Zoology
Recent Deposits
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Putting Meaning in Naturalism: The Role of Science Films and Support for Evolution
Only 19% of Americans believe that human beings evolved over millions of years and that this occurred without any divine creator, according to recent Gallup polls (Swift, 2017). Despite overwhelming supportive evidence for ... -
Activism, Science and the Infinite Game: Exploring the relationship between science and environmental activism
According to James Carse, humanity plays two types of games. We play games that are finite and games that are infinite. As human activity alters the biosphere, ecosystems are collapsing, biodiversity is declining, and the ... -
Sub-lethal effects of brodifacoum pesticide exposure on Wellington tree weta, Hemideina crassidens
Non-target pesticide exposure causes a myriad of detrimental sub-lethal effects in a broad range of taxa, with pesticide-induced changes in behaviour, physiology and reproduction documented widely. Most studies have focused ... -
Disturbance, predation and competition in a flood-prone stream
Among the drivers of the patchy distribution of organisms in space and time are abiotic factors, including physical disturbance, and biotic interactions such as predation and competition. Our understanding of the interplay ... -
Using Stable Isotope Analysis to study the diet of stoats (Mustela erminea) in the alpine zone of New Zealand
Threats posed by alien invasive species are a leading cause of global biodiversity decline. In island archipelagos such as New Zealand, introduced mammalian predators prey heavily on endemic fauna that have evolved without ... -
The fight for coexistence: niche partitioning between kiore (Rattus exulans) and ship rats (Rattus rattus) on Chatham Island
Invasive species are a major threat to biodiversity throughout the world. In New Zealand, invasive rats represent a significant threat to native species, especially to island seabird populations. In order to determine the ... -
Population biology and the effects of tourism on Hector's Dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori), in Porpoise Bay, NZ
A small population of Hector's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus hectori) in Porpoise Bay, New Zealand, attracts a single commercial dolphin-watch vessel as well as an increasing number of swimmers who enter the water from the ... -
Fish assemblages and life history patterns in estuaries along the Otago coastline, New Zealand
Understanding the ways in which fish use estuaries is crucial to develop effective interrealm management plans that take into account all components of these highly connected ecosystems. Fish assemblages of New Zealand ... -
How do homeopathy users perceive homeopathy?
Life expectancy has steadily increased over the last two centuries due to improvements in living standards, education, science and medicine. However, instead of basing health decisions on the best scientific evidence ... -
Ecology of the giant kokopu
This study aimed to determine the distribution of giant kokopu, G. argenteus within the Lower Taieri Floodplain in New Zealand's South Island and then to examine various ecological aspects of this species including ... -
Parasitology of the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes)
The goal of this study was to determine whether parasites represent a threat to the continued existence of the Yellow-Eyed Penguin, Megadyptes antipodes. The population of this rare penguin has suffered from two severe ... -
Crowdsourcing vs. Citizen Science: A matter of terminology?
Businesses have sought to create real dialogue with their customers and gain new insights from them through this dialogue. Outsourcing some of their processes to their consumer base is one way they can form a stronger ... -
Travelling towards 2050: Climate change, storytelling and the future of travel
Climate change is a serious threat that is expected to have grave consequences for humans and ecosystems. Current travel (both daily commuting and holiday tourism) is a significant contributor to climate change. Therefore, ... -
Freshwater Macroinvertebrate Responses to Multiple Stressors: Interactions Between Fine Sediment Grain Size and Flow Velocity Reduction
Agricultural development has resulted in the degradation of freshwater ecosystems worldwide. Disentangling the individual and combined effects of agricultural stressors is crucial for future land-use management and restoration ... -
Early exposure to atrazine in zebrafish: intergenerational effects and animal personality
Animal personality (consistent inter-individual differences in behaviour over time and context) is important for an individual’s fitness. Acute exposure studies in adults show that endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can ... -
Taipōrutu, Taonga Tuku Iho. Articulating a Mātauranga Māori ‘Sense of Place’.
Māori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) cultural values in relation to resource management within New Zealand, are often co-joined with a preservation framework. The practical implication of this, places identity as ... -
Marine Noise Pollution and Cetaceans: Making the Intangible Tangible through Participatory Sci-Art Exhibition
This thesis examines how to communicate the concept of marine noise pollution and its effect on cetaceans to the general public. Tackling a largely unknown and intangible subject, it investigates how to make these effects ... -
Communicating conservation with detection dogs
Public support and awareness is essential to effectively address conservation issues such as biodiversity decline in New Zealand. There is a need to develop approaches for enhancing public awareness and attracting new ... -
Taxonomy and genetic management of New Zealand's Leiopelma frogs
The taxonomic status of some of New Zealand’s endemic and threatened leiopelmatid frogs has been debated for years. I thus re-examined leiopelmatid diversity by studying the skeletal and external morphology of extinct and ... -
Foraging activity and colony thermoregulation of the honey bee Apis mellifera following exposure to the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos
Honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) are important pollinators and yet, an increasing number of reports suggest honey bee populations worldwide are in decline. Pollinators face many environmental stressors, including exposure ...