New Zealand translocations: theory and practice

1995 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doug P. Armstong ◽  
Ian G. McLean

One of the most common tools in New Zealand conservation is to translocate species to new locations. There have now been over 400 translocations done for conservation reasons, mainly involving terrestrial birds. Most translocations have been done strictly as management exercises, with little or no reference to theory. Nevertheless, translocations always involve some underlying theory, given that people must inevitably choose among a range of potential translocation strategies. We review theory relevant to translocations in the following areas: habitat requirements, susceptibility to predation, behavioural adaptation, population dynamics, genetics, metapopulation dynamics, and community ecology. For each area we review and evaluate the models that seem to underpin translocation strategies used in New Zealand. We report experiments testing some of these models, but note that theory underlying translocation strategies is largely untested despite a long history of translocations. We conclude by suggesting key areas for research, both theoretical and empirical. We particularly recommend that translocations be designed as experimental tests of hypotheses whenever possible.

Author(s):  
G.W. Bourdôt ◽  
S. Lamoureaux

Giant buttercup (Ranunculus acris L.) is estimated to cost the New Zealand dairy industry $118 million annually in lost milksolid production opportunity through the exclusion of palatable pasture species. Historical reliance by dairy farmers on annual or biennial applications of the 'phenoxy' herbicides MCPA and MCPB, has led to the widespread evolution of phenoxy-herbicide-resistant populations of the weed. The newer herbicides, thifensulfuron methyl and flumetsulam are now being used against giant buttercup, although thifensuluron, like MCPA, can cause clover damage and as a result may promote the growth of giant buttercup populations. In this paper we review the history of giant buttercup management on New Zealand dairy farms and the science that led to the discovery of the herbicide resistance. We also attempt to define a path toward sustainable ecologically-based management of this weed based upon an improved understanding of its population dynamics and the use of a pasture-selective mycoherbicide utilizing the naturally-occurring fungus, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Keywords: dairy pasture, economics, giant buttercup, herbicide resistance, mycoherbicide, opportunity cost, population dynamics, Ranunculus acris, weed


2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles J. Krebs

The study of population dynamics addresses three questions that are not always separated in discussions with empirical data. Two questions address population regulation. What stabilises population density is the first question, and, in spite of much theory, little progress has been made in answering this question empirically. The assumption of an equilibrium density is impossible to test and direct experimental tests to answer this question are rare. What prevents population growth is a second question, and is the classic question of population regulation. To answer this question requires an increasing population, and, with adequate experimental manipulations, the density dependent factors preventing increase can be identified. Surprisingly, answering this question has provided little assistance in solving practical problems in population dynamics, possibly because most populations are rarely in the state of growth and show a limited range of densities. What limits population density in good and poor habitats is a third question, which addresses population limitation rather than regulation, and has been the most useful question for empirical ecologists to ask. Population limitation admits of little theory and no elegant models, and highlights the gap between theory and practice in much of ecology. Defining the question clearly and adopting an experimental approach with clear alternative hypotheses will be essential to avoiding the controversies of the past while building useful generalisations for the practical problems of population management.


2014 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 25-28
Author(s):  
D.R. Stevens ◽  
J.P. Garden

The Central Otago region, with its cold winters and hot summers, and valley floors with uplift mountains is definitely "a world of difference". At the NZGA conference in Alexandra in 1966 John Hercus stated "Central Otago has a lure which sets it apart from the rest of New Zealand. Its characteristics of geology, topography and climate, its history of occupation and exploitation, its scenery at once forbidding and yet strangely fascinating - these features combine to cast a spell which few who have been exposed, can ever fully escape" (Hercus 1966). The region and its high country have an iconic status epitomised by the "Southern Man" stereotype. This places Central Otago deep in the psyche of the nation. With this goes a unique and significant set of conditions under which farming must take place. Not only does the region have the biophysical challenges of soils, water and climate to contend with, but a wider set of values, often imposed from elsewhere. Fifty years after that first conference we remain challenged. What are the opportunities in front of us and how should we best accommodate the challenge of maintaining a viable enterprise and at the same time, respecting the intense public and customer interest in our use of land and livestock? Central Otago and the associated high country of the Lakes district and McKenzie basin can be divided into three farming types. These are the valley floor irrigable type, the flat and downland dryland regions, and the high country. Each of these has challenges that are at times unique, but often overlap with problems faced in other regions.


1997 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHN C. YALDWYN ◽  
GARRY J. TEE ◽  
ALAN P. MASON

A worn Iguanodon tooth from Cuckfield, Sussex, illustrated by Mantell in 1827, 1839, 1848 and 1851, was labelled by Mantell as the first tooth sent to Baron Cuvier in 1823 and acknowledged as such by Sir Charles Lyell. The labelled tooth was taken to New Zealand by Gideon's son Walter in 1859. It was deposited in a forerunner of the Museum of New Zealand, Wellington in 1865 and is still in the Museum, mounted on a card bearing annotations by both Gideon Mantell and Lyell. The history of the Gideon and Walter Mantell collection in the Museum of New Zealand is outlined, and the Iguanodon tooth and its labels are described and illustrated. This is the very tooth which Baron Cuvier first identified as a rhinoceros incisor on the evening of 28 June 1823.


Perfect Beat ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 111-121
Author(s):  
Bruce Sheridan ◽  
Philip Hayward
Keyword(s):  

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 68
Author(s):  
А. Н. Сухов

This given article reveals the topicality not only of destructive, but also of constructive, as well as hybrid conflicts. Practically it has been done for the first time. It also describes the history of the formation of both foreign and domestic social conflictology. At the same time, the chronology of the development of the latter is restored and presented objectively, in full, taking into account the contribution of those researchers who actually stood at its origins. The article deals with the essence of the socio-psychological approach to understanding conflicts. The subject of social conflictology includes the regularities of their occurrence and manifestation at various levels, spheres and conditions, including normal, complicated and extreme ones. Social conflictology includes the theory and practice of diagnosing, resolving, and resolving social conflicts. It analyzes the difficulties that occur in defining the concept, structure, dynamics, and classification of social conflicts. Therefore, it is no accident that the most important task is to create a full-fledged theory of social conflicts. Without this, it is impossible to talk about effective settlement and resolution of social conflicts. Social conflictology is an integral part of conflictology. There is still a lot of work to be done, both in theory and in application, for its complete design. At present, there is an urgent need to develop conflict-related competence not only of professionals, but also for various groups of the population.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nélia Lúcia Fonseca

This study first approaches the history of the observer’s gaze, that is, as observers, we are forming or constructing our way of visualizing moving images. Secondly, it reaffirms the importance and need of resistance of the teaching / learning of Art as a compulsory curricular component for high school. Finally, the third part reports an experience with video art production in a class of first year high school students, establishing an interrelationship between theory and practice, that is, we study video art content to reach the production of videos, aiming as a final result, the art videos created by the students of the Reference Center in Environmental Education Forest School Prof. Eidorfe Moreira High School. The first and second stages of this research share a theoretical part of the Master ‘s thesis, Making films on the Island: audiovisual production as an escape line in Cotijuba, periphery of Belem, completed in 2013.


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