scholarly journals Tectonic blocks and molecular clocks

2016 ◽  
Vol 371 (1699) ◽  
pp. 20160098 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth De Baets ◽  
Alexandre Antonelli ◽  
Philip C. J. Donoghue
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Molecular Clock ◽  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Molecular Clocks ◽  
Geological Data ◽  
Isthmus Of Panama ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Age Constraints

Evolutionary timescales have mainly used fossils for calibrating molecular clocks, though fossils only really provide minimum clade age constraints. In their place, phylogenetic trees can be calibrated by precisely dated geological events that have shaped biogeography. However, tectonic episodes are protracted, their role in vicariance is rarely justified, the biogeography of living clades and their antecedents may differ, and the impact of such events is contingent on ecology. Biogeographic calibrations are no panacea for the shortcomings of fossil calibrations, but their associated uncertainties can be accommodated. We provide examples of how biogeographic calibrations based on geological data can be established for the fragmentation of the Pangaean supercontinent: (i) for the uplift of the Isthmus of Panama, (ii) the separation of New Zealand from Gondwana, and (iii) for the opening of the Atlantic Ocean. Biogeographic and fossil calibrations are complementary, not competing, approaches to constraining molecular clock analyses, providing alternative constraints on the age of clades that are vital to avoiding circularity in investigating the role of biogeographic mechanisms in shaping modern biodiversity. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Dating species divergences using rocks and clocks’.

scholarly journals The choice of tree prior and molecular clock does not substantially affect phylogenetic inferences of diversification rates

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brice A. J. Sarver ◽  
Matthew W. Pennell ◽  
Joseph W. Brown ◽  
Sara Keeble ◽  
Kayla M. Hardwick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Clock ◽  
Substitution Rate ◽  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Molecular Clocks ◽  
Estimation Of Parameters ◽  
Rate Heterogeneity ◽  
Diversification Rates ◽  
The Impact

AbstractComparative methods allow researchers to make inferences about evolutionary processes and patterns from phylogenetic trees. In Bayesian phylogenetics, estimating a phylogeny requires specifying priors on parameters characterizing the branching process and rates of substitution among lineages, in addition to others. However, the effect that the selection of these priors has on the inference of comparative parameters has not been thoroughly investigated. Such uncertainty may systematically bias phylogenetic reconstruction and, subsequently, parameter estimation. Here, we focus on the impact of priors in Bayesian phylogenetic inference and evaluate how they affect the estimation of parameters in macroevolutionary models of lineage diversification. Specifically, we use BEAST to simulate trees under combinations of tree priors and molecular clocks, simulate sequence data, estimate trees, and estimate diversification parameters (e.g., speciation rates and extinction rates) from these trees. When substitution rate heterogeneity is large, parameter estimates deviate substantially from those estimated under the simulation conditions when not captured by an appropriate choice of relaxed molecular clock. However, in general, we find that the choice of tree prior and molecular clock has relatively little impact on the estimation of diversification rates insofar as the sequence data are sufficiently informative and substitution rate heterogeneity among lineages is low-to-moderate.

scholarly journals The choice of tree prior and molecular clock does not substantially affect phylogenetic inferences of diversification rates

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brice A.J. Sarver ◽  
Matthew W. Pennell ◽  
Joseph W. Brown ◽  
Sara Keeble ◽  
Kayla M. Hardwick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Clock ◽  
Substitution Rate ◽  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Phylogenetic Reconstruction ◽  
Molecular Clocks ◽  
Estimation Of Parameters ◽  
Rate Heterogeneity ◽  
Diversification Rates ◽  
The Impact

Comparative methods allow researchers to make inferences about evolutionary processes and patterns from phylogenetic trees. In Bayesian phylogenetics, estimating a phylogeny requires specifying priors on parameters characterizing the branching process and rates of substitution among lineages, in addition to others. Accordingly, characterizing the effect of prior selection on phylogenies is an active area of research. The choice of priors may systematically bias phylogenetic reconstruction and, subsequently, affect conclusions drawn from the resulting phylogeny. Here, we focus on the impact of priors in Bayesian phylogenetic inference and evaluate how they affect the estimation of parameters in macroevolutionary models of lineage diversification. Specifically, we simulate trees under combinations of tree priors and molecular clocks, simulate sequence data, estimate trees, and estimate diversification parameters (e.g., speciation and extinction rates) from these trees. When substitution rate heterogeneity is large, diversification rate estimates deviate substantially from those estimated under the simulation conditions when not captured by an appropriate choice of relaxed molecular clock. However, in general, we find that the choice of tree prior and molecular clock has relatively little impact on the estimation of diversification rates insofar as the sequence data are sufficiently informative and substitution rate heterogeneity among lineages is low-to-moderate.

scholarly journals National movement patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand: the unexplored role of neighbourhood deprivation

2021 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-216108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm Campbell ◽  
Lukas Marek ◽  
Jesse Wiki ◽  
Matthew Hobbs ◽  
Clive E Sabel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Debate ◽  
Population Mobility ◽  
Neighbourhood Deprivation ◽  
Movement Data ◽  
Spatial Inequalities ◽  
The Impact

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has asked unprecedented questions of governments around the world. Policy responses have disrupted usual patterns of movement in society, locally and globally, with resultant impacts on national economies and human well-being. These interventions have primarily centred on enforcing lockdowns and introducing social distancing recommendations, leading to questions of trust and competency around the role of institutions and the administrative apparatus of state. This study demonstrates the unequal societal impacts in population movement during a national ‘lockdown’.MethodsWe use nationwide mobile phone movement data to quantify the effect of an enforced lockdown on population mobility by neighbourhood deprivation using an ecological study design. We then derive a mobility index using anonymised aggregated population counts for each neighbourhood (2253 Census Statistical Areas; mean population n=2086) of national hourly mobile phone location data (7.45 million records, 1 March 2020–20 July 2020) for New Zealand (NZ).ResultsCurtailing movement has highlighted and exacerbated underlying social and spatial inequalities. Our analysis reveals the unequal movements during ‘lockdown’ by neighbourhood socioeconomic status in NZ.ConclusionIn understanding inequalities in neighbourhood movements, we are contributing critical new evidence to the policy debate about the impact(s) and efficacy of national, regional or local lockdowns which have sparked such controversy.

scholarly journals Evaluating the role of contracting and expanding rainforest in initiating cycles of speciation across the Isthmus of Panama

2012 ◽  
Vol 279 (1742) ◽  
pp. 3520-3526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Tilston Smith ◽  
Amei Amei ◽  
John Klicka
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Tropical Regions ◽  
Isthmus Of Panama ◽  
Species Pairs ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
High Species Richness ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Tropics ◽  
The Impact

Climatic and geological changes across time are presumed to have shaped the rich biodiversity of tropical regions. However, the impact climatic drying and subsequent tropical rainforest contraction had on speciation has been controversial because of inconsistent palaeoecological and genetic data. Despite the strong interest in examining the role of climatic change on speciation in the Neotropics there has been few comparative studies, particularly, those that include non-rainforest taxa. We used bird species that inhabit humid or dry habitats that dispersed across the Panamanian Isthmus to characterize temporal and spatial patterns of speciation across this barrier. Here, we show that these two assemblages of birds exhibit temporally different speciation time patterns that supports multiple cycles of speciation. Evidence for these cycles is further corroborated by the finding that both assemblages consist of ‘young’ and ‘old’ species, despite dry habitat species pairs being geographically more distant than pairs of humid habitat species. The matrix of humid and dry habitats in the tropics not only allows for the maintenance of high species richness, but additionally this study suggests that these environments may have promoted speciation. We conclude that differentially expanding and contracting distributions of dry and humid habitats was probably an important contributor to speciation in the tropics.

Inter‐ and intrapersonal processes underlying authoritarianism: The role of social conformity and personal need for structure

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 607-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Jugert ◽  
J. Christopher Cohrs ◽  
John Duckitt
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Cognitive Style ◽  
Interpersonal Process ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Social Conformity ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Personal Need For Structure ◽  
Order Factor ◽  
The Impact

Several personality constructs have been theorised to underlie right‐wing authoritarianism (RWA). In samples from New Zealand and Germany (Ns = 218, 259), we tested whether these constructs can account for specific variance in RWA. In both samples, social conformity and personal need for structure were independent predictors of RWA. In Sample 2, where also openness to experience was measured, social conformity and personal need for structure fully mediated the impact of the higher‐order factor of openness on RWA. Our results contribute to the integration of current approaches to the personality basis of authoritarianism and suggest that two distinct personality processes contribute to RWA: An interpersonal process related to social conformity and an intrapersonal process related to rigid cognitive style. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

scholarly journals Formovanie kultúrnej a etnickej identity Maoriov prostredníctvom príslušnosti ku gangu

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-84
Author(s):  
Lucia Bistárová ◽  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Sense Of Belonging ◽  
Cultural Engagement ◽  
Ethnic And Cultural Identity ◽  
Cultural Identity Development ◽  
The Impact

Though often called a “heaven on Earth” New Zealand suffers from a serious problem with gangs. Ethnic gangs have dominated the New Zealand gang scene since the 70s when many Maoris left traditional rural areas and migrated in search of work to the cities but ended up in poverty because of lack of skills and poorly-paid jobs. Maori urbanization and the dual pressures of acculturation and discrimination resulted in a breakdown of the traditional Maori social structures and alienated many from their culture. Maoris who have been unable to maintain their ethnic and cultural identity through their genealogical ties and involvement in Maori culture attempt to find it elsewhere. For many of those that have lost contact with their cultural and ethnic links gangs have replaced families and community and provides individuals with a sense of belonging and safety. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the role of gangs in Maori ethnic and cultural identity development. This paper demonstrates the impact of gang environment on individual identity development and provides evidence that cultural engagement initiatives can enhance Maori identities, which in turn could increase psychological and socio-economic wellbeing.

scholarly journals NEW ZEALAND HORTICULTURAL EXPORTS

HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 589a-589
Author(s):  
D. H. Turner
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Marketing Technology ◽  
The Past ◽  
Export Expansion ◽  
Future 2 ◽  
The Impact

New Zealand horticultural exports expanded rapidly during 1970-1990. These increases did not occur without some difficulties. Details of the export expansion including main products and major markets (such as the U. S. and Pacific Rim Countries) will be discussed. Key factors such as: 1) marketing strategies of the past, present, and future; 2) the impact of new marketing technology; and 3) importance of New Zealand image will be detailed. The role of education and technology and the skill level of New Zealand horticulture will be reviewed. This will include the New Zealand tertiary education system as well as relevant examples of how universities can assist.

Educational Restructuring from a Community Viewpoint: A Case Study of School Closure from Invercargill, New Zealand

10.1068/c05r ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Witten ◽  
Robin Kearns ◽  
Nick Lewis ◽  
Heather Coster ◽  
Tim McCreanor
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
School Closure ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Educational Restructuring ◽  
Low Income Families ◽  
The Impact

Beyond their educational function, schools are frequently a focal point for community life. We argue that this latter role was compromised in New Zealand by a decade of neoliberal realignments within education policy. During the 1990s the abolition of school zones, the commodification of education, and the drive for efficiency in the allocation of educational resources undermined the place of school in community life. In this paper we explore the impacts of a school closure on an urban neighbourhood in Invercargill, New Zealand. We present and interpret narratives gathered during an interview-based study of the closure of Surrey Park Primary School. Our analysis highlights parents' perspectives on the role of the educational bureaucracy in the closure debate, the ambiguous role assigned to ‘community’ within the restructured system, the impact of the closure for low-income families, and the place of schools in contributing to the neighbourhood social cohesion. Our analysis concurs with international research suggesting that breaking links between schools and communities has potentially significant educational impacts on children.

scholarly journals Taming the Wild West: a Framework for Regulating and Applying Broadcasting Standards to Internet Content in New Zealand

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Matthew Charles Dearing
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Freedom Of Expression ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Distant Future ◽  
Good Taste ◽  
Time Gap ◽  
Children's Interests ◽  
The Impact ◽  
To Receive

<p>The role of the Broadcasting Standards Authority (BSA) is to determine the areas where, and the extent to which, television and radio broadcasters' right to freedom of expression should give way to other interests that are highly valued in society. The BSA does this by applying the Codes of Broadcasting Practice, which contain standards relating to things such as good taste and decency, balance and accuracy in news and factual programmes, privacy and children's interests. Due to a combination of media convergence onto the Internet and outdated legislation, the BSA is finding itself caught in a techno-legal time gap, where it has no ability to deal with programming content provided by broadcasters via the Internet. In the not-too-distant future, the Internet will become the dominant platform of choice, both for broadcasters to provide programming content and for consumers to receive it. This dissertation examines the impact that the Internet has had on the modern media environment and the problems raised by the BSA's lack of jurisdiction to deal with programming content located on the websites of New Zealand-based broadcasters. To ensure that the BSA and the broadcasting standards regime in general does not become obsolete, this paper advocates for the BSA to be given express statutory jurisdiction to deal with complaints concerning programming content on New Zealand-based websites operated by Internet broadcasters.</p>

scholarly journals Observations and insights on pasture persistence in New Zealand

2011 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 47-51
Author(s):  
P.M.S. Lane
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Insect Pest ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
The Past ◽  
Clover Root ◽  
The Impact

This essay contains personal observations and interpretations by the author on the persistence of pastures in the northern North Island. Key pasture stress factors are identified as the increase of farming intensity over the past two decades, the impact of pasture renewal techniques and the role of pasture species on insect pest (particularly black beetle and clover root weevil) interactions. Keywords: insect pests, soil fertility, pasture renewal, cultivars, endophyte

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