, coupled with the construction of a strategic network of dump sites will enable the industry to avoid the heavy-handed legal consequences of allowing the status quo to continue.

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Thornton, Richard William. "Does Size Matter? New Zealand in Partnership with the European Union: a Small State Perspective." Thesis, University of Canterbury. National Centre for Research on Europe, 2006. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/911.

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British accession to the European Union (EU) had far reaching economic, political and social consequences for New Zealand, forcing New Zealand to transform itself from a dependent subsidiary of Britain to acting as an independent small state for the first time. Although still in its infancy, the contemporary relationship New Zealand has formed with the EU is quite different to that it first established in the 1970s. It has increasing become more institutionalised, with a slowly developing structural framework that facilitates the narrow areas of cooperation. Dominated by the important economic relationship, the main challenges faced are of an economic nature. But the relationship also encompasses areas of political and social cooperation including people-to-people links, the environment, educational linkages, mutual support for multilateral institutions and development in the Pacific. As a small state, New Zealand is expected to display certain foreign policy behaviours in its interaction with bilateral partners. Small state theory forms the theoretical framework that explains New Zealand's behaviour in its foreign policy interaction with the EU. The theory was chosen for both its perceived usefulness in explaining and understanding the foreign policy behaviour of small states and for the apparent weaknesses of the theory, which is revealed in the case study of New Zealand-EU relations. This demonstrates how the theory is useful for its explanation of small state foreign policy behaviour, but also providing an insightful revelation of the theories flaws. This thesis proposes modifications to small state theory in order to strengthen it, and make it more encompassing of the contemporary realities of small state foreign policy, demonstrating that size does matter when exercising a foreign policy.

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Calder, Keith Wallace. "A LEEP forward : biodiversity futures for New Zealand : a thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Master of Resource and Environmental Planning at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/741.

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Loss of indigenous biodiversity continues in New Zealand. Despite admirable goals in the NZBS 2000 to the contrary, efforts at improved biodiversity conservation have been insufficient to halt loss of significant amounts of indigenous forest and wildlife habitat. Increasing numbers of native species are moving towards critically endangered and extinction. Whatever we are doing in New Zealand, it is not effective enough. The aim of this study is to firstly identify factors contributing to the failure, “to halt the decline of indigenous biodiversity” in New Zealand and to then consider opportunities to overcome these barriers. In considering opportunities, this study then reviews the emerging discipline of landscape ecology as an answer to, at least, some of those factors and the recurring calls from New Zealand ecologists for a more integrated and holistic approach to biodiversity conservation. Recent advances in the planning framework and particularly provisions for biodiversity conservation in England are explored as a model of practical application of landscape ecological principles to land-use planning. From this review, the study proposes a new ‘LEEP’ model for strategic biodiversity conservation that produces a regional-scale spatial conservation map and accompanying policy and implementation guide. Together they provide an integrated and holistic approach to restoring or creating functional landscapes that also recognises and provides for human activities and development. Application of the LEEP model is demonstrated through a case study of the Wellington region. Benefits and potential uses of the map and policy outputs are canvassed. Interviews with leading New Zealand and international ecologists provide an assessment of the current status of landscape ecology and interviewees also act as an expert ‘test panel’ against which the Wellington maps and guides produced from the ‘LEEP’ model are assessed. Finally, suggestions are provided for development of the new model and future research needs towards fuller and more effective implementation of this approach to biodiversity conservation in the New Zealand context.

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28

Ates, Serkan. "Grazing management of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) in South Island (New Zealand)." Diss., Lincoln University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1338.

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This study consisted of two sheep grazed dryland pasture experiments. Experiment l compared sheep production from 3-year-old cocksfoot based pastures grown in combination with white, Caucasian, subterranean or balansa clover with a ryegrass-white clover pasture and a pure lucerne forage. Sheep liveweight gain per head from each pasture treatment and the pure lucerne stand was recorded in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons. The cocksfoot-subterranean clover pasture provided equal (381 kg LW/ha in 2006) or higher (476 kg LW/ha in 2007) animal production in spring and gave the highest total animal production (646 kg LW/ha) averaged across years of the five grass based pastures. However, total annual liveweight production from lucerne was higher than any grass based pasture mainly due to superior animal production during summer when lucerne provided 42-85% higher animal production than any of the grass based pastures. In Experiment 2, the effect of stocking rate (8.3 (low) and 13.9 (high) ewes + twin lambs/ha) and time of closing in spring on lamb liveweight gain, pasture production and subterranean clover seedling populations was monitored over 2 years for a dryland cocksfoot-subterranean clover and ryegrass-subterranean clover pasture in Canterbury. In both years, twin lambs grew faster (g/head/d) in spring at low (327; 385) than high (253; 285) stocking rate but total liveweight gain/ha (kg/ha/d) was greater at high (7.26; 7.91) than low (5.43; 6.38) stocking rate. Ewes also gained 0.5 and 1.5 kg/head at the low stocking rate in 2006 and 2007 respectively but lost 0.2 kg/head in 2006 and gained 0.3 kg/head at high stocking rate in 2007. Mean subterranean clover seedling populations (per m²) measured in autumn after grazing treatments in the first spring were similar at both low (2850) and high (2500) stocking rate but declined with later closing dates in spring (3850, 2950, 2100 and 1700 at 2, 4, 6, 8 weeks after first visible flower). Seedling populations measured in autumn after grazing treatments in the second spring were also unaffected by stocking rate (low 1290, high 1190) but declined with later closing dates in spring (1470, 1320 and 940 at 3, 5 and 8 weeks after first flowering, respectively). The effect of stocking rate and closing dates in spring on pasture and clover production in the following autumn was similar to the effects on seedling numbers in both years. However, clover production in the following spring was unaffected by stocking rate or closing date in the previous year at the relatively high seedling populations generated by the treatments. This was presumably due to runner growth compensating for lower plant populations in pastures that were closed later in spring. Subterranean clover runner growth in spring may not compensate in a similar manner if seedling numbers in autumn fall below 500/m². Mean annual dry matter production from cocksfoot and ryegrass pastures grown with and without annual clovers pasture production ranged from 6.4 to 12.4 t DM/ha/y but stocking rate (8.3 vs. 13.9 ewes/ha) during spring did not affect annual pasture production. Pastures overdrilled with annual clovers yielded 23-45% more dry matter production than pastures grown without annual clovers. The study confirms the important role of subterranean clover in improving pasture production and liveweight gains of sheep in dryland cocksfoot and ryegrass pastures. Lowering stocking rate from 13.9 to 8.3 ewes/ha was a less effective method of increasing seed production of subterranean clover in dryland pastures although it did lead to increased liveweight gain per head.

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29

Willems, Nancy. "Forest structure and regeneration dynamics of podocarp/hardwood forest fragments, Banks Peninsula, New Zealand." Lincoln University, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1301.

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Although species maintenance in small forest fragments relies on successful regeneration and recruitment, few studies have examined the effects of fragmentation on regeneration processes. New Zealand's podocarp species rely on large disturbance openings operating across a vegetated landscape to stimulate regeneration. Clearance of vegetation that results in small fragments of forest removes regeneration opportunities for podocarps by destroying the intact vegetation mosaic, and as a result may exclude disturbances of the scale necessary for podocarp regeneration. Fragmentation alters the disturbance regime of the landscape, with important implications for the regeneration of podocarps on Banks Peninsula. The four remaining lowland podocarp-hardwood fragments on Banks Peninsula were sampled to determine the structure and regeneration patterns of podocarps and to assess their long term viability. Density, basal area, and size and age class distributions were used to examine current composition, and in conjunction with spatial analysis, to identify past regeneration patterns and infer likely future changes in composition and population structure. Podocarp size and age class structures for three of the four fragments were characteristically even-sized and relatively even-aged (eg; Prumnopitys taxifolia c. 350 to 600 years), with little or no regeneration for approximately the last 200 years (old-growth fragments). Regeneration of the current podocarp canopy in the old-growth fragments may have been stimulated by flooding. The fourth younger fragment showed much more recent regeneration with Prumnopitys taxifolia, Podocarpus totara and Dacrycarpus dacrydioides mostly 80-160 years old, and substantial populations of seedlings and saplings, probably as a result of anthropogenic fire. In the absence of major disturbance the podocarp component in forest fragments on Banks Peninsula is likely to decline with composition shifting towards dominance by hardwood species. There is some evidence to suggest that canopy collapse will stimulate some podocarp regeneration within the fragments, however it appears to be unlikely that podocarps will persist on Banks Peninsula indefinitely within the fragments studied. There is an urgent need for more quantitative research in New Zealand fragmentation literature, and a need for more emphasis on processes. Banks Peninsula offers potential for a more landscape scale approach in forest management, and the maintenance of regenerating scrub in pockets about the Peninsula may offer the regeneration opportunities for podocarps that are lacking within protected fragments. My study took a quantitative approach in examining the effects of forest fragmentation on the demographics of podocarps and compositional change in forest fragments on Banks Peninsula.

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30

Thomas, Craig W. "Current practices and future possibilities of performance recording extensively-grazed commercial beef herds in New Zealand." Diss., Lincoln University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/844.

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There is little evidence that the productivity of New Zealand beef herds has improved over time. Data from the NZ Meat and Wool Board’s Economic Service (2006) suggest that the average national calving percentage has declined over the last two decades. During the same period cattle carcass weights have increased but so too has the average cow live-weight which has resulted in increased maintenance costs of the cow herds. It is unclear whether production efficiency in the industry has improved or declined over time. The aim of this research was to develop means of improving productivity in commercial beef herds through practical methods of performance recording. The objectives were firstly to establish current management practices in commercial herds and secondly to develop an objective system for cow selection and culling which would have practical application in commercial herds. Beef management survey Ninety two commercial beef producers with more than 100 breeding cows from the greater Canterbury region of New Zealand were surveyed. Pasture control was the main reason given for owning a beef herd. Size and conformation were the main selection criteria for choosing replacement heifers and bulls. Over 80% of herds retained their own heifers as replacements and >60% mated yearling heifers to first calve at two years of age. Fertility was poor in the surveyed herds. In-calf rates at pregnancy testing averaged 88% for maiden heifers, 92% for rising second calvers and 93% for mixed age (m.a.) cows. There was no significant difference between in-calf rates of maiden heifers mated to first calve at two or three years of age; nor was there any significant difference between the re-breeding success of the two groups. Heifers mated at least one week earlier than m.a. cows, achieved a re-breeding success 4.7% greater (P<.01) than those mated at the same time. Reasons for cows not weaning a calf included wet dry (9.3% of pregnant cows wintered), pregnancy tested not-in-calf (7.4%) and dam death (2.6%). Only 87.9% of pregnant females wintered weaned a calf (89.4% of m.a. cows and 84.9% of heifers). Reasons why cows exited the herds included diagnosed empty (37.2% of all exits), involuntary culls (25.4%), sold wet dry (16.2%), deaths (13.1%) and poor calf production (5.1%). Vaccination was infrequent with clostridial vaccines the most common in m.a. cows (15.2%) and in calves (40.7%); vaccination against Leptospirosis was much less common. Very few of the surveyed farms used any system of performance recording; as a result there was very little performance-based selection or culling practiced. Evaluation of alternative measures of cow productivity Data from four performance recording beef herds were used to compare alternative measures of cow productivity with the industry standard which is calf weaning weight adjusted for sex (SOC) and age of calf and age of dam (AOD), i.e. the “200 day weight.” None of the alternative measures evaluated required knowledge of calving date and all were relatively easily obtainable in extensively managed beef herds. The assessment of cows was based not on their estimated breeding values but instead on their most probable producing ability which, as the sum of all of the permanent, repeatable aspects of the calf-rearing ability of the cow, explains considerably more of the variance of weaning weight than does breeding value alone. SOC and AOD-adjusted marking weight, weaning weight and average daily gain (ADG) between marking and weaning were the traits mostly highly correlated with the 200d wt of calves (r = 0.68, 0.90 and 0.74. respectively). An Extensively- Grazed-Cow-Weaning-Index of these three indicator traits was found to be more highly correlated than any of the individual traits on their own (r = 0.94). Index weights for the three indicator traits were calculated within each herd and then those within-herd index weights were regressed on readily obtainable herd descriptive variables to obtain a regression equation that could predict index weights for any herd. When the model was applied to data from two additional herd years not included in the original model, the EGCW Index was highly correlated with the 200d weights (r>0.90). Performance-based culling of previously unselected commercial beef herds based on the EGCW Index will result in improved productivity due to the moderately high repeatability of calf weaning weight. Objective data from extensively grazed commercial herds will also make possible the use of commercial herd data in genetic evaluations of herd sires.

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31

O'Connor, Katrina Marie. "The ecological footprint of international tourists in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Applied Science in Natural Resource Management at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1124.

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Ecological Footprint Analysis (EFA) is a technique that was first developed by Wackernagel as a Ph.D. thesis in 1994, then further developed in combination with Rees and published (Rees & Wackernagel, 1995). EFA is employed in this study to assess the resource utilisation of international tourists visiting New Zealand. Tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world and the ecological sustainability of tourism is becoming more important term for managing tourism. This is becoming increasingly important with tourism identified as particularly as a significant contributor to carbon emissions. This study uses EFA to assess whether international tourists visiting New Zealand behave in a sustainable manner. Tourists are surveyed and classed into high, mid and low budget tourist types to gain a detailed account of their behaviour with particular reference to food, accommodation, transport, services, activities attractions, goods and waste. The EFA helps to identify areas of a tourist’s trip that have the greatest impact on the environment, thereby identifying ways to improve the sustainability of tourism in New Zealand. It was found that tourists generally consume more whilst on holiday than they do at home and more than New Zealand residents. The results show that international tourists’ behaviour is sustainable and New Zealand has the ecological carrying capacity to allow the number of international tourists to increase without incurring any significant ecological costs to the country. It was found that there is a positive relationship between ‘high’ income tourists and their ecological footprint and that independent travellers have a larger ecological footprint than the package travellers; however, package travellers have a larger food and housing ecological footprint than independent travellers. The energy footprint was the largest out of the six land types of a tourist’s ecological footprint. Food is the consumption category that is the largest contributor to a tourist’s ecological footprint.

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32

Al-Amer, Saleh Suliaman. "Nutritional and toxicological studies on New Zealand mutton bird meat (Puffinus griseus)." Lincoln University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1659.

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New Zealand mutton bird or tītī (Puffinus griseus and order procellariiformes) nest in New Zealand during the summer months, migrate to the northern hemisphere during May and return in September. Their eggs are laid during November and December and the chicks are hatched in the following January and February. Large numbers of them are harvested from April to May in New Zealand. They are wild seabirds annually harvested by Maori according to the customary rights agreement set by Treaty of Waitangi.NZ mutton birds also called Sooty Shearwaters are noted for their high proportion of body fat.These birds are interesting since its sole diet is based on krill and other small marine organisms that are potentially rich in n-3 fatty acids and other marine bioactive compounds. The proximate composition, fatty and amino acids and cholesterol content of mutton bird pectoral muscle were determined and compared with other common meat to explore the nutritional value of this New Zealand delicacy. The concentration of twenty two essential and toxic elements including silver (Ag), aluminium (Al), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), selenium (Se), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), boron (B), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), sulphur (S), sodium (Na) and cobalt (Co) and zinc (Zn) in mutton bird breast meat (Puffinus griseus) were measured over two years to evaluate its safety for human consumption. Persistent organochlorine, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and their metabolites, and aldrin and lindane were also measured.Twenty bird carcasses were purchased in both 2006 and 2007 from a local source. Meat samples from the pectoral muscle of two carcasses were pooled to generate 10 samples for each year. These were used for trace element analysis using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Trace elements were in the range of 0 to 1.09 mg/kg wet weight for Ag, 0 to 3.32 for Al, 0.17 to 0.79 for As, 0.01 to 0.07 for Cd, 0.03 to 0.15 for Cr, 3.56 to 4.88 for Cu, 0 to 0.15 for Hg, 0.22 to 0.50 for Mn, 0 to 0.09 for Pb, 0.66 to 1.18 for Se and 11.49 to 23.70 for Zn. In 2006, Ag, Al, Mn and Zn concentrations were significantly higher but Pb and Hg concentrations significantly lower compared to the 2007 samples (P < 0.05). Apart from one sample in 2006, all the samples were below the published maximum level for concern. However, our preliminary data indicated that the higher level of Cd and other metals in the skin of mutton bird may compromise the overall safety to humans consuming the skin of mutton birds. It is suggested that the evaluation of the metals in different parts and/or the whole mutton bird at different seasons is required to assure complete safety to the consumers.Furthermore, the nutritional value of mutton bird meat was studied over two harvesting seasons (2006 and 2007) to investigate the impact of seasonal variation. The moisture and carbohydrates contents ranged between 54.0 to 55.0 % and 2.8 to 3.0 %, respectively, and no seasonal effects were evident in these components. The values for fat and ash contents were higher and the protein content lower for birds harvested in 2007 compared with the 2006 values which ranged from 11.8 to 13.0, 10.3 to 11.7, and 20.3 to 18.5 % for fat, ash and protein content respectively. The major amino acids in mutton bird pectoral muscle were glutamate, aspartate, lysine, leucine, and arginine. Higher lysine concentrations and lower proline, cystein and methionine were found in mutton birds compared with the literature values for beef, lamb and pork. The essential amino acid content in mutton bird (43.8 and 44.9 % in 2006 and 2007, respectively) was slightly higher than those found in beef and lamb meats (42-43%).The major fatty acids detected were palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), oleic and isomers (C18:1), eicosenoic (C20:1), Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (C22:6), icosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (C 20:5) and these accounted for approximately 77% of the fatty acids. The 3/6 ratio of fats from pectoral muscle was 1.3. The cholesterol concentration varied slightly in the two years with 184.4±37.37and 134.4±25.55mg/100 g fresh weight for 2007 and 2008 respectively. Mutton bird was shown to contain significantly higher cholesterol content (134.4-184.4) than other common meat such as chicken (80.3-88.9), lamb (62.3), fish (52.79) and beef (51.97). Overall, the nutritional value of mutton bird muscle was similar to or superior to the traditionally protein sources such as seafood and red meat. Annual variations existed in the composition of Mutton bird pectoral muscle but this is not of nutritional consequence but might be a useful indicator for ecological events such as feed availability and other environmental issues. Mutton bird seems to be a good source of essential minerals, Zn and Fe compared with other traditional meats source. Mutton bird meat is nutritionally as good as the major sources of red or white meats. It may even have advantages over the other common meats (beef, lamb, fish and chicken) due to its high protein and monounsaturated fatty acids (omega n-3 and n-6) content. However, its high cholesterol content may represent a risk factor for some people.

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33

Serra, Postiglione Virginia. "A comparative study of the sources of competitive advantage in the New Zealand and Uruguayan beef industries." Lincoln University, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1115.

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According to Porter (1990), there are certain characteristics of a country that allow its industries to create and sustain competitive advantage, or prevent them from doing so. The objective of this study was to identify and compare the sources of competitive advantage or disadvantage for the Uruguayan and New Zealand beef industries. To accomplish these objectives, Porter’s Diamond Framework was selected as the theoretical framework to assess the competitive advantage of nations. Two case studies “the Beef Industry in Uruguay” and “the Beef Industry in New Zealand” were carried out. The information was obtained from secondary sources and open-ended interviews to key informants in both countries. Uruguay and New Zealand possess observable similarities, such as size, population, similar farmland area, and an economy based on agriculture with low levels of subsidies and trade regulations. In addition, the industries in both countries target the international market. Considering beef production, these countries produce beef based on pastures; hence, they have similar seasonal fluctuations in slaughter and in the product offered into the market. These similarities make these countries interesting to compare. On the other hand, Uruguay and New Zealand have differences. They are in different stages of economic development, and have cultural, sociological and educational differences. The beef industry is the most important economic activity in Uruguay, as can be illustrated by the resources allocated in this sector and in the volume and value of exported beef. In New Zealand, the beef industry is less important; however, it constitutes an excellent complementary activity for sheep and dairy productions. Both beef industries also have differences in their levels of productivity, stock compositions, stock categories, age of slaughtered animals, sanitary status, and locations in relation to markets. This suggests different sources of competitive advantage. The results show that the Uruguayan beef industry has a weaker diamond than its New Zealand counterpart does. However, the industry in Uruguay has been increasing the use of resources in comparison to other pastoral activities such as dairy and sheep. In contrast, the New Zealand beef industry, despite having a stronger diamond than the Uruguayan beef industry, has a secondary role behind the sheep and dairy industry. There are two clear limitations for the Uruguayan beef industry. First, the performance of the primary sector is poor. Second, the Uruguayan exported beef receives a lower price than the New Zealand product, and has difficulties for gaining access to certain markets. These two characteristics were identified as the most dissimilar for both industries. The selected research design and theoretical framework were adequate to accomplish the objectives. Although most of Porter’s findings were not supported in this study, using the framework allowed the development of an exhaustive analysis of the possible factors affecting the sources of competitive advantage in both industries. Comparing diamonds in different countries has not been done before; therefore, this research provides empirical evidence of the advantages and disadvantages of using this framework for international comparisons. Finally, the information presented in this research did not intend to suggest possible strategies or policies to increase the competitiveness of both industries. However, the results are likely to provide useful information for further studies in these industries.

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34

Walbert, Katrin. "Ectomycorrhizal communities associated with a Pinus radiata plantation in the North Island, New Zealand." Lincoln University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/658.

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Aboveground and belowground ectomycorrhizal (ECM) communities associated with different age classes of the exotic plantation species Pinus radiata were investigated over the course of two years in the North Island of New Zealand. ECM species were identified with a combined approach of morphological and molecular (restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and DNA sequencing) analysis. ECM species richness and diversity of a nursery in Rotorua, and stands of different ages (1, 2, 8, 15 and 26 yrs of age at time of final assessment) in Kaingaroa Forest, were assessed above- and belowground; furthermore, the correlation between the above- and belowground ECM communities was assessed. It was found that the overall and stand specific species richness and diversity of ECM fungi associated with the exotic host tree in New Zealand were low compared to similar forests in the Northern Hemisphere but similar to other exotic plantations in the Southern Hemisphere. Over the course of this study, 18 ECM species were observed aboveground and 19 ECM species belowground. With the aid of molecular analysis the identities of Laccaria proxima and Inocybe sindonia were clarified. In the aboveground study, five species were found associated with P. radiata that were previously not reported with this host in New Zealand (Inocybe sindonia, Lactarius rufus, Lycoperdon gunii, Rhizopogon pseudoroseolus and Wilcoxina mikolae). Belowground, the species Psudotomentella sp., P. tristis, R. luteorubescens, Tomentella sp., Wilcoxina mikolae were found as new associates of P. radiata in New Zealand, additionally nine ECM types were found that could not be identified with molecular analysis. There was little correlation between the species fruiting and the species colonising root tips. Only seven species were found in common between the above- and belowground communities, furthermore the dominant species aboveground were not observed in the belowground ECM communities. The influence of host age on the above- and belowground ECM communities of different age classes of P. radiata plantations was investigated. The aboveground species richness increased from the nursery to the oldest age group investigated (26 yrs), while diversity increased to the 15 yr old age group and decreased slightly to the oldest stand. A clear sequence of ECM species changes was observed to be related to stand age with a growing complexity over the chronosequence. The belowground ECM communities showed a different picture and richness and diversity initially decreased from the nursery to the outplanting but increased thereafter. Belowground no change in ECM composition that was directly related to the age of the host was observed, but two distinct groups of ECM species were found – a 'young' and a 'plantation forest' group, with the respective discriminating species being Rhizopogon rubescens and Type unknown Basidiomycete/Amanita muscaria. Another aspect of the study was the fate of the nursery ECM species in the outplanting and the arrival of non-nursery species. The ECM communities of seedlings in the nursery were investigated in 2006 and these seedlings were followed up over eight assessments in the field for one year, furthermore data from the 1-, 2 and 8 yr old plantation stands was analysed. It was found that the nursery species do survive the first year of outplanting and are dominant in the first year. The first non-nursery species occurred six months after outplanting but was only in minor abundance. Nursery ECM were dominant for two years after the seedlings were planted, and were completely replaced after seven years. Rhizopogon rubescens was found to be the most persistent and dominant species in the outplanting, facilitating the successful establishment of the seedlings in the plantation forest.

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35

Chappell, Esta Monique. "Morphology, phylogeography and drumming behaviour of a New Zealand ground weta, Hemiandrus pallitarsis : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/828.

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Species are one of the fundamental components of biology and the accurate delimitation of species is important in evolutionary, systematic and ecological studies, yet there is still confusion over how species can be recognised. Examining different characters allows multiple lines of evidence for successful and accurate species delimitation and identification. In this thesis, morphological, genetic and behavioural variation is investigated within an endemic species of ground weta, Hemiandrus pallitarsis, in the North Island, New Zealand. Twelve morphological characters were measured, and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I DNA sequences were analysed from populations across the distributional range of H. pallitarsis. Both methods provide no evidence of a species complex within H. pallitarsis. Instead, the morphometric results suggest females are significantly larger than males, and ground weta in Palmerston North are significantly smaller than weta further north. Additionally, genetic analyses found substantial population structuring, large genetic distances, and an historical south to north pattern of movement in the North Island. The pattern of vibratory drumming behaviour followed that predicted by morphology and geographic proximity – drumming signals were more similar between geographically close populations and did not match the patterns of genetic isolation. Overall, this thesis was able to show that H. pallitarsis is morphologically, genetically and behaviourally variable across the North Island.

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36

Gravuer, Kelly. "Determinants of the introduction, naturalisation, and spread of Trifolium species in New Zealand." Master's thesis, Lincoln University. Bio-Protection and Ecology Division, 2004. http://theses.lincoln.ac.nz/public/adt-NZLIU20071015.060329/.

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Two conceptual approaches which offer promise for improved understanding of biological invasions are conceptualizing the invasion process as a series of distinct stages and explicitly incorporating human actions into analyses. This study explores the utility of these approaches for understanding the invasion of Trifolium (true clover) species in New Zealand. From the published literature, I collected a range of Trifolium species attributes, including aspects of global transport and use by humans, opportunistic association with humans in New Zealand, native range attributes, habitat characteristics, and biological traits. I also searched historical records to estimate the extent to which each species had been planted in New Zealand, a search facilitated by the enormous importance of Trifolium in New Zealands pastoral agriculture system. Regression analysis and structural equation modelling were then used to relate these variables to success at each invasion stage. Fifty-four of the 228 species in the genus Trifolium were intentionally introduced to New Zealand. Species introduced for commercial agriculture were characterised by a large number of economic uses and presence in Britain, while species introduced for horticulture or experimental agriculture were characterised by a large native range area. Nine of these 54 intentionally introduced species subsequently naturalised in New Zealand. The species that successfully naturalised were those that had been planted extensively by humans and that were well-matched to the New Zealand climate. A further 16 species (from the pool of 174 species that were never intentionally introduced) arrived and naturalised in New Zealand without any recorded intentional aid of humans. Several attributes appeared to assist species in unintentional introduction-naturalisation, including a good match to the New Zealand climate, a large native range area, presence in human-influenced habitats, a widespread distribution in Britain, and self-pollination capability. The 25 total naturalised species varied greatly in their current distributions and in the rates at which they had spread to achieve those distributions. Species that had spread quickly and are currently more widespread had been frequent contaminants in the pasture seed supply and have a long flowering period in New Zealand. Other biological traits and native range attributes played supporting roles in the spread process. Attributes facilitating success clearly varied among invasion stages. Humans played a dominant role at all stages of this invasion, although biological traits had increasing importance as a species moved through the invasion sequence. My findings suggest that incorporation of human actions and the stage-based framework provide valuable insight into the invasion process. I discuss potential avenues by which these approaches might be integrated into predictive invasion models.

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37

Page, Girija. "An environmentally-based systems approach to sustainability analyses of organic fruit production systems in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainable Agricultural Systems at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/825.

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An environmentally-based systems approach to sustainability analyses of organic fruit production systems in New Zealand. This research introduces an approach for the assessment of the sustainability of farming systems. It is based on the premises that sustainability has an environmental bottom line and that there is very limited substitutability between natural capital and other forms of capital. Sustainability assessment is undertaken through analyses of energy and material flows of the system and their impacts on the environment. The proposed sustainability assessment approach is based on two high level criteria for sustainability: efficient use of energy and non-degradation of the environment from energy and material use. Sustainability assessment of organic orchard systems in New Zealand was undertaken to demonstrate this approach. Five indicators which address the two criteria for the sustainability of the orchard systems are the energy ratio, the CO2 ratio, changes in the soil carbon level, nutrient balances, and the leaching of nitrogen. Organic kiwifruit and organic apple systems are modelled based on their key energy and material flows and their interactions with the natural environment. The energy and material flows are converted into appropriate energy and matter equivalents based on coefficients taken from the published literature. Sustainability indicators are estimated over one growing season using two computer modelling tools, Overseer® and Stella®, in a life cycle approach. Sustainability assessment of the organic orchard systems suggests that the approach is useful for evaluating energy use and key environmental impacts that occur in soil, water and atmosphere. The results indicate that the model organic orchard systems are sustainable in terms of energy use and are a net sink of CO2-equivalent emissions. The implication of this result is that organic orchard systems potentially could trade carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol. The findings also suggest that the sustainability assessment approach is capable of identifying the trade-offs within the sustainability indicators associated with particular management practices. Further research to improve and validate the proposed approach is essential, before it can be practically used for decision making at the orchard level and for policy making at the national level.

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38

Peacock, Lora. "Eco-climatic assessment of the potential establishment of exotic insects in New Zealand." Lincoln University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1530.

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To refine our knowledge and to adequately test hypotheses concerning theoretical and applied aspects of invasion biology, successful and unsuccessful invaders should be compared. This study investigated insect establishment patterns by comparing the climatic preferences and biological attributes of two groups of polyphagous insect species that are constantly intercepted at New Zealand's border. One group of species is established in New Zealand (n = 15), the other group comprised species that are not established (n = 21). In the present study the two groups were considered to represent successful and unsuccessful invaders. To provide background for interpretation of results of the comparative analysis, global areas that are climatically analogous to sites in New Zealand were identified by an eco-climatic assessment model, CLIMEX, to determine possible sources of insect pest invasion. It was found that south east Australia is one of the regions that are climatically very similar to New Zealand. Furthermore, New Zealand shares 90% of its insect pest species with that region. South east Australia has close trade and tourism links with New Zealand and because of its proximity a new incursion in that analogous climate should alert biosecurity authorities in New Zealand. Other regions in western Europe and the east coast of the United States are also climatically similar and share a high proportion of pest species with New Zealand. Principal component analysis was used to investigate patterns in insect global distributions of the two groups of species in relation to climate. Climate variables were reduced to temperature and moisture based principal components defining four climate regions, that were identified in the present study as, warm/dry, warm/wet, cool/dry and cool/moist. Most of the insect species established in New Zealand had a wide distribution in all four climate regions defined by the principal components and their global distributions overlapped into the cool/moist, temperate climate where all the New Zealand sites belong. The insect species that have not established in New Zealand had narrow distributions within the warm/wet, tropical climates. Discriminant analysis was then used to identify which climate variables best discriminate between species presence/absence at a site in relation to climate. The discriminant analysis classified the presence and absence of most insect species significantly better than chance. Late spring and early summer temperatures correctly classified a high proportion of sites where many insect species were present. Soil moisture and winter rainfall were less effective discriminating the presence of the insect species studied here. Biological attributes were compared between the two groups of species. It was found that the species established in New Zealand had a significantly wider host plant range than species that have not established. The lower developmental threshold temperature was on average, 4°C lower for established species compared with non-established species. These data suggest that species that establish well in New Zealand have a wide host range and can tolerate lower temperatures compared with those that have not established. No firm conclusions could be drawn about the importance of propagule pressure, body size, fecundity or phylogeny for successful establishment because data availability constrained sample sizes and the data were highly variable. The predictive capacity of a new tool that has potential for eco-climatic assessment, the artificial neural network (ANN), was compared with other well used models. Using climate variables as predictors, artificial neural network predictions were compared with binary logistic regression and CLIMEX. Using bootstrapping, artificial neural networks predicted insect presence and absence significantly better than the binary logistic regression model. When model prediction success was assessed by the kappa statistic there were also significant differences in prediction performance between the two groups of study insects. For established species, the models were able to provide predictions that were in moderate agreement with the observed data. For non-established species, model predictions were on average only slightly better than chance. The predictions of CLIMEX and artificial neural networks when given novel data, were difficult to compare because both models have different theoretical bases and different climate databases. However, it is clear that both models have potential to give insights into invasive species distributions. Finally the results of the studies in this thesis were drawn together to provide a framework for a prototype pest risk assessment decision support system. Future research is needed to refine the analyses and models that are the components of this system.

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Puig, Virginia Moreno. "Conservation issues for Hochstetter's frog (Leiopelma hochstetteri): monitoring techniques and chytridiomycosis prevalence in the Auckland region, New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand." Massey University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1132.

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Amphibians are suffering extinctions and range contractions globally. This is caused by numerous factors and most of them are related to human activities. The overall aim of this thesis was to make a significant contribution to the conservation of the endemic amphibian Leiopelma hochstetteri through research. This was achieved by focusing in two of the main conservation issues for this species, the need for standardised and robust monitoring techniques to detect trends and changes in populations, and the determination of the prevalence of chytridiomycosis, caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). Two populations of the Auckland Region were selected for this study, one on the mainland (Waitakere Ranges) and the only known offshore island population of this species (Great Barrier Island). For both study sites different monitoring methods were used to obtain some population parameters. Site occupancy models of MacKenzie et al. (2002) gave reliable site-specific estimations of occupancy and detection probability using covariate information and presence-absence data collected from 50 sites in the Waitakere Ranges and four repeated visits during 2008. Elevation and distance searched were found to have an important effect on occupancy levels, while time taken to search the site was important variable determining detection probabilities. Also, parameters were estimated for three age classes separately. Statistical models were used to infer abundance from occupancy analysis, and results were compared with the distribution of relative abundances obtained from repeated transect counts and an established sight/re-sight criterion. In addition, the use of surrogate measures for relative abundance was explored. Detection probability and the distance to first frog found were found to have a significant correlation with relative abundance. These measures can be used to infer relative abundance in future site occupancy surveys. Two surveys and a pilot site occupancy survey were conducted on Great Barrier Island, and presence of frogs was confirmed atthe northern block, and in a small seepage in the central block. No new locations were found. Waitakere Ranges and Great Barrier Is. populations were tested for the presence of chytridiomycosis, and all frogs sampled tested negative (n = 124) which means that if present chytridiomycosis prevalence is lower than 5% with a 95% confidence interval. This and previous evidence suggests that L. hochstetteri may be resistant or immune to the disease. However, to confirm this additional studies are needed.

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Chakraborty, Manas. "Spatial pattern in macroinvertebrate communities in headwater streams of New Zealand and a multivariate river classification system : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Ecology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/1067.

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Macroinvertebrate data collected from 120 headwater streams in New Zealand were used to test the ability of the Freshwater Environments of New Zealand River Classification (FWENZ) to explain spatial variation in unimpacted stream invertebrate communities. FWENZ is a GIS based multivariate river environment classification of the sections of national river network. The classification performance of the FWENZ was examined to determine the optimum classification level which could be used for the purpose of conservation and biomonitoring of New Zealand rivers and streams. The classification performance of the FWENZ was also compared to those of two other river classification systems, the ecoregions and the River Environment Classification (REC). Results of the analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) test showed that discrimination of the study sites based on interclass differences in macroinvertebrate community composition was optimal at FWENZ 100 class level which classifies the New Zealand rivers and streams into 100 different groups. The FWENZ 100 class level distinguished the biological variation of the study sites at a finer spatial scale than the REC Geology level. Although performance of the ecoregions classification was stronger than both the river environmental classifications, the REC and the FWENZ, but it was unable to explain the variation in local assemblage structures. Multivariate analyses of the macroinvertebrate abundance data and the associated environmental variables at three different spatial scales (upstream catchment, segment, and reach) were used to identify environmental predictors of assemblage patterns. Catchmentscale measures of climatic, topographic and landcover factors were more strongly correlated with macroinvertebrate community structures than segment scale measures, whereas reachscale measures of instream physicochemical factors and riparian characteristics had the least association with assemblage patterns. Despite the strong influences of cathment-scale factors on macroinvertebrate communities, local factors like water temperature, stream velocity, reach elevation, percent canopy cover and percent moss cover were also involved in explaining the within-region variation in assemblage patterns, which indicates the importance of considering regional as well as local factors as surrogates of stream invertebrate communities to provide a base for stream bioassessment programmes at multiple scales.

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Chng, Soon Fang. "Microbial factors associated with the natural suppression of take-all in wheat in New Zealand : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand /." Diss., Lincoln University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/863.

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Take-all, caused by the soilborne fungus, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt), is an important root disease of wheat that can be reduced by take-all decline (TAD) in successive wheat crops, due to general and/or specific suppression. A study of 112 New Zealand wheat soils in 2003 had shown that Ggt DNA concentrations (analysed using real-time PCR) increased with successive years of wheat crops (1-3 y) and generally reflected take-all severity in subsequent crops. However, some wheat soils with high Ggt DNA concentrations had low take-all, suggesting presence of TAD. This study investigated 26 such soils for presence of TAD and possible suppressive mechanisms, and characterised the microorganisms from wheat roots and rhizosphere using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). A preliminary pot trial of 29 soils (including three from ryegrass fields) amended with 12.5% w/w Ggt inoculum, screened their suppressiveness against take-all in a growth chamber. Results indicated that the inoculum level was too high to detect the differences between soils and that the environmental conditions used were unsuitable. Comparison between the Ggt DNA concentrations of the same soils collected in 2003 and in 2004 (collected for the pot trial), showed that most soils cropped with 2, 3 and 4 y of successive wheat had reduced Ggt DNA concentrations (by 195-2911 pg g-1 soil), and their disease incidences revealed 11 of the 29 test soils with potential take-all suppressiveness. Further pot trials improved the protocols, such that they were able to differentiate the magnitudes of suppressiveness among the soils. The first of the subsequent trials, using 4% w/w Ggt inoculum level, controlled conditions at 16°C, 80% RH with alternate 12 h light/dark conditions, and watering the plants twice weekly to field capacity (FC), screened 13 soils for their suppressiveness against take-all. The 13 soils consisted of 11 from the preliminary trial, one wheat soil that had been cropped with 9 y of wheat (considered likely to be suppressive), and a conducive ryegrass soil. The results revealed that 10 of these soils were suppressive to take-all. However, in only four of them were the effects related to high levels of microbial/biological involvement in the suppression, which were assessed in an experiment that first sterilised the soils. In a repeat trial using five of the soils H1, H3, M2, P7 (previously cropped with 3, 3, 4 and 9 y successive wheat, respectively) and H15 (previously cropped with 5 y of ryegrass), three of them (H1, H3 and M2) had reduced Ggt DNA concentrations (>1000 pg g-1 soil reductions), and were confirmed to be suppressive to take-all. A pot trial, in which 1% of each soil was transferred into a γ-irradiated base soil amended with 0.1% Ggt inoculum, indicated that soils H1 and H3 (3 y wheat) were specific in their suppressiveness, and M2 (4 y wheat) was general in its suppressiveness. The microbial communities within the rhizosphere and roots of plants grown in the soils, which demonstrated conduciveness, specific or general suppressiveness to take-all, were characterised using PCR-DGGE, and identities of the distinguishing microorganisms (which differentiated the soils) identified by sequence analysis. Results showed similar clusters of microorganisms associated with conducive and suppressive soils, both for specific and general suppression. Further excision, re-amplification, cloning and sequencing of the distinguishing bands showed that some actinomycetes (Streptomyces bingchengensis, Terrabacter sp. and Nocardioides sp.), ascomycetes (Fusarium lateritium and Microdochium bolleyi) and an unidentified fungus, were associated with the suppressive soils (specific and general). Others, such as the proteobacteria (Pseudomonas putida and P. fluorescens), an actinomycete (Nocardioides oleivorans), ascomycete (Gibberella zeae), and basidiomycete (Penicillium allii), were unique in the specific suppressiveness. This indicated commonality of some microorganisms in the take-all suppressive soils, with a selected distinguishing group responsible for specific suppressiveness. General suppressiveness was considered to be due to no specific microorganisms, as seen in soil M2. An attempt to induce TAD by growing successive wheat crops in pots of Ggt-infested soils was unsuccessful with no TAD effects shown, possibly due to variable Ggt DNA concentrations in the soils and addition of nutrients during the experiment. Increasing numbers of Pseudomonas fluorescens CFU in the rhizosphere of plants, during successive wheat crops was independent of the Ggt DNA concentrations and disease incidence, suggesting that increases in P. fluorescens numbers were associated with wheat monoculture. This study has demonstrated that TAD in New Zealand was due to both specific and general suppressiveness, and has identified the distinguishing microorganisms associated with the suppression. Since most of these distinguishing microorganisms are known to show antagonistic activities against Ggt or other soilborne pathogens, they are likely to act as antagonists of Ggt in the field. Future work should focus on validating their effects either individually, or interactively, on Ggt in plate and pot assays and under field conditions.

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Donaldson, Laura Patricia Constance. "The distribution of fatty acids and presence of environmental contaminants in the blubber of the New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/887.

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The conservation of marine mammals relies on the knowledge of species ecology in order to assess the impacts of anthropogenic activites and make appropriate species management decisions. Blubber biopsies are a relatively non-invasive sampling protocol to provide ecological information; two particular uses are for dietary analysis via fatty acid signature analysis (FASA) and investigating the uptake of organochlorine (OC) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) environmental contaminants. Blubber composition and structure may vary according to body site and depth due to its dynamic functioning. This may result in the vertical stratification and heterogenous distribution of blubber FAs, OCs and PCBs between body sites, giving variable interpretations of diet and contaminant levels depending on biopsy sample site and depth. The aim of this thesis is to determine the FA distribution of blubber from two body sample sites (dorsal pelvic and ventral thoracic) currently used for FASA of the New Zealand sea lion, Phocarctos hookeri (NZSL) and to determine the level of OCs and PCBs in the blubber of healthy NZSLs for comparison to diseased NZSLs recorded in the 1997/98 epidemic. Blubber samples were collected from 29 by-caught NZSLs incidentally captured by the squid fishery around the Auckland Islands (50º42’S, 166º5’E) during the years 2005 to 2007 (not all NZSLs were able to be analysed for each chapter). Full blubber cores from both sample sites were collected from 18 NZSLs. Both sites showed a relative homogeneity of FA profiles, indicating the similar deposition and mobilisation of FAs at the two sample sites. To determine if FA stratification occurred, full blubber cores from both sample sites of 20 NZSLs were divided into inner and outer halves. Both sites displayed the same pattern of vertical stratification or biochemical layering of FAs between the two divisions, indicating that stratification of FAs occurs in the blubber of the NZSL. A range of OCs and PCBs were then determined in full thoracic blubber cores of seven NZSLs. The levels were higher than those previously recorded in NZSLs affected by disease during a 1997/98 epidemic. The SPCB in NZSLs was 0.034-0.192 mg/kg lipids, below the suggested threshold of 17 mg/kg for adverse health affects in marine mammals. From the results of this study I can support current blubber biopsy sampling techniques for FASA in NZSL. Obtaining full blubber cores from either the thoracic or pelvic sample site will give a comparable interpretation of diet. The low levels of blubber OCs and PCBs suggest a minor role of contaminants acting as a possible causative agent toward disease outbreaks in the NZSL. This research provides important information for developing correct and consistent blubber sampling techniques for NZSL and other pinniped species. This will ensure more accurate interpretations of ecological information obtained from blubber biopsies and therefore improved species management and conservation decisions that may be based on such research.

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43

Pratt, Caroline. "Factors affecting the establishment, growth and survival of native woody plant communities on the Canterbury Plain, New Zealand." Lincoln University, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1113.

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The native plant communities of Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand have been severely modified and degraded and the Canterbury Plain (750,000 ha) retains few remnants of its original forest and other ecosystems. The research presented here considers the mutualistic roles of exotic and indigenous species in the process of restoring degraded landscapes. Exotic species may have an important role in the (re) establishment of desired indigenous species, and may influence succession through to a forest dominated by them. One aspect of this work describes indigenous plant community regeneration facilitated by exotic willow (Salix spp.) woodland on the Canterbury Plain. Natural colonisation of the willow woodland by native plants was investigated, with respect to variation in the physical environment in the willow stand. Key factors in the success of willow woodland as a nursery for regeneration of native vegetation include: distance to the nearest seed source, the ability to attract seed dispersers (recruitment only occurred under perch sites), flooding potential (higher recruitment in areas less likely to flood) and possibly light availability. Control of vertebrate (and invertebrate) herbivory is also necessary for successful restoration. A second aspect was a field experiment in open pasture and in a non-native remnant woodland which was then used to investigate the effects of shelter, plant spacing, mulching and fertiliser on growth and survival of planted native woody species. With minimal management, the selected mid-late successional plants established poorly in the open pasture and had low survival rates (e.g.,Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Pseudopanax arboreus, Aristotelia serrata, Melicytus ramiflorus). Only narrow-leaved species (e.g., Plagianthus reg ius, Hoheria angustifolia, Hebe salicifolia, Cordyline australis) survived this open pasture planting. In contrast, most species (broad and narrow-leaved) established under the sheltered sites. Exotic nursery vegetation and the establishment of native species, which will, in time, act as a seed source, will be important in successfully restoring a sustainable indigenous element in the cultural landscape of Canterbury. Ecological restoration requires an integrated approach, identifying and understanding the component processes of regeneration, and of the particular aspects/characteristics of the sites involved. This research shows that naturally established plants where existing shelter is available (in this case established willows) tend to have higher growth rates than individually planted plants in open situations, and that the availability of a suitable seed source can also contribute to successful establishment and growth rates. The meeting of restoration targets on the Canterbury Plain may be accelerated, and costs reduced, through the utilisation of areas where exotic species occur (for instance, extensive willow stands in riparian areas adjacent to waterways) and more particularly, where a local seed source is also available. The findings of this research can contribute to restoration management in helping identify the best practices, based on research, that can lead to the restoration of original plant and animal communities.

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Nugent, Graham. "The role of wild deer in the epidemiology and management of bovine tuberculosis in New Zealand." Phd thesis, Lincoln University. Bio-Protection and Ecology Division, 2005. http://theses.lincoln.ac.nz/public/adt-NZLIU20070212.130927/.

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The eco-epidemiology of bovine tuberculosis (Tb) in wild deer (mainly red deer Cervus elaphus) in New Zealand was investigated. Bovine Tb is caused by Mycobacterium bovis. Specific aims were to clarify the likely routes of infection in deer, and to determine the status of deer as hosts of Tb, the likely rates and routes of inter- and intra-species transmission between deer and other wildlife hosts, the role of deer in spreading Tb, and the likely utility of deer as sentinels of Tb presence in wildlife. As the possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is the main wildlife host of Tb, the research also included some investigation of transmission routes in possums. Patterns of infection were measured in 994 deer killed between 1993 and 2003. Tb prevalence varied between areas (range 836%). Few deer had generalised infection, with 2168% of infected deer having no visible lesions, depending on the area. The retropharyngeal lymph nodes and oropharyngeal tonsils were commonly infected. No dependent fawns less than 0.75 years old were infected, indicating intra-species transmission is rare in wild deer. Where possums were not controlled, the net (cumulative) force of infection in young (14 y) deer was 0.100.24 per year in males and 0.090.12 per year in females, but much lower in older deer (less than 0.05 per year). Possum control reduced the net force of infection quickly, and eventually to zero. However, Tb persisted in possum-controlled areas through immigration of infected deer and, for almost a decade, through the survival of resident deer infected before possum control. Tb was lost from infected deer at an exponential rate of 0.13 per year, mostly as a result of deer recovering from infection rather than dying from it. Wild deer do die of Tb, but there was no discernible effect on age structure. The occurrence of infection in deer was not linked to the local deer or possum density at their kill sites (i.e. in their home range), but the area-wide prevalence of Tb in deer was closely correlated with Tb levels in possums, which were in turn correlated with area-wide measures of possum density. For wild deer in New Zealand, Tb is a persistent but usually inconsequential disease of the lymphatic system. It is acquired mainly by young independent deer, usually orally via the tonsils, and probably as a result of licking infected possums. Many species fed on deer carrion, including possums. Most possums encountering carrion did not feed on it, but a few fed for long periods. Other scavengers such ferrets (Mustela furo), hawks (Circus approximans), and weka (a hen-sized flightless native bird; Gallirallus australis) fed in a way that probably increased the infectivity of carrion to possums. Commercial deer hunting may have facilitated the historical establishment of Tb in possums. Scavenging (including cannibalism) and interactions with dead and dying possums are identified for the first time as potentially important routes for transmission of Tb to possums, and I develop new hypotheses involving peri- and post-mortem transmission in possums that explain many of the epidemiological patterns that are characteristic of the disease in possum. In continuous native forest, deer home range size averaged 250 hectares for six young females, and over twice that for two males. Over 90% of infected deer are likely to die within 2 km (females) or 6 km (males) of where they acquired Tb, but deer could occasionally carry Tb up to 30 km. Deer will be useful as sentinels, but only where other sentinels are rare, because the force of infection for a deer with a single infected possum in its home range is only 0.004 per year, compared to greater than 0.2 per year for deliberately released pigs. Deer are occasionally capable of initiating new cycles of infection in wildlife, but deer control is not essential to eradicate Tb from wildlife.

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Newcombe, Vernon Claude. "Mercury use in the goldmining industry : a retrospective examination of elemental mercury use in the gold mining industry of the West Coast of New Zealand in the period 1984-1988 : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Philosophy (Science) at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand." Massey University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/832.

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Berndt, Lisa A. "The effect of floral resources on the leafroller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) parasitoid Dolichogenidea tasmanica (Cameron)(Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in selected New Zealand vineyards." Lincoln University, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1045.

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In this study, buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and alyssum (Lobularia maritima (L.)) flowers were used to examine the effect of floral resources on the efficacy of the leafroller parasitoid Dolichogenidea tasmanica (Cameron) in vineyards. This was done by assessing the influence of these flowers on parasitoid abundance and parasitism rate, and by investigating the consequences of this for leafroller abundance. In laboratory experiments, alyssum flowers were used to investigate the effect of floral food on the longevity, fecundity and sex ratio of D. tasmanica. Dolichogenidea tasmanica comprised more than 95 % of parasitoids reared from field collected leafrollers in this study. The abundance of D. tasmanica during the 1999-2000 growing season was very low compared with previous studies, possibly due to the very low abundance of its leafroller hosts during the experiment. The number of males of this species on yellow sticky traps was increased (although not significantly) when buckwheat flowers were planted in a Marlborough vineyard; however, the number of female D. tasmanica on traps was no greater with flowers than without. The abundance of another leafroller parasitoid, Glyptapanteles demeter (Wilkinson)(Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on traps was also not significantly affected by the presence of buckwheat flowers, although females of this species were caught in greater numbers in the control than in buckwheat plots. Naturally-occurring leafrollers were collected from three vineyard sites in Marlborough, and one in Canterbury during the 2000-2001 season to assess the effect of buckwheat and alyssum flowers on parasitism rate. Parasitism rate more than doubled in the presence of buckwheat at one of the Marlborough vineyards, but alyssum had no effect on parasitism rate in Canterbury. A leafroller release/recover method, used when naturally-occurring leafrollers were too scarce to collect, was unable to detect any effect of buckwheat or alyssum on parasitism rate. Mean parasitism rates of approximately 20 % were common in Marlborough, although rates ranged from 0 % to 45 % across the three vineyard sites in that region. In Canterbury in April, mean parasitism rates were approximately 40 % (Chapter 4). Rates were higher on upper canopy leaves (40-60 %) compared with lower canopy leaves and bunches (0-25 %). Leafroller abundance was apparently not affected by the presence of buckwheat in Marlborough, or alyssum in Canterbury. Buckwheat did, however, significantly reduce the amount of leafroller evidence (webbed leafroller feeding sites on leaves or in bunches) in Marlborough, suggesting that the presence of these flowers may reduce leafroller populations. Leafrollers infested less than 0.1 % of Cabernet Sauvignon leaves throughout the 1999-2000 growing season, but increased in abundance in bunches to infest a maximum of 0.5 % of bunches in late March in Marlborough. In Pinot Noir vines in the 2000-2001 season, leafroller abundance was also low, although sampling was not conducted late in the season when abundance reaches a peak. In Riesling vines in Canterbury, between 1.5 % and 2.5 % of bunches were infested with leafrollers in April. In the laboratory, alyssum flowers significantly increased the longevity and lifetime fecundity of D. tasmanica compared with a no-flower treatment. However, daily fecundity was not increased by the availability of food, suggesting that the greater lifetime fecundity was related to increases in longevity. Parasitoids were also able to obtain nutrients from whitefly honeydew, which resulted in similar longevity and daily fecundity to those when alyssum flowers were present. The availability of food had a significant effect on the offspring sex ratio of D. tasmanica. Parasitoids reared from naturally-occurring leafrollers produced an equal sex ratio, assumed to be the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) for this species. In the laboratory, this ESS was observed only when parasitoids had access to alyssum flowers. Without food, or with honeydew only, sex ratios were strongly male-biased. In the field, floral resources affected the sex ratio of D. tasmanica only when this species was reared from leafrollers released and recovered in Marlborough. In that experiment, buckwheat shifted the sex ratio in favour of female production from the equal sex ratio found in control plots. No firm explanations can be given to account for these results, due to a lack of research in this area. Possible mechanisms for the changes in sex ratio with flowers are discussed. This study demonstrated that flowers are an important source of nutrients for D. tasmanica, influencing the longevity, fecundity and offspring sex ratio of this species. However, only some of the field experiments were able to show any positive effect of the provision of floral resources on parasitoid abundance or parasitism rate. More information is needed on the role these parasitoids, and other natural enemies, play in regulating leafroller populations in New Zealand vineyards, and on how they use floral resources in the field, before recommendations can be made regarding the adoption of this technology by growers.

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Dittmer, Keren Elizabeth. "Inherited rickets in Corriedale sheep : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand." Massey University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/882.

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Inherited rickets of Corriedale sheep is a newly discovered skeletal disease of sheep with simple autosomal recessive inheritance. The clinical signs resemble rickets in other species and include decreased growth rate, thoracic lordosis and angular limb deformities. Radiographic features include physeal thickening, blurred metaphyseal trabeculae and thickened porous cortices. Computed tomography scanning of long bones reveals increased bone mineral content and cortical area, but decreased bone mineral density. Gross lesions include segmental thickening of physes, growth arrest lines, collapse of subchondral bone of the humeral head, thickened cortices and enthesophytes around distal limb joints. Microscopically there is persistence of hypertrophic chondrocytes at sites of endochondral ossification, inappropriate and excessive osteoclastic resorption, microfractures and wide, unmineralised osteoid seams lining trabeculae and filling secondary osteons. Affected sheep are persistently hypophosphataemic and hypocalcaemic. Normal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 concentration accompanied by a two-fold elevation in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) suggested a defect in endorgan responsiveness to vitamin D as a likely mechanism, but this was not supported by in vitro studies using cultured skin fibroblasts. These studies revealed normal vitamin D receptor function and the presence of 24- hydroxylase mRNA in cells from affected sheep, even without induction by 1,25(OH)2D3. Inappropriate overexpression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-24- hydroxylase, the enzyme that breaks down active vitamin D, is therefore considered the probable cause of inherited rickets in Corriedale sheep. Such a mechanism has not previously been described as a cause of inherited rickets in humans or other animal species. Treatment of affected sheep with high oral doses of vitamin D3 weekly for 3 months showed a trend towards increased bone mineral density, thus supporting an intact vitamin D receptor. Preliminary studies on immune function revealed reduced numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes and reduced interferon-? production by lymphocytes stimulated with parasite antigen. This new form of inherited rickets may be widespread in

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Kautoke-Holani, Alisi Wenonalita. "Agricultural export growth and economic development for Tonga : the quest for efficiency : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Public Policy at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand." Massey University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10179/899.

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Neo-liberalism has become the dominant approach to economic development since the 1980s. Based on the economic principle of “efficiency”, the Washington Consensus and its supporters have avidly promoted the neoliberal orthodoxy as the ideal blueprint for the economic development of all countries in every region. However, as this thesis has discovered, the efficiency of public policy is weighed not by its conformity to an ideology but on how effective it responds to the economic and social problems of the population in question. In recent years Tonga has endured severe economic shocks which have pushed its low growth economy to the brink of economic crisis. In response to this crisis, the Government has chosen greater economic liberalisation and private sector – led growth to lead the economy to recovery. The Washington Consensus and its international supporters claim that this is the best policy response for Tonga due to the belief that greater liberalisation leads to greater efficiency. This thesis however believes that at the current dire state of the economy, it is not enough for Tongan public policy to just conform to international views on efficient economic development but to ensure that its economic development policies address the economic and social needs of the general Tongan population. With this in mind, this thesis investigated the role of agriculture in economic development. It identified that for an agriculture-based country such as Tonga, at low levels of growth, agricultural development is fundamental to long term economic growth. This research also revealed that agricultural growth is maximised through trade hence suggesting increased focus on agricultural export development. Based on these findings, this research project set out to verify the efficiency of Government agricultural policies by identifying the views of agricultural exporters and comparing these with Government approaches to agricultural export development in Tonga.

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Irvin, N. A. "Understorey management for the enhancement of populations of a leafroller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) parasitoid (Dolichogenidea tasmanica (Cameron)) in Canterbury, New Zealand apple orchards." Lincoln University, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/10182/1111.

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Abstract:

This study investigated understorey management in Canterbury, New Zealand, apple orchards for the enhancement of populations of Dolichogenidea tasmanica (Cameron) (Braconidae) for leafroller (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) biological control. The first objective was to determine the influence of understorey plants on the abundance of D. tasmanica and leafroller parasitism, and to investigate the mechanisms behind this influence. The second was to determine the most suitable understorey plants in terms of their ability to enhance parasitoid abundance, leafroller parasitism, parasitoid longevity, parasitoid fecundity and its ability to not benefit leafroller. Results from three consecutive field trials showed that buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), alyssum (Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv), and, to a lesser extent, broad bean (Vicia faba L.), enhanced parasitoid abundance and leafroller parasitism. The mechanisms behind the effects of understorey plants had previously been unexplored. However, results here showed that it was the flowers or the buckwheat that 'attracted' the parasitoid to the plant and not the shelter, aphids or microclimate that the plant may also provide. Providing flowering plants in the orchard understorey also increased immigration of parasitoids and enhanced parasitoids and enhanced parasitoid longevity and fecundity in the laboratory. In contrast, the understorey plants had no influence on the female:male ratio of D. tasmanica. Although coriander enhanced leafroller parasitism three-fold in field experiments compared with controls, it failed to enhance the longevity of both sexes of D. tasmanica in the laboratory compared with water-only. Broad bean significantly enhanced parasitoid abundance three-fold and significantly increased parasitism from 0% to 75% compared with the controls on one leafroller release date. However, laboratory trials showed that of male D. tasmancia but it did not enhance female longevity. Also, female D. tasmanica foraging on broad bean produced a total of only three parasitoid cocoons, but this result was based on an overall 6.5% survival of larvae to pupae or to parasitoid cocoon. Furthermore, results suggested that extrafloral nectar secretion decreased as the plants matured. Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth.) did not significantly enhance parasitism rate in the field compared with controls, and numbers of D. tasmanica captured by suction sampling were significantly lower in phacelia treatments compared with alyssum, buckwheat and control plots. Also, laboratory experiments showed that survival of D. tasmanica on phacelia flowers was equivalent to that on water-only and significantly lower than on buckwheat. These results suggest that phacelia does not provide nectar to D. tasmanica, only pollen, and therefore is not a suitable understorey plant for D. tasmanica enhancement in orchards. Buckwheat and alyssum showed the most potential as understorey plants for the enhancement of natural enemies. Buckwheat not only increased numbers of D. tasmanica seven-fold, but also increased numbers of beneficial lacewings (Micromus tasmaniae (Walker)) and hover flies (Syrphidae) captured on yellow sticky traps compared with the controls. It significantly increased leafroller parasitism by D. tasmanica from 0% to 86% compared with the controls (on one date only), and in the laboratory enhanced D. tasmanica longevity and increased fecundity compared with water-only. Similarly, alyssum significantly increased parasitism rate compared with controls, and two-fold more D. tasmanica were suction sampled in these plots compared with controls. It also enhanced longevity of both sexes of D. tasmanica compared with water, and showed the most favourable characteristics in terms of being of no benefit to leafrollers. This is because it was not preferred over apple by leafroller larvae and when they were forced to feed on it, it caused high mortality (94.3%) and low pupal weight (15 mg). Furthermore, alyssum did not enhance the number of fertile eggs produced by adult leafrollers compared with water only. However, further research is required to address the overall effect of buckwheat and alyssum on crop production and orchard management, including effects on fruit yield and quality, frost risk, disease incidence, soil quality, weeds and other pests. Also, research into the ability of these plants to survive in the orchard with little maintenance, and into the optimal sowing rates, would be useful. Sampling natural populations of leafroller within each treatment showed that damage from leafrollers and the number of leafroller larvae were respectively 20.3% and 29.3% lower in the flowering treatments compared with the controls. Furthermore, field trials showed up to a six-fold increase in leafroller pupae in controls compared with buckwheat and alyssum. This suggests that increasing leafroller parasitism rate from understorey management in orchards will translate into lower pest populations, although neither larval numbers/damage nor pupal numbers differed significantly between treatments. Trapping D. tasmanica at a gradient of distances showed that this parasitoid travels into rows adjacent to buckwheat plots, indicating that growers may be able to sow flowering plants in every second or third row of the orchard, and still enhance leafroller biocontrol while minimising the adverse effects of a cover crop. Sowing buckwheat and alyssum in orchard understoreys may enhance biological control of apple pests in organic apple production and reduce the number of insect growth regulators applied in IFP programmes. However, the challenge still remains to investigate whether conservation biological control can reduce leafroller populations below economic thresholds.

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Hrubý, Ondřej. "Zemědělská politika Nového Zélandu v porovnání se SZP EU." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2011. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-112675.

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Theses deals with agricultural policy of New Zealand in comparsion with the EU Common Agricultural Policy. Subject of examination is their impact on foreign trade in agricultural goods as well as impact on the farmers themselves. On the basis of the analysis of agricultural policies in New Zealand and the European Union is subsequently conducted an evaluation of both policies. The approaches in both territories are then comprehensively compared. In concclusion is outlined the possible future development.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'New Zealand agriculture'

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