Incorporating Māori values into land management decision tools

ABSTRACT

Environmental sustainability and the long-term wellbeing of Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) are interdependent and degradation of landscapes risks the progressive degradation of Māori wellbeing. The present study developed an analysis framework based on Ki Uta Ki Tai (holistic-mountains to the sea- management philosophy advocated by Ngāi Tahu) for exploring relationships between landcover and Māori values to enable predictions of cultural values through space and time. We used this framework to predict how two Māori values (Overall Health and Cultural Land Use) have been altered as a result of landcover change between 2001–2012 in three Canterbury catchments. The area of native vegetation declined while exotic pasture increased between 2001–2012, and there were corresponding declines in both cultural health scores. These results suggest that the change in landcover has reduced the ability of the landscape to support Māori values. This framework for assessing changes in Māori values with respect to changing environmental conditions may identify opportunities for Māori to better engage in land use management decisions.     

Microbial Biomass Dynamics Along a Trophic Gradient at the Atlantic Barrier Reef off Belize (Central America)

Abstract. Recent findings indicate that heterotrophic bacteria and not phytoplankton are the most numerous biomass components even in the euphotic zone of oligotrophic, open oceans. In this study it was hypothesized that the microbial biomass components change within a few hundred meters as oligotrophic water flows across the reef and becomes enriched with nutrients. Along a trophic gradient, four stations at the Atlantic Barrier Reef off Belize (Central America) were sampled for microbial biomass components. Phytoplankton biomass (measured as chlorophyll a) ranged from the most oligotrophic station (St. 1) to the most eutrophic station (St. 4) from 6.9–415.5 μg CI"' (assuming a C:chl a ratio of 30): heterotrophic bacterial biomass increased 4-fold (from 10.1–46.4μg C 1^-1), heterotrophic nanoflagellate (HNAN) biomass increased from 4.6-19ug C 1^-1, and cyanobacteria from 0.9-4.5 μg C-1^-1. Production estimates derived from seawater cultures revealed a 5-fold increase in bacterial production from the oligotrophic station (3.7 ug C 1^-1 d^-1) to the eutrophic St. 4 (17.8ug C-1-d1^-1)- Cyanobacterial production rose from 1.1–3.5ug C-1–d^-1 and HNAN production from 0.65-1.13 μg C-1^-1 -d^-1. While cyanobacteria contributed between 13 and 20% to the autotrophic plankton component in the oligotrophic waters, their contribution dropped to about 1 % at the eutrophic stations.     

黄海测区空气微生物含量估计

本文对黄海测区空气微生物作了一次测定 ,结果表明空气中海洋性细菌、真菌的检出率分别为 52 .4 %和 4 7.6 %。陆源性细菌、真菌的检出率分别为80 .0 %和 6 0 .0 %。陆源性微生物出现机率大于海洋性的。空气微生物以细菌为主。测区平均的海洋性空气细菌、真菌、总菌量及真菌 /总菌 %分别为 592 .6 ,32 9.1 ,92 1 .7CFU·m-3 及 35.4。平均的陆源性空气细菌、真菌、总菌量及真菌 /总菌 %分别为 6 89.1、377.9、1 0 6 7.0CFU·m-3 及 35.7。文章分析了空气微生物的时空分布状态。指出测区空气微生物状态反映了海 -气、海 -陆、人和自然的相互作用。     

Rethinking Precolonial Plant Cultivation on the Northwest Coast of North America

The indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast of North America are widely believed to have been true “hunter‐fisher‐gatherers,” lacking plant cultivation of any kind. This depiction of the region's indigenous inhabitants emerged within early colonial accounts and was perpetuated within the literatures of geography, anthropology, and archaeology. Still, there is ample evidence of plant cultivation available from archival, archaeological, and ethnographic sources. In particular, the peoples of coastal British Columbia created large gardens of edible estuarine plants, using sophisticated indigenous technologies. The oversight of these practices in written representations of the region reveals consistent patterns of bias, emanating from the agendas of colonial agents and early academics alike. In turn, this bias has undermined aboriginal traditions of cultivation and indigenous land claims.     

Amelioration of soil fertility by woody perennials in cropping fields: evaluation of three tree species in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria

Soil was sampled from cropping fields in radial patterns from beneathAcacia albida, Parkia bigloboza(Jacq.) Benth. andEucalyptus camaldulensisDehnh. near Zaria, Nigeria. Results of analysis show a significant coarsening of soil texture and a decrease in organic matter and cation exchange capacity with increasing distance from all three tree species at a depth of 0–15 cm. Concentrations of nitrogen and some exchangeable cations decreased significantly with increasing distance from beneath acacia and parkia, and soil pH decreased with increasing distance from eucalyptus. The implication of the results for land management are discussed in relation to increasing productivity and soil use sustainability.     

南极中国长城站空气微生物含量监测(英)

The outdoor air borne microbial content over Great Wall Station, Antarctica has been monitored, including its diurnal variations and states in fair or foul weather conditions.The results obtained show: the concentration averaged 161. 9 CFU. m-3. When the weather condition was fair, its range of variation is 0～1 336. 2 CFU. m-3, the average value was 1488. 3 CFU. m-3,when the weather was foul, the range of variation was 471. 4-4 296. 8 CFU. m-3. The average value of air borne microbial number in either fair or foul weather was 383. 0 CFU. m-3. This value is over than 21 times that obtained during 1986/1987.The results seem to show that the influence of human activities have been increasing on Antarctic ecosystem. The diurnal variation of the outdoor air borne microbes shows that the peak of content appeared at about 01: 00, and the trough at about 13: 00 in a whole day. Analyses were made of the relationships between the microbial concentration with its related indexes, i. e. relevant air temperature relative humidity or wind force.The results showed some particularities as compared with those from the areas outside Antarctica.     

Stormflow dynamics and loads of Escherichia coli in a large mixed land use catchment

Storm events are major transporters of faecal microbial contaminants, but few studies have reported storm loads or concentration dynamics in relation to discharge or other pollutants, notably fine sediment. Episodically, high loads of faecal contamination during storm flows impact downstream uses of water bodies, particularly contact recreation and shellfish harvesting. We examined the storm dynamics of Escherichia coli, turbidity and discharge in the mixed land use Motueka catchment (2047 km²; 60% forest and 19% pasture) to gain insights into E. coli sources and transport. We also explored different approaches for calculating E. coli loads. Discharge and field turbidity were recorded continuously, and E. coli concentrations were sampled during events, over a 13‐month period near the mouth of the Motueka River. E. coli loads were estimated by interpolation, averaging estimators and by using linear regression with smearing correction of the log‐transformed variables: discharge, turbidity, and both turbidity and discharge. The annual E. coli load was dominated (～98%) by export during events. Comparison of monthly monitoring with the intensive storm monitoring campaign suggests that simple stratification of the sampling into storm and baseflow would greatly improve export estimates. E. coli peak concentrations always preceded discharge and turbidity peaks (which had similar timing). Turbidity can be a useful surrogate for faecal microbes in smaller catchments, but in the Motueka turbidity was no better for predicting E. coli concentration than discharge. Runoff from grazed pasture and direct deposition from livestock are probably the ultimate E. coli sources in the Motueka catchment. However, in‐channel stores seem to dominate E. coli dynamics during events and account for the typical feature of bacterial concentrations peaking ahead of discharge and turbidity. This study demonstrates the importance of storm events to faecal microbial loads and shows that E. coli concentration dynamics may contrast with those of turbidity. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water Flows Toward Power: Socioecological Degradation of Lake Urmia,Iran

Water is an invaluable resource, and equitable access to it is a fundamental human right. Disenfranchised groups often lose access to water resources because their interests are not well represented by decision makers. Excluding these groups from resource management policy often results in myopic decisions that contribute to further ecosystem damage. We describe the ecological degradation of Lake Urmia in Iran, which has recently experienced increased salinity and declining water quantity. The lake is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Ramsar site, and supports unique biodiversity in the region. The lake's decline is driven by the destruction of Zagros forests and the government's water policies, which diverted water to more politically connected agricultural land users, increasing social inequity and prompting more deforestation. The most straightforward restoration solution is to discontinue the diversions and allow critical inflows to recharge Lake Urmia, preserving the lake and wetlands for migratory birds, tourists, and local communities.