Newsletter 370 18 January 2016

Welcome back to a new year, full of possibilities, new beginnings for some, endings for others. UC can stimulate

your mind, the world could be your oyster. Time to break free from the "that's too hard" basket and challenge

yourself by saying "I can do this" (yes you, the one about to enrol for BIOL209!). The rewards are yours to reap.

Strive to make your lectures fresh and your study notes reable. Most importantly don't forget to read the

newsletters. They are a great source of information for events that are happening in and around the school.

So, enjoy your year, full of possibilities.

Recent publications in the school

Harper, G.A., Joice, N., Kelly, D., Toft, R. and Clapperton, B.K. (2016). Effective distances of wasp (Vespula

vulgaris) poisoning using clustered bait stations in beech forest. New Zealand Journal of Ecology

40(1): newzealandecology.org/nzje/.

Khwaja, N. and Lloyd-Jones, D.J. (2015). Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) nest parasitised by song thrush (T.

philomelos). Notornis 62: 41-44.

Lloyd-Jones, D. J. and Briskie, J.V. (2016). Mutual wattle ornaments in the South Island Saddleback

(Philesturnus carunculatus) function as armaments. Ethology 122: 61-71.

Moinet, G.Y.K., Cieraad, E., Rogers, G.N.D., Hunt, J.E., Millard, P., Turnbull, M.H. and Whitehead, D. (2016).

Addition of nitrogen fertiliser increases net ecosystem carbon dioxide uptake and the loss of soil organic carbon in

grassland growing in mesocosms. Geoderma 266: 75-83.

Nelson, X.J. and Card, A. (2015). Locomotory mimicry in ant-like spiders. Behavioral

Ecology doi:10.1093/beheco/arv218.

Straub, S.C. and Thomsen, M.S. (2016). The dynamic biogoegraphy of the anthropocene: the speed of recent

range shifts in seaweeds. In: Seaweed Phylogeography: Adaptation and Evolution of Seaweeds under

Environmental Change. Z.-M. Hu and C. Fraser. Netherlands, Springer. Part I: 63-93.

Thomsen, M.S., Wernberg, T., South, P.M. and Schiel, D.R. (2016). Non-native seaweeds drive changes in

marine coastal communities around the world. In: Seaweed Phylogeography: Adaptation and Evolution of

Seaweeds under Environmental Change. Z.-M. Hu and C. Fraser. Netherlands, Springer. Part III: 147-185.

Library News

The Library has recently subscribed to a new Nature journal, Nature Plants. If you’d like to know more, the journal

celebrated its birthday with an article summing up the first year of publication.

What film is that?

In 9 hours and 23 minutes... you'll be mine.

and now for something completely different...

Because this is the best part of the newsletter, let's kick the year off with some karoke...

James Cordon and Adele

Then we'll remember the magic of David Bowie

Letter to Hermione

The prettiest star

Young Americans

I can't give everything away

Labyrinth - Magic Dance

Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence - Waiting for the execution

Perhaps you might be getting married this year

100 Years of Fashion: Wedding Dresses

Finally, a respected and fond farewell to one of my favourite actors, Alan Rickman

Die Hard: Hans Meets McClane

Truly, Deeply, Madly - The Sun Ain't gonna shine anymore

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves - Call off Christmas

Sense and Sensibility - A Far More Pleasing Countenance

Galaxy Quest - By Grabthar's Hammer, you shall be avenged

Love Actually - Would you like it gift wrapped?

Alice in Wonderland - Absalom (voice)

and lastly the super snarly Severus Snape

Thought for the Day

This way or no way

You know, I’ll be free

Just like that bluebird

Now ain’t that just like me

- Lazarus, David Bowie

Newsletter 371 1 February 2016

Recent publications in the school

Cross, F.R. and Jackson, R.R. (2016). The execution of planned detours by spider-eating predators. Journal of

the Experimental Analysis of Behavior 105: 194-210.

Naqvi, K.F., Staker, B.L., Dobson, R.C.J., Serbzhinskiy, D., Sankaran, B., Myler, P.J. and Hudson, A.O. (2016).

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and x-ray diffraction analysis of dihydrodipicolinate synthase from

the human pathogenic bacterium Bartonella henselae strain Houston-1 at 2.1 Å resolution. Acta Crystallographica

F72: 2-9.

Umar, D.M., Harding, J.S. and Chapman, H.M. (2014). Tropical land use and its effects on stream communities.

Journal of Envionmental Sciences and Policy Evaluation 4(2): 165-196. [It's old, but it's new!]

White, R.S.A., McHugh, P.A., Glover, C.N. and McIntosh, A.R. (2015). Trap-shyness subsidence is a threshold

function of mark-recapture interval in brown mudfish Neochanna apoda populations. Journal of Fish Biology

87(4): 967-980. [now complete with page numbers]

In the spotlight

Working with spiders

From a fear of spiders to a career in them. Arachnologist, Fiona Cross talks to the Kiwi Conservation Club about

working with these fascinating little critters. Read this wonderful article here.

Jumping Spiders Can Think Ahead, Plan Detours

The latest research undertaken by Dr Fiona Cross and Professor Robert Jackson has made it into National

Geographic. Read the interesting article, written by Michael Greshko.

Spiders Show ‘Genuine Cognition’ in Remembering, Picking Path to Prey - article in Laboratory Equipment

Postgraduate news

Biology Postgraduate Lounge

The student postgraduate committee (SPGC) from biology has created a Facebook group for SBS PG students to

discuss research/ publications, seek help from other PG students (i.e. stats, lab protocols, publication access etc.),

find tips for their studies, or simply share interests. The group is called “Biology Postgraduate Lounge".

What film is that?

It's Hebrew, it's from the Talmud. It says, "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire."

370: In 9 hours and 23 minutes... you'll be mine.

Answer: Jareth (David Bowie) speaks these threatening words in Labyrinth (1986).

Guessed by: Lyn, who mourned the loss of her beloved David.

and now for something completely different...

Time Lapse - Blizzard 2016

(recent storm in the US - makes our dustings seem rather small!)

Time Lapse: Pregnant to Baby in 90 seconds. Photo a day

(this one caught my eye too - especially the dogs!)

Five Life Hacks Fur Cat Owners

Thought for the Day

“Could it be that behind every great man there’s a woman working him with her foot?”

~ Terry Wogan ~

Sir Terry Wogan, the world-renowned television and radio broadcaster who has died aged 77 after a short illness,

was famed for his quick wit and braggadocio.

Newsletter 372 15 February 2016

Recent publications in the school

Bush, B.M. and Wissinger, S.A. (2016). Invertebrates in beaver-created wetlands and ponds. In: Invertebrates in

Freshwater Wetlands. D. Batzer and D. Boix, eds. Switzerland, Springer International Publishing: 411-449.

This is Jo's first authored UC publication, before the submission of her PhD. Her senior supervisor is

Professor Dave Kelly.Congratulations Jo!

Carpenter, J.K., Monks, J.M. and Nelson, N. (2016). The effect of two glyphosate formulations on a small, diurnal

lizard (Oligosoma polychroma). Ecotoxicology doi:10.1007/s10646-016-1613-2.

Dehling, D.M., Jordano, P., Schaefer, H.M., Böhning-Gaese, K. and Schleuning, M. (2016). Morphology predicts

species' functinal role and their degree of specialization in plant-frugivore interactions. Proceedings of the Royal

Society B 283: 20152444.

Hof, C., Dehling, D.M., Bonn, A., Burgess, N.D., Eigenbrod, F., Harfoot, M.B.J., Hickler, T., Jetz, W., Marquard, E.,

Pereira, H.M. and Böhning-Gaese, K. (2015). Macroecology meets IPBES. Frontiers in Biogeography 7(4): 155-

167.

Lindgreen, S., Adair, K.L. and Gardner, P.P. (2016). An evaluation of the accuracy and speed of metagenome

analysis tools. Scientific Reports 6: 19233.

Lundquist, C.J., Fisher, K.T., Le Heron, R., Lewis, N.I., Ellis, J.I., Hewitt, J.E., Greenaway, A.J., Cartner, K.J.,

Burgess-Jones, T.C., Schiel, D.R. and Thrush, S.F. (2016). Science and societal partnerships to address

cumulative impacts. Frontiers in Marine Science 3(2): doi:10.3389/fmars.2016.00002.

McLay, C.L. and Moyano, M.P.S. (2016). Calcium levels in the vulvar opercula of grapsoid and ocypodoid crabs

(Decapoda: Brachyura). Journal of Crustacean Biology doi:10.1163/1937240X-00002405.

Marinov, M., Amaya-Perilla, C., Holwell, G.I., Varsani, A., van Bysterveldt, K., Kraberger, S., Stainton, D.,

Dayaram, A., Curtis, N., Cruickshank, R.H. and Paterson, A. (2016). Geometric morphometrics and molecular

systematics of Xanthocnemis sobrina (McLachlan, 1873) (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) and comparison to its

congeneric. Zootaxa 4078(1): 84-120.

This is Jessica's first publication and at first author before the submission of her PhD. Her senior

supervisors are Professors Matthew Turnbull and Paula Jameson. Congratulations Jessica!

Roche, J., Love, J., Guo, Q., Song, J., Cao, M., Fraser, K., Huege, J., Jones, C., Novák, O., Turnbull,

M.H. and Jameson, P.E. (2016). Metabolic changes and associated cytokinin signals in response to nitrate

assimilation in roots and shoots of Lolium perenne. Physiologia Plantarum doi:10.1111/ppl.12412.

Rosario, K., Marr, C., Varsani, A., Kraberger, S., Stainton, D., Moriones, E., Polston., J.E. and Breibart, M.

(2016). Begomovirus-associated satellite DNA diversity captured through vector-enabled metagenomic (VEM)

surveys using whiteflies (Aleyrodidae). Viruses 8(36): doi:10.3390/v8020036.

White, R.S.A., McHugh, P.A., Glover, C.N. and McIntosh, A.R. (2015). Multiple environmental stressors increase

the realised niche breadth of a forest-dwelling fish. Ecography 38: 154-162.

Wissinger, S.A., Oertli, B. and Rosset, V. (2016). Invertebrate communities of alpine ponds. In: Invertebrates in

Freshwater Wetlands. D. Batzer and D. Boix, eds. Switzerland, Springer International Publishing: 55-103.

In the spotlight

Unlocking stress on professional athletes

Christchurch-based Dr Angus Lindsay worked closely with the Crusaders 2014 team on his studies, aimed at

monitoring the stress and recovery response of players. Check out the article on Angus' research in New Zealand

Fitness.

What film is that?

I don't deserve this... to die like this. I was building a house.

371: It's Hebrew, it's from the Talmud. It says, "Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire."

Answer: Itzhak Stern (Ben Kingsley) spoke these words in Schindler's List (1993).

Guessed by: Nobody

and now for something completely different...

Loss of wild flowers across Britain matches pollinator decline

Ancient gene network helps plants adapt to their environments

How to get your mind around gravitational waves, space-time 'chirps' and black holes

SUNDERLAND beat Manchester United

Thought for the Day

If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree

~ Jim Rohn

Newsletter 373 29 February 2016

Recent publications in the school

Allison, J.R., Lechner, M., Hoeppner, M.P. and Poole, A.M. (2016). Positive selection or free to vary? Assessing

the functional significance of sequence change using molecular dynamics. PLoS

ONE doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0147619.

Dayaram, A., Galatowitsch, M.L., Argüello-Astorga, G.R., Van Bysterveldt, K., Kraberger, S., Stainton, D.,

Harding, J.S., Roumagnac, P., Martin, D.P., Lefeuvre, P. and Varsani, A. (2016). Diverse circular replication-

associated protein encoding viruses circulating in invertebrates within a lake ecosystem. Infection, Genetics and

Evolution 39: 304-316.

Male, M. F., Kraberger, S., Stainton, D., Kami, V. and Varsani, A. (2016). Cycloviruses, gemycircularviruses and

other novel replication-associated protein encoding circular viruses in Pacifric flying fox (Pteropus tonganus)

faeces. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 39: 279-292.

McLay, C.L. (2015). Reproduction in Brachyura. Treatise on Zoology, Decapoda - Brachyura. P. Castro, P. J. F.

Davies, D. Guinot, F. R. Schram and J. C. v. V. Klein. Leiden, Brill. 9, Part C-I: 185-243.

McLay, C.L. (2015). Moulting and Growth in Brachyura. In: Treatise on Zoology, Decapoda - Brachyura. Eds. P.

Castro, P. J. F. Davies, D. Guinot, F. R. Schram and J. C. v. V. Klein. Leiden, Brill. 9, Part C-I: 245-316.

McLay, C.L. (2015). Invasive Brachyura. In: Treatise on Zoology, Decapoda-Brachyura. Eds. P. Castro, P. J. F.

Davies, D. Guinot, F. R. Schram and J. C. v. V. Klein. Brill, Leiden. 9, Part C-II: 821-846.

Sal Moyano, M.P., Gavio, M.A., McLay, C.L. and Luppi, T. (2015). Variation in the post-copulatory guarding

behavior of Neohelice granulata (Brachyura, Grapsoidea, Varunidae) in two different habitats. Marine Ecology

36(4): 1185-1194. [now complete with page numbers]

Recently completed PhD oral exams

Olivia Burge had her PhD oral exam on the 25th February. Her senior supervisor is Professor Dave Kelly. Olivia's

thesis title is Facilitating forest recovery in Awarua wetland, Southland, New Zealand. Olivia is the last of the crew

from 315 (Sarah, Rachel & Charlotte) to complete her degree. No doubt you are a huge inspiration to anybody

following your research. Big congratulations Olivia!

Pictured: Professor Bruce Burns (Oral Examiner, University of Auckland), Professor Islay Marsden (Oral

Organiser), Olivia and Professor Dave Kelly (Senior Supervisor)

Leighton Turner recently had his PhD oral exam. His senior supervisor is Professor Jack Heinemann. Leighton's

thesis title is 'The evolution and population dynamics of bacterial addiction complexes'. Leighton has been with us

for the long haul and am pleased to see preservance and willpower paid off, congratulations!

Pictured: Leighton, Associate Professor Steven Gieseg (Oral Organiser), Professor Jack Heinemann (Senior

Supervisor) and Associate Professor Peter Wills (Oral Examiner, University of Auckland)

In the spotlight

Sophie Hale (who is beginning 4th year this year) just got the Sir Neil Isaac Scholarship in environmental science.

It's open to MSc and PhD students. This is a huge accolade for Sophie, congratulations!

Events

BioSoc Corner

Hi everyone, just an introduction to what’s on the cards in everyone’s favourite Biology club for 2016.

Introducing our (mostly) new exec for 2016:

President – Regan Clarke

Vice-President – Alison Faulls

Secretary – Mariann Brennan

Treasurer – Roland Eveleens

We’re working hard on putting together some awesome events this year with some of our old favourites (the TriSci

Ball, PhotoComp and Quiz Night) combined with some new ideas so keep an eye out.

Our Orchid fundraiser late last year was a huge success! I hope you’re all enjoying your beautiful orchids (mine is still alive which is a miracle and a half). A bonus is that we managed to raise $200 towards the Styx Conservation fund. Check out the work they’re doing on their website http://www.thestyx.org.nz/

We’re looking for new people to join the committee for 2016 so if you are interested, please email BioSoc at biosoc.uc@gmail.com or get in touch with one of the exec.

Looking forward to seeing you at our events this year – it’s going to be a great year!

Regan Clarke, BioSoc President

What film is that?

Asante sana Squash banana, Wiwi nugu Mi mi apana.

372: I don't deserve this... to die like this. I was building a house.

Answer: Spoken by Little Bill Daggett (Gene Hackman) in Unforgiven (1992). Unstandably, he never did finish

building his house.

Guessed by: Nobody...

and now for something completely different...

Find out how these two sisters convinced Bali to ban plastic bags by 2018

Does a scientist have to be good at math?

Cat people will understand...

Sia carpool karaoke

Happy Birthday to one of our technicians turning 15 today!!!

Thought for the Day

A photograph can be an instant of life captured for eternity that will never cease looking back at you.

~ Brigitte Bardot

Newsletter 374 15 March 2016

Recent publications in the school

This publication is the first since Sian Davies graduated. Congratulations!

Badiei, A., Gieseg, S.P., Davies, S.. Othman, M.I. and Bhatia, M. (2015). LPS up-regulates cystathionine g-lyase

gene expression in primary human macrophages via NF-KB/ERK pathway. Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets

14(early access online).

This publication is the first since both Rachel and Jacqui graduated. Congratulations to you both!

Glover, C.N., Urbina, M.A., Harley, R.A. and Lee, J.A. (2016). Salinity-dependent mechanisms of copper toxicity

in the galaxiid fish, Galaxias maculatus. Aquatic Toxicology 174: 199-207.

Jennings, S., Varsani, A., Dugger, K.M., Ballard, G. and Ainley, D.G. (2016). Sex-based differences in Adélie

penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chick growth rates and diet. PLoS ONE doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0149090.

Thomas, J. and Collings, D.A. (2016). Three-dimensional visualization of spiral grain and compression wood in

Pinus radiata imaged by circular polarized light and fluorescence. Wood and Fiber Science 48: 22-27.

Thomsen, M.S., Wernberg, T., South, P.M. and Schiel, D.R. (2016). To include or not to include (the invader in

community analyses)? That is the question. Biological Invasions doi.10.1007/s10530-016-1102-9.

Recent PhD oral defense

Laura Azzani had her oral on the 4th March. The title of her thesis is 'The origin and function of odours in island

birds'. Her Senior Supervisor is Professor Jim Briskie. In attendance were Associate Professor Hazel Chapman

(Oral Organiser) and Associate Professor Kevin Burns, Victoria University of Wellington (via skype). E’ stato un

immenso piacere conoscerti durante il tuo percorso di laurea, congratulazioni!

Pictured: Professor Jim Briskie, Laura and Associate Professor Kevin Burns

[credits: L. Azzani and Victoria University]

In the spotlight

Smithsonian recognition of the Nigerian Montane Forest Project

An archipelago of montane forests stretches the length of the border between Nigeria and Cameroon. Rising to

1,500-3,000 meters in elevation, these cool, rainy forests provide shelter to uniquely adapted species and act as

water catchments for humans and animals alike. At the Smithsonian’s forest monitoring plot at Ngel Nyaki,

Smithsonian is joining with local communities and the Nigerian Montane Forest Project to better understand and

conserve montane forests.

Read the full story about the project Associate Professor Hazel Chapman and her team are undertaking.

What film is that?

She said you came to the place where they buried her. Asked her a question? She said the answer is... "Every

day." What did you ask?

373: Asante sana Squash banana, Wiwi nugu Mi mi apana.

Answer: Rafiki (the baboon, spoken by Robert Guillaume) speaking to Adult Simba in The Lion King (1992)

Guessed by: Jess Leach, Toni Wi and Our Bill

and now for something completely different...

Children read their favourite books to comfort shy shelter dogs

Art gives scientists new insights into seed development

Field of dreams for collectors

(sorry you missed it)

Recipes of the Week

Tofu and cashew nut stir-fry

Pork and apple burgers

If you make any of these dishes, let us know how it turned out and we'll post your review here.

Thought for the Week

I always rip out the last page of a book. Then it doesn't have to end.

~ The Doctor (Doctor Who)

Newsletter 375 7 April 2016

End of Term 1 is only a day away, how did that happen?

Recent publications in the school

Bernardo, P., Muhire, B., François, S., Deshoux, M., Hartnady, P., Farkas, K., Kraberger, S., Filloux, D.,

Fernandez, E., Galzi, S., Ferdinand, R., Granier, M., Marais, A., Monge Blasco, P., Candresse, T., Escriu,

F., Varsani, A., Harkins, G.W., Martin, D.P. and Roumagnac, P. (2016). Molecular characterization and prevalence

of two capulaviruses: Alfalfa leaf curl virus from France and Euphorbia caput-medusae latent virus from South

Africa. Virology 493: 142-153.

This is Kat's first publication as First Author. Her Senior Supervisor is Associate Professor Ren Dobson.

Congratulations Kat!

Donovan, K.A., Atkinson, S.C., Kessans, S.A., Peng, F., Cooper, T.F., Griffin, M.D.W., Jameson, G.B.

and Dobson, R.C.J. (2016). Grappling with anisotropic data, pseudo-merohedral twinning a11nd pseudo-

translational noncrystallographic symmetry: a case study involving pyruvate kinase. Acta Crystallographica

D72: 512-519.

This is Mark's first publication as First Author. His Senior Supervisor was Professor Angus McIntosh.

Congratulations Mark!Galatowitsch, M. and McIntosh, A.R. (2016). Trait flexibility of generalist invertebrates

exposed to contrasting predation and drying stressors. Freshwater Biology doi.1111/fwb.12747.

Goeller, B.C., Febria, C.M., Harding, J.S. and McIntosh, A.R. (2016). Thinking beyond the bioreactor box:

Incorporating stream ecology into edge-of-field nitrate management. Journal of Environmental

Quality doi.10.2134/jeq2015.06.0325.

Hartshorn, J.A., Haavik, L.J., Allison, J.D., Meeker, J.R., Johnson, W., Galligan, L.D., Chase, K.D., Riggins, J.J.

and Stephen, F.M. (2016). Emergence of adult female Sirex nigricornis F. and Sirex noctilio F. (Hymenoptera:

Siricidae) coincides with a decrease in daily minimum and maximum temperature. Agricultural and Forest

Entomology doi:10.1111/afe.12153.

Heskel, M.A., O'Sullivan, O.S., Reich, P.B., Tjoelker, M.G., Weerasinghe, L.K., Penillard, A., Egerton, J.J.G.,

Creek, D., Bloomfield, K.J., Xiang, J., Sinca, F., Stangl, Z.R., Martinez-de la Torre, A., Griffin, K.L., Huntingford, C.,

Hurry, V., Meir, P., Turnbull, M.H. and Atkin, O.K. (2016). Convergence in the temperature response of leaf

repiration across biomes and plant functional types. Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the United

States of America doi.10.1073/pnas.1520282113. See article below.

This is Ronan's first publication since he submitted his thesis. His Senior Supervisor was Associate

Professor David Collings. Congratulations Ronan!

Howles, P.A., Gebbie, L.K., Collings, D.A., Varsani, A., Broad, R.C., Ohms, S., Birch, R.J., Cork, A.H., Arioli, T.

and Williamson, R.E. (2016). A temperature-sensitive allele of a putative mRNA splicing helicase down-regulates

many cell wall genes and causes radial swelling in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Molecular

Biology doi.10.1007/s11103-016-0428-0.

Icardo, J.M., Colvee, E., Schorno, S., Lauriano, E.R., Fudge, D.S., Glover, C.N. and Zaccone, G. (2016).

Morphological analysis of the hagfish heart. II. The venous pole and the pericardium. Journal of

Morphology doi/10.1002/jmor.20539.

Knafler, G.J., Ortiz-Catedral, L., Jackson, B., Varsani, A., Grueber, C.E., Robertson, B.C. and Jamieson, I.G.

(2016). Comparison of beak and feather disease virus prevalence and immunity-associated genetic diversity over

time in an island population of red-crowned parakeets. Archives of Virology 161: 811-820.

Stainton, D., Martin, D.P., Collings, D.A., Thomas, J.E. and Varsani, A. (2016). Identification and in silico

characterisation of defective molecules associated with isolates of banana bunchy top virus. Archives of Virology

161: 1019-1026.

Thia, J.A., Hale, M.L. and Chapman, H.M. (2016). Interspecific comparisons with chloroplast SSR loci reveal

limited genetic variation in Nigerian montane forests: A study on Cordia millenii (West African

Cordia), Entandrophragma angolense (tiama mahogany), and Lovoa trichilioides (African walnut). Tropical

Conservation Science 9(1): 321-337.

In the spotlight

BioSoc t-shirts

These are now available for order here.

They come in a variety of colours and sizes with a black version of the BioSoc logo on the front. Please order and

make your payment of $15 by Friday the 8th of April to secure yours. The payment can be made online to our

account: 03-0830-0697046-000. Don't miss out!

Kaikoura community invited to farewell Hutton's shearwaters at dawn

ceremony

This took place on Sunday 3rd April. The month has included the official opening of the Hutton's Hub, and a

weekly speaker series each Wednesday. Read full article at Stuff.

Scientists say many plants don't respond to warming as thought

Plants, like people, breathe, and when it gets hotter, they breathe harder. One product of respiration is the

greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Thus, researchers predict that as the planet is warmed by human-produced CO2,

plants may add to the emissions, and amplify the warming.

This research has been conducted in part by Professor Matthew Turnbull. Read the full article at Science Codex.

See publication above.

Kaikoura looks at innovative lighting options to prevent risks to fledging

birds

Kaikoura could be one step closer to addressing the issue of lighting around the town and its effects on fledging

Hutton's shearwaters.

Dr Sharyn Goldstien from the University of Canterbury presented a talk, as part of a series about Kaikoura's

special bird to coincide with the Fly Safe month of events. Read the full story at Stuff.

What film is that?

I like these calm little moments before the storm. It reminds me of Beethoven. Can you hear it? It's like when you

put your head to the grass and you can hear the growin' and you can hear the insects. Do you like Beethoven?

374: She said you came to the place where they buried her. Asked her a question? She said the answer is... "Every

day." What did you ask?

Answer: The mother replied: Do... Do I make her proud? The Sixth Sense (1999)

Guessed by: Our Nicole

and now for something completely different...

Running Bear - Johnny Preston

We remember Ronnie Corbett

Fork handles

Sweet Shop Sketch

My Blackberry is not working

Recipes of the Week

Oatcakes with smoked salmon and poached egg

Quick lentil curry

Thought for the Week

“Why is it that when one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what's on the other side?”

― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones

Newsletter 376 18 April 2016

Recent publications in the school

Blewett, T.A., Wood, C.M. and Glover, C.N. (2016). Salinity-dependent nickel accumulation and effects on

respiration, ion regulation and oxidative stress in the galaxiid fish, Galaxias maculatus. Environmental Pollution

214: 132-141.

Moinet, G.Y.K., Cieraad, E., Hunt, J.E., Fraser, A., Turnbull, M.H. and Whitehead, D. (2016). Soil heterotrophic

respiration is insensitive to changes in soil water content but related to microbial access to organic matter.

Geoderma 274: 68-78.

In the spotlight

Funding success

Congratulations to Associate Professor Steven Gieseg, who in the latest Lottery Health Research Board round

was awarded $50,667 towards his project ‘Quantification of surgical trauma and post-operative cryotherapy benefit

using urinary markers of inflammation and muscle damage’.

Research sheds light on delicate forest biodiversity

Białowieża Forest in Poland has been in the news lately due to the major destruction it is facing from potential

deforestation. Preserved through the ages — first used as a royal game reserve, then later protected through

national park initiatives and management — a movement is now underway to tap the forest for increased

logging. Professor Jason Tylianakis has a small mention in this article which you can read at MIT News.

High-speed camera reveals lightning-speed of Kiwi trap-jaw spider

The trap-jaw spider, found only in New Zealand and South America, are small arachnids that hunt for prey on the

ground but a particular Kiwi species has one remarkable ability. Associate Professor Ximena Nelson said

movement speed and power had never been investigated in spiders before. Read the full story at One News Now.

12 cool facts about the oddball kakapo

The kakapo is an unusual bird. The world's largest parrot was common throughout its native New Zealand until

predators hunted it to the brink of extinction. Now the stocky green-and-yellow bird is critically endangered, and it's

the focus of a considerable conservation effort from the New Zealand Department of Conservation's Kakapo

Recovery program. There are currently 123 known adult birds, each named and extensively monitored. Professor

Jim Briskie has a small mention in this article which you read at Mother Nature Network.

Controlling weeds in drains

Members of the Canterbury Waterway Rehabilitation Experiment (CAREX) from Canterbury University were in

the Hinds Drains district to discuss progress with community members, including members of the Hinds Drains

Working Party (HDWP). Read the full article at the Guardian online.

Orange Friday fundraiser

On Friday 11th March the school put on a morning tea for Orange Friday to hep the victims of domestic abuse.

There sure were some colourful bodies and food about. For our sterling efforts we raised $117. Check out our

colourful crew.

Every five minutes the police attend a domestic abuse incident in New Zealand.

BioSoc t-shirts

These are now available for order here.

They come in a variety of colours and sizes with a black version of the BioSoc logo on the front. Please order and

make your payment of $15. The payment can be made online to our account: 03-0830-0697046-000. Don't miss

out!

Postgraduate news

Welcoming our newest postgraduate students

1 December 2015

Pariya Tork, PhD in Zoology

1 February 2016

Our intake of fourth year students

Jasper Obico, PhD in Plant Biology

Carol Acevedo, PhD in Biology

Murna Tela, PhD in Ecology

Iurii Malakhov, PhD in Ecology

Hannah McKerchar, PhD in Biochemistry

1 March 2016

Greg Parker, PhD in Biochemistry

Nellie Sibaeva, PhD in Biology

Samarth Samarth, PhD in Plant Biology

1 April 2016

Bethany Jose, PhD in Biology

What film is that?

I don't think two people could have been happier than we have been.

375: I like these calm little moments before the storm. It reminds me of Beethoven. Can you hear it? It's like when

you put your head to the grass and you can hear the growin' and you can hear the insects. Do you like Beethoven?

Answer: Leon: The Professional (1994). Standfield (Gary Oldman) on his rampage through the apartment talking

calmy about Beethoven.

Guessed by: Nobody

and now for something completely different...

Trouble sleeping?

Master of Escapes: How an Octopus Broke Out of Its Aquarium

Next time you are in New York

How to Declutter the Closet Once and For All

Recipes of the Week

Lemon chicken

Lazy vegetarian lasagne

Thought for the Week

“Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you never know who would love the person you hide.” ~ Author

Unknown

Newsletter 377 2 May 2016

Recent publications in the school

This is Michael's first publication at first author since the submission of his M.Sc. (Supervisor, Dr Marie

Hale). He is presently doing his Ph.D. in Evolution with Dr Tammy Steeves and Dr Patrice Rosengrave.

Congratuations Michael!

Bartlett, M., Hale, R. and Hale, M. (2016). Habitat quality limits gene flow between populations of Bombus

ruderatus in the South Island, New Zealand. Conservation Genetics doi.10.107/s10592-016-0816-7.

This is Charlotte's first publication since the submission of her PhD. Her senior supervisor was Professor

Bill Davison. Congratulations Charlotte!

Buck, C.B., van Doorslaer, K., Peretti, A., Geoghegan, E.M., Tisza, M.J., An, P., Katz, J.P., Pipas, J.M., McBride,

A.A., Camus, A.C., McDermott, A.J., Dill, J.A., Delwart, E., Ng, T.F.F., Farkas, K., Austin, C., Kraberger, S.,

Davison, W., Pastrana, D.V. and Varsani, A. (2016). The ancient evolutionary history of polyomaviruses. PLoS

Pathogens 12(4): e1005574.

Hickford, M.J.H. and Schiel, D.R. (2016). Otolith microchemistry of the amphidromous Galaxias

maculatus shows recruitment to coastal rivers from unstructured larval pools. Marine Ecology Progress Series

548: 197-207.

Schiel, D.R., Lilley, S.A., South, P.M. and Coggins, J.H.J. (2016). Decadal changes in sea surface temperature,

wave forces and intertidal structure in New Zealand. Marine Ecology Progress Series 548: 77-95.

In the spotlight

Funding success

Congratulations to colleagues who have recently secured research funding.

Professor Dave Kelly for being awarded an extension with extra funding for his project - "Long Term Changes in

Native Forests in Relation to Possum Control with 1080" (Animal Health Board). This funding has been expanded

to $312,850 over five years, which represents an increase of $27K plus GST per year for final two years over the

original grant value.

Professor Paula Jameson - "Fescue - Locold Introgression as a Source of Novel Germplasm for the Pasture

Industry". $25,300 over 1 year from Callaghan Innovation.

Professor Jason Tylianakis - "Customary approaches and practises for optimising cultural and ecological

resilience” - $233,500 over 3 years from National Science Challenge Our Biological Heritage (through Landcare

Research).

Geospatial Research Institute

From Monday 2nd May, the recently launched Geospatial Research Institute will be based in rooms 428 and 433 of

the Biological Sciences Building. Wayne Tyson is the newly appointed Manager of the GRI, and he will be based

there (the Director of the GRI, Simon Kingham, will remain located in the Dept of Geography). Please make Wayne

feel welcome.

For more information about the launch of the GRI

see http://www.comsdev.canterbury.ac.nz/rss/news/?articleId=1883

Brian Mason Trust successes

Della Bennet (PhD candidate in Biological Sciences) and Professor Jim Briskie received $11,910 - Using GPS

technology to track the at-sea foraging behaviour of Hutton's shearwater (Puffinus huttoni).

Professor Jim Briskie received $15,140 - Using new generation geolocator tracking devices to unravel the

mysteries of migration in the NZ shining cuckoo.

Nuwan de Silva (PhD candiate in Biological Sciences) and Professor Islay Marsden received $10,600 - NZ

mudsnail, Amphibola crenat as a bioindicator of estuarine contamination: A new approach using ecological,

physiological, behavioural and biochemical biomarkers.

Braided River Awareness & Fundraising Auction

credit: Sonny Whitelaw

On 16 April 2016, a group of SBS researchers, Department of Conservation staff, and artists organised and

attended the Braided River Awareness & Fundraising auction to raise awareness of braided river habitats and

funding for the Kakī Recovery Programme. The event attracted ~125 people to the Nut Point Centre gallery (West

Melton) and raised raised >$7,580 for the Kakī Recovery Programme. This funding will be used to enhance

research to improve juvenile recruitment and adult survival for kakī. 45 pieces will remain for sale at the Nut Point

Centre in West Melton until early October, with proceeds still being donated to Kakī Recovery Programme. A big

'thank you' to all the students and staff in the SBS who supported this event, particularly students from the

Molecular Ecology and Systematics lab group who volunteered their time. It was a great success!

BioSoc t-shirts

These are now available for order here.

They come in a variety of colours and sizes with a black version of the BioSoc logo on the front. Please order and

make your payment of $15. The payment can be made online to our account: 03-0830-0697046-000. Don't miss

out!

What film is that?

Well, uh, I guess this is my last video log. Whatever happens tonight, either way, I'm not gonna be comin' back to

this place. Well, I guess I better go. I don't wanna be late for my own party. It's my birthday, after all.

376: I don't think two people could have been happier than we have been.

Answer: The Hours (2002). Spoken by Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) and Richard Brown (Ed Harris) to their

beloved before departing this Earth.

Guessed by: Nobody

and now for something completely different...

Everybody's favourite mother-in-law

To be or not to be... it's how you say it!

The life and times of Prince

Recipes of the Week

Baked eggplant layer

Chicken and broccoli cheesy pasta bake

Thought for the Week

Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.

~ Guillaume Apollinaire

Newsletter 378 17 May 2016

Recent publications in the school

This is Camille's first thesis publication and at first author. Her senior supervisor is Professor Jason

Tylianakis. Congratulations Camille!

Coux, C., Rader, R., Bartomeus, I. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Linking species functional roles to their network

roles. Ecology Letters doi:10.1111/ele.12612.

This is Mark's first publication after the submission of his PhD. His senior supervisor was Professor Angus

McIntosh.

Galatowitsch, M. and McIntosh, A..R. (2016). Trait flexibility of generalist invertebrates exposed to contrasting

predation and drying stressors. Freshwater Biology 61: 862-875. [now complete with page numbers]

The front cover of this journal issue has a image taken by Brandon Goeller, PhD candidate.

Congratulations Brandon.

Goeller, B.C., Febria, C.M., Harding, J.S. and McIntosh, A.R. (2016). Thinking beyond the bioreactor box:

Incorporating stream ecology into edge-of-field nitrate management. Journal of Environmental Quality 45(3): 866-

872. [now complete with page numbers]

Lindsay, A., Othman, M.I., Prebble, H., Davies, S. and Gieseg, S.P. (2016). Repetitive cryotherapy attenuates

the in vitro and in vivo mononuclear cell activation response. Experimental Physiology Accepted Article,

doi:10.1113/SP085795.

In the spotlight

UC academic honoured for arachnology career

University of Canterbury Professor Robert R. Jackson and his productive and successful career in arachnology is

being honoured in a special edition of The New Zealand Journal of Zoology. Read the full story at UC

Communications.

Check out the Special Issue here, which include publications from Dr Fiona Cross, Simon Pollard, Yinnon

Dolev and Dr Ximena Nelson

Grant for NZ scientist seeking ways to use fish eyes to repair human

corneas

The New Zealand hoki could be the answer to a world-wide cornea shortage - with one Kiwi scientist at the

helm, fishing out the answers. Dr Laura Domigan of the Auckland University School of Biological

Sciences has been awarded tens of thousands of dollars for the research. Laura did her PhD with Professor Juliet

Gerald here at UC. Read the full article at Stuff.

Funding success

Congratulations to SBS/FORE MSc student David Packer, who with supervisor David Norton has been awarded

$9,000 from the Brian Mason Trust, for their proposal “Vegetation recovery following a fire at Flock Hill Station”.

Fairtrade Challenge 13 May

Out of the blue the school decided to take part in the Fairtrade Challenge, the biggest Fairtrade coffee break on

Earth! I estimated that 20 people would take part and drink 50 cups of coffee. You all came to the challenge and we

managed to drink a total of 60 cups in one day, including Ali's mega cup! Thanks to all that took part to shed a light

on supporting coffee farmers facing the effects of climate change.

Marsden Fund progressions

Congratulations to Associate Professor Daniel Stouffer and Amy Osborne (joint BIC/SBS Fast-start application

mentored by Associate Professor Ant Poole) who have been selected to progress to round two of this years

Marsden Fund round.

MBIE Smart Ideas Concept round

Drs Tammy Steeves and Marie Hale, had their concept “Maximising genetic diversity in endangered species”

called through to the full proposal round of the MBIE Smart Ideas fund. Congratulations to both.

Scholarship success

Aisling Rayne, 300 level Biological Sciences student, was successful in obtaining a Canterbury Branch NZFGW

(New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women) Trust Award valued at $2,000. Congraulations Aisling!

Over $400k awarded to William Georgetti scholars

The prestigious William Georgetti scholarship for postgraduate study has this year awarded over $400,000 to eight

recent graduates from New Zealand universities. Read the full article at Voxy.

Matt Hutchinson has been awarded $35,000 over three years to study towards his PhD in Ecology and

Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University in the USA. He will focus on quantifying the whole-community network

and the implications for ecological stability. Matt has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Canterbury.

Congratulations Matt!

What film is that?

Some people are worth melting for.

377: Well, uh, I guess this is my last video log. Whatever happens tonight, either way, I'm not gonna be comin' back

to this place. Well, I guess I better go. I don't wanna be late for my own party. It's my birthday, after all.

Answer: Avatar (2009), spoken by Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) on the occasion of his "birth day".

Guessed by: Eli Oldach

and now for something completely different...

This is what happens when you reply to spam email | James Veitch

Why do cats act so weird?

For those who haven't seen it yet

Around the world 100,000 times

Recipes of the Week

Rebecca's spicy beef (for the slow cooker)

Carlee's chickpea stew (for the slow cooker)

Thought for the Week

Do not regret growing older it is a privilege denied to many.

~ unknown author

Newsletter 379 31 May 2016

Recent publications in the school

Steel, O., Kraberger, S., Sikorski, A., Young, L.M., Catchpole, R.J., Stevens, A.J., Ladley, J.J., Coray, D.S.,

Stainton, D., Dayaram, A., Julian, L., Van Bysterveldt, K. and Varsani, A. (2016). Circular replication-associated

protein encoding DNA viruses identified in the faecal matter of various animals in New Zealand. Infection, Genetics

and Evolution 43: 151-164.

Turnbull, M.H., Griffin, K.L., Fyllas, N.M., Lloyd, J., Meir, P. and Atkin, O.K. (2016). Separating species and

environmental determinants of leaf functional traits in temperate rainforest plants along a soil-development

chronosequence. Functional Plant Biology doi.org/10.1071/FP16035.

Winterbourn, M.J. (2016). Life history and ecology of Potamopyrgus estuarinus (Gastropoda: Tateidae) in the tidal

reaches of two New Zealand rivers. Molluscan Research DOI: 10.1080/13235818.2015.1128585.

April graduation - 21 April

Inspirational Alumni The School recognises alumni who have made outstanding professional achievements and who have had a

positive impact on our community or society.

Pictured: Professor Matthew Turnbull giving his Inspirational alumni sppech

Our latest inspirational alumni - Hugh Wilson

Hugh is a world-renowned botanist, conservationist and cyclist.

Born in Timaru, Hugh moved to Christchurch with his family when he and his twin sister Hilary were five. He

attended Elmwood District School, where he began drawing birds and dreaming of the bush. He then attended St

Andrews College, where he was Dux in 1962.

The following year Hugh taught in Sarawak with Volunteer Service Abroad before returning to Christchurch to

attend UC, where he completed degrees in both arts and science. Check out Hugh's full profile down in the Atrium.

Check out other profiles here.

Doctor of Philosophy IN PERSON

Olivia Burge in Ecology

Facilitating forest recovery in Awarua wetland, Southland, New Zealand

Rachel van Heugten in Evolutionary Biology

Weta affairs: an investigation into the population structure and possible hybridisation of two tree weta species

(hemideina) in Canterbury

COUNCIL CEREMONY

Denise Arroyo Lambaer in Ecology

Conserving amphibian diversity: a species inventory and gene flow studies in fragmented montane forest, Mambilla

Plateau, Nigeria

Laura Azzani in Evolutionary Biology

The origin and function of odours in island birds

Charles Nsor in Ecology

Sunbird pollination and the fate of strong contributors to a mutualistic network in a West African montane forest

Leighton Turner in Cellular and Molecular Biology

The evolution and population dynamics of bacterial addiction complexes

Master of Science

Pictured: Daisy Stainton (PhD graduate 2015), Alannah Rickerby (MSc candidate), Maketalen Male and Amy Hill

(MSc candidate)

Rebecca Broughton Biological Sciences First Class Honours

Kelly Hutchinson Zoology First Class Honours

Maketalena Male Cellular & Molecular Biology First Class Honours

Amber Melrose Zoology Distinction

Annu Ninan Biotechnology Master of Science

COUNCIL CEREMONY

Georgina E. Carvell in, Second Class Honours, Division One

Joshua Fairless, Second Class Honours, Division One

Michell Lambert in Ecology, First Class Honours

Alexander Law in Biochemistry, Merit

Thomas Orban in Biochemistry, Master of Science

Palamy Xayasenh in Water Resource Management, Second Class Honours, Division One

Sarah Wright, Second Class Honours, Division Two

Postgraduate Diploma in Science Helen L. Boothby Ecology Merit

Rachel A. van Heugten Evolutionary Biology Distinction

COUNCIL CEREMONY

Reuben Herz-Edinger in Ecology with Merit

Julie Kim in Biological Sciences with Merit

Amber Melrose in Zoology with Merit

Benjamin Walters in Biochemistry

Bachelor of Science with Honours Gregory J. Parker Biochemistry First Class Honours

COUNCIL CEREMONY

Kristina J. Macdonald in Environmental Sciences, First Class Honours

Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences / Biochemistry Awan, Teresa M.T. Bennie, Rachel Z. Burgess, Lewis J.

Coumbe, Ashley D. Crampton, Alice L. Croll Dowgray, Madeleine G.F.

Cuipers, Vernon Currie, Hannah De Joux, Connor D.

Donald, Kate L. Green, Timothy C. Hale, Sophie A.

Hill, Olivia K. Jarman, Jordan O.E.P. Kerr, Sarah L.

Kohler-Saunders, Kerri J. Lim, Leanne Y. Matta, Marina

McGrath, Sophie E. McLaughlin, Tessa A. Perriman, Louis

Smith, Bradleigh J. Smith, Rory B. Steyn, Nina R.

Stockdale, Amy G. Sye, Nicholas J.A. Watters, Emily M.

Webb, Clinton J. Wyatt, Bernard S. (Double Major)

COUNCIL CEREMONY

James Davies

David F. Ecker

Samuel J. Elley

Shontal J. Howard

Juanita V. Miln

Michael A. Pattemore

Carl W. Reich

Matt J. Walker

John M. Wood

Pictured: Sophie Hale (BSc graduand) and Olivia Burge (PhD graduand)

In the spotlight

Behaviour 383 Poster session

The annual Behaviour 383 Poster session was held in the atrium last Tuesday, with a total of 15 entries. By popular

vote, the poster “Badge size and density as an indicator of dominance in house sparrows (Passer domesticus)” by

Penny Crean and Levi Collier-Robinson won first place and a prize of $50. Congratulations to Penny and Levi and

thanks to all the students for working hard on their projects and for making this a successful event. Jim and Ximena

would also like to thank Penny and Nicki with their help in organizing the session, and all those from across the

School who came to view the posters and support our senior undergraduate students.

Thank you card from Makarora School

CAREX on Country Life

The Canterbury Waterway Rehabilitation Experiment or CAREX is co-led by Professors Angus McIntosh and Jon

Harding from the University of Canterbury’s Freshwater Ecology Research Group. CAREX has partnered up with

the Department of Conservation, Fonterra and scientists from ESR to focus on ways to improve rural waterway

health through better nutrient, sediment and weed management. To find out how the research is progressing,

Cosmo Kentish-Barnes visits Jill and Richard Simpson’s dairy farm near Lincoln, where the CAREX partners are

conducting in-stream and wetland trials.

Country Life on RNZ: listen via our webpage and see a CAREX photo

gallery: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/countrylife

What film is that?

Half of North America just lost their Facebook.

378: Some people are worth melting for.

Answer: Frozen (2013). Anna: Olaf! You're melting!

Olaf: Some people are worth melting for [begins to melt, grabs his face to stay up], Just maybe not right this

second.

Guessed by: Penny Moore

and now for something completely different...

How Birds Became Red

Field Trip - Simon's Cat

Chewbacca Mom Takes James Corden to Work

Recipes of the Week

Broad bean, pea and mint dip

Feijoa and apple crumble

Thought for the Week

What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.

~ Buddha

Newsletter 380 14 June 2016

Recent publications in the school

Glover, C.N., Blewett, T.A. and Wood, C.M. (2016). Determining the functional role of waterborne amino acid

uptake in hagfish nutrition: a constitutive pathway when fasting or a supplementary pathway when feeding? Journal

of Comparative Physiology B doi.10.1007/s00360-016-1004-2.

Yewdall, N.A., Venugopal, H., Desfosses, D.C., Abrishami, V., Yosaatmadja, Y., Hampton, M.B., Gerrard, J.A.,

Goldstone, D.C., Mitra, A.K. and Radjainia, M. (2016). Structures of human peroxiredoxin 3 suggest self-

chaperoning assembly that maintains catalytic state. Structure 24(doi.org/10.1016/j.str.2016.04.013).

In the spotlight

The School held their Pink Ribbon morning tea on 26th May, supporting the New Zealand Breast Cancer

Foundation. Again, a great attendance for a worthwhile cause. The School raised $158 at the morning tea and we

received $179 in donations, coming to a grand total of $337!! This exceeded our expectations of $200. Thanks to

everyone who came along and supported this cause. Thanks to all the sweet plates, the sweetie guesses and the

pinkness. Above all thanks to all the wonderful donations.

The winner of the Sweets in the jar was Brandon Goeller with a winning count of 1,300. There were 1,350 sweeties

in the jar!

By the end of this day, eight women in New Zealand would have been told they have breast cancer.

Our Pink Ladies

What film is that?

Richard, I cannot go with you or ever see you again. You must not ask why. Just believe that I love you. Go, my

darling, and God bless you. Ilsa.

379: Half of North America just lost their Facebook.

Answer: Gravity (2013). On learning many communications satellites have been destroyed, Kowalski (George

Clooney) remarks, "Half of North America just lost their Facebook."

Guessed by: Our Bill

and now for something completely different...

In this world of turmoil... here are some cats meeting puppies

Recipes of the Week

Lemon Roasted Chicken

Lentil and tomato pie with golden mash

Thought for the Week

common sense

noun: commonsense

good sense and sound judgement in practical matters.

"it is all a matter of common sense"

Newsletter 381 29 June 2016

Recent publications in the school

Azzani, L., Rasmussen, J.L., Gieseg, S.P. and Briskie, J.V. (2016). An experimental test of the effect of diet on

preen wax composition in New Zealand silvereyes (Zosterops lateralis). In: Chemical Signals in Vertebrates. B. A.

Schulte, T. E. Goodwin and M. H. Ferkin, eds. Switzerland, Springer International Publishing. 33: 511-525.

Emer, C., Memmott, J., Vaughan, I.P., Montoya, D. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Species roles in plant–pollinator

communities are conserved across native and alien ranges. Diversity and Distributions doi:10.1111/ddi.12458.

Khalifa, M.E., Varsani, A., Ganley, A.R.D. and Pearson, M.N. (2016). Compariso of Illumina de novo assembled

and Sanger sequenced viral genomics: A case study for RNA viruses recovered from the plant pathogenic

fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Virus Research 219: 51-57.

Pelser, P.B., Nickrent, D.L., Reintar, A.R.T. and Barcelona, J.F. (2016). Lepeostegeres

cebuensis (Loranthaceae), a new mistletoe species from Cebu, Philippines. Phytotaxa 266(1): 48-52.

Pelser, P.B., Doble, K.J.S., O'Byrne, P., Ormerod, P. and Barcelona, J.F. (2016). Gastrodia

cajanoae (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae: Gastrodieae), a new species from the Philippines. Phytotaxa 266(1): 53-

56.

Preston, S.A.J., Briskie, J.V. and Hatchwell, B.J. (2016). Adult helpers increase the recruitment of closely related

offspring in the cooperatively breeding rifleman. Behavioral Ecology early access online

(doi:10.1093/beheco/arw087).

PhD oral exam completed

Gabriel Moinet had his oral exam on the 1st June. His thesis title is 'Effects of irrigation and nitrogen addition on

the components of net ecosystem carbon balance in New Zealand grazed grasslands'. His Senior Supervisor was

Professor Matthew Turnbull. Congratulations Gabriel!

Pictured: Professor Matthew Turnbull (Senior Supervisor), Gabriel, Professor Louis Schipper (Oral Examiner,

Waikato University) and Dr David Whitehead (Associate Supervisor, Landcare Research)

In the spotlight

Can we rehabilitate our problem waterways?

Identifying problems with Canterbury’s waterways isn’t difficult, but solving those problems is another matter. An

upcoming UC Connect free public lecture will focus on the problems facing Canterbury’s fresh

waterways. Professor Angus McIntosh's work with CAREX will be discussed at a public lecture (see below).

Read full article at UC communications.

UC Connect public lecture: Freshwater fix: Can we rehabilitate Canterbury’s problem waterways? Professor

Angus McIntosh, University of Canterbury, Wednesday 29 June, 7pm. Register to attend

at: www.canterbury.ac.nz/ucconnect

Freshwater fix: Can we rehabilitate Canterbury’s problem waterways? - Foreign Affairs

Sometimes having fun with your research does pay off

Landcare Tamaki were so inspired by the Dr Arvind Varsani's research group and their virus video concept, that

they worked with the local students from Manuwera High School and Rongomai Primary school to develop a

musical narrative to support their mould in homes study. You can view their inspiring and informative video

here: Rongomai S.T.E.M Mouldy Homes Project

Here is the original video that the schools were inspired by: A light hearted music video project by the University of

Canterbury ssDNA virus research group (Varsani ssDNA virus research group)

Meadow Mushroom Waterways Centre Masters Scholarship awarded

Mark Yungnickel has been awarded this $15.000 scholarship to support his Masters research on species

composition and early life history of the New Zealand whitebait catch. His senior supervisor is Distinguished

Professor David Schiel. Congratulations Mark!

US National Institutes of Health Academic Research Enhancement

Award

Congratulations to BIC PI Ren Dobson who has received a US National Institutes of Health Academic Research

Enhancement Award to work on DapL as an antibiotic target. Ren's coapplicant is Associate Professor André

Hudson from Rochester Institute of Technology, who visited UC last year as an Erskine fellow. This grant will

enable Ren and André to continue to strengthen research ties between BIC and Rochester Institute of Technology,

and will enable MSc student Anthony Weatherhead to spend six months at RIT to work on this project.

14 animals that smell like snack foods

The animal kingdom is full of appetizing smells. While most of the time animals smell perhaps a bit on the musty or

musky side, some animals produce scents that will make your mouth water. Here is a collection of animals who

emit smells that will make you think you're in the kitchen rather than the great outdoors.

What does Professor Jim Briskie think kakapo's smell like!? Read the full story to find out at Mother Nature

Network.

UC research on effects of the quakes on whitebait

Shane Orchard's PhD research, supervised by marine ecologist UC Distinguished Professor David Schiel,

explores the vulnerability of coastal conservation areas to dynamic changes such as rising sea levels. He is using

earthquake effects to simulate the type of issues that might occur with climate change. Read the full story at UC

communications.

Kaikoura's endemic bird offers rare opportunity for science students

Crash-landed Hutton's shearwater birds have given a Kaikoura year 13 science class the opportunity for some

hands-on learning.

The Kaikoura High School general science class spent the day last week testing DNA from feathers taken from

birds which crash-landed this season. University of Canterbury marine ecology lecturer Dr Sharyn

Goldstein spent the day with the students DNA-testing 27 of those birds. Read the full article at Stuff.

This is one Big Bird you wouldn't want to run into

Scientists poring over bird bones estimate that an extinct Australian species weighed 1,000 pounds on average.

That’s as much as a mid-sized moose – and substantial enough to make this bird the biggest that ever lived,

outstripping even the prehistoric elephant bird of Madagascar. Professor Richard Holdaway is mentioned briefly

in this article which you can read at 12News.

What film is that?

Lars Thorwald... is no more a murderer than I am.

380: Richard, I cannot go with you or ever see you again. You must not ask why. Just believe that I love you. Go,

my darling, and God bless you. Ilsa.

Answer: Casablanca (1942) starring Humphrey Bogart (Richard, 'Rick') and Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa)

Guessed by: Our Bill

and now for something completely different...

The Best Online Bird Watching Since #BirdieSanders

Expedition 47 Crew Lands Safely in Kazakhstan

'Licence plated' bees released to find top London spot

England beat Australia 3-0

How the BBC viewed it

How the ABC viewed it

Lighter side of Brexit - cartoon

Recipes of the Week

Chocolate feijoa cake

Beetroot chocolate loaf cake - dairy free

Thought for the Week

I lift up my eyes to Apollo,

The god of the beautiful days,

And my spirit soars off like a swallow,

And is lost in the light of its rays.

Are tou troubled and sad? I beseech you

Come out of the shadows of strife

Come out in the sun while I teach you

The secret of life.

Excerpt from 'A song of life' by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Newsletter 382 11 July 2016

Recent publications in the school

Because life has a way of dealing things in three's I thought I needed to add that this publication was

published by Three Jon's!

Bray, J.P., O'Brien, J. and Harding, J.S. (2016). Production of phosphatase and extracellular stalks as adaptations

to phosphorus limitation in Didymosphenia geminata (Bacillariophyceae). Hydrobiologia: doi.10.1007/s10750-

10016-12851-10752.

In the spotlight

2016 Research Medal awarded

This year's Research Medal is to be awarded to Distinguished Professor David Schiel whose work has been

recognised as truly world class.

The Research Medal is the highest honour which the UC Council can extend to its academic staff in recognition of

research excellence. The 2016 medal will be presented later this year at a Council function. Congratulations David.

Nobel laureates criticise Greenpeace's GM stance

An open letter, signed by more than 100 Nobel laureates attacking Greenpeace for its opposition to genetically

modified crops, has triggered debate among local scientists about New Zealand's regulatory regime. You can read

about Professor Jack Heinemann's views in the article at Radio New Zealand.

Biological Heritage Science Challenge - Tipping Points project

Professor Jason Tylianakis has managed to get the Ecological Tipping Points project part of the Biological

Heritage Science Challenge over the line and a contract signed.

This $1.7m project involves a consortium of people from UC, Otago, Auckland and Landcare. Jason will say it has

been a team effort, but he has led that project, and has been a key mover and shaker from the start.

What film is that?

Boys, this is the Papa Bear.

381: Lars Thorwald... is no more a murderer than I am.

Answer: Rear Window (1955). Lt. Doyle (Wendell Croey) speaks to Jeff (James Stewart) and Lisa (Grace Kelly). If

you haven't seen this classic, original version I suggest you pop along to Alice in Videoland and get it out.

Guessed by: Craig Galilee

and now for something completely different...

Remembering Elie Wisel

Romanian-born American Jewish writer, professor, political activist, Holocaust survivor, and Nobel Laureate

“The only role I sought was that of witness. I believed that having survived by chance, I was duty-bound to give

meaning to my survival, to justify each moment of my life.”

Goats Form Intense Connections with Humans, Too

Puppy reacts to rain for the first time

Recipes of the Week

Salmon, leek, rice and broccoli filo pie

Lentil, roasted pumpkin and ricotta open pies

Thought for the Week

Those who died yesterday had plans for this morning,

And those who died this morning had plans for tonight,

Don't take life for granted.

Special rememberance for Dave Rutherford will appear in the next newsletter.

Newsletter 383 26 July 2016

Tribute to Dave Rutherford

photo credit: A. Woods

Our good friend and colleague, Dave Rutherford, passed away on the morning of Wednesday 6th July 2016.

You could talk to Dave about almost anything. He loved a good natter about life and the world we live in. He had

masses of knowledge and gave out hoards of advice. He loved his boat, his car - "the great white shark", the next

door neighbour's dog, the birds in his back garden, and his family. The most special moments of our daily lives

have now disappeared. Dave has been taken away, but his presence is around us everyday.

Friday morning and Nicole put on savouries and the general staff gathered to remember Dave. He loved the

savoury shouts and he would have been sitting with the "boys" making sure not to burn the roof of his mouth!

[excerpt's from Eulogy provided by his cousin, Doug Wethey]

David Michael Rutherford was born in Hastings, in the North Island, on the 5th June 1943. The family moved to

Ranfurly in Central Otago where his father, a qualified chemist, opened a Pharmacy. David was the eldest child of

three. His two sisters, Diana and Rosalyn were both born in Ranfurly. David inherited his father’s love of the

outdoors, although for him, this later translated into yachting.

His primary education was in Ranfurly and for his secondary education he attended Otago Boys’ High School in

Dunedin and boarded at their hostel, Campbell House. I remember he was good at running and won awards for

athletics. Here he also achieved his University Entrance & Higher School Certificate.

Over the years we had pleasant times at Queenstown where the Rutherford family had a holiday home in the

Frankton Arm and later moved there permanently in the 1960’s. I learnt to water ski there while David drove the

boat.

After high school, he went onto Otago University, where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree majoring in

Zoology. It was while here that he became fond and very proficient, at the twelve-string guitar and was a great fan

of the Kingston Trio.

His first job after leaving University was in Whangarei as a Parasitologist at the Animal Health Laboratory, which

was a division of the Ministry of Agriculture. While he was in Whangarei and heavily involved with parasitology he

saw the need for a NZ professional body of parasitologists and after conducting a study to determine whether

others agreed, he convened the first meeting of The New Zealand Society for Parasitology in 1972. He was

Sec/Treasurer for the first 5 years and was elected as an Honorary Life-Member of the Society at its annual

conference 21 years later in 1993.

After 5 years at Whangarei he moved south to the Animal Health Laboratory at Lincoln where he remained for 14

years and was responsible for the operations of the diagnostic services provided to vets and farmers. While

working at Lincoln he completed a Master of Science Degree by part-time study, his Thesis being “Toxoplasma in

Canterbury Sheep”.

After the MAF service was downsized in a Government cost-cutting exercise, and he was made redundant, he did

a variety of part-time work including assisting with the start-up of the Christchurch Gondola as he had had prior

experience with the Queenstown Gondola, having worked there during the Varsity holidays.

Back in Christchurch, David’s love of the water resurfaced and he bought his first Trailer-Sailer. Later on, he

progressed to a much bigger boat - Ajax.

In 1998 David began work at the University of Canterbury, as a Research Assistant, where he worked on

Enzogenol mouse trials. For the uninitiated this was an investigative study into the use of a pine derivative in

cancer research. Once the contract was completed “Dave” as he was known at the university stayed working in the

Zoology Department as a Technical Assistant working in the undergraduate teaching laboratories. I am told that

Dave’s knowledge and skill made him a valuable member of the team there and that he was especially skilled in

dissection and would demonstrate to the students in a number of the laboratories.

More recently as the years marched on and he became semi-retired he took on the role of electrical tester and

workshop assistant. This work meant he interacted with all the staff and students in the Department and did so in a

pleasant and easy going manner. He was always the first to volunteer when an extra set of hands was required.

**********************************

After the service a few of us got together to raise a glass to our mate. Just for you Dave - the Kingston Trio.

Recent publications in the school

Bartomeus, I., Gravel, D., Tylianakis, J.M., Aizen, M.A., Dickie, I.A. and Bernard-Verdier, M. (in press). A common

framework for identifying linkage rules across different types of interactions. Functional Ecology DOI:

10.1111/1365-2435.12666.

Cameron, E.Z. and Ryan, S.J. (2016). Welfare at multiple scales: Importance of zoo elephant population welfare in

a world of declining wild populations. PLoS ONE 11(7): e0158701.

Emer, C., Memmott, J., Vaughan, I.P., Montoya, D. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Species roles in plant–pollinator

communities are conserved across native and alien ranges. Diversity and Distributions 22(8): 841-852. [now

complete with page number]

Gray, D.P., Harding, J.S. and Lindsay, P. (2016). Remediation of a major acid mine drainage point source

discharge restores headwater connectivity for a diadromous native fish. New Zealand Journal of Marine and

Freshwater Research doi.org/10.1080/00288330.2016.1184170.

Jellyman, P.G. and Harding, J.S. (2016). Disentangling the stream community impacts of Didymosphenia

geminata: How are higher trophic levels affected? Biological Invasions doi.10.1007/s10530-016-1233-z.

Winterbourn, M.J. and Pohe, S.R. (2016). Feeding and parasitism of adult Stenoperla spp. (Plecoptera:

Eustheniidae) in New Zealand. Austral Entomology doi:10.1111/acn.12222.

PhD oral exams completed

Manmeet Kaur had her oral exam on the 30th June. The title of her thesis is 'Amyloid fibril based

bionanotechnologies'. In attendance, Senior Supervisor, Professor Juliet Gerrard (in the flesh), Dr Ashley Garrill,

Associate Professor Margie Sunde and Dr Tammy Steeves. Congratulations Manmeet!

Pictured: Dr Tammy Steeves (Oral Organiser), Manmeet, Professor Juliet Gerrard (University of Auckland) and

Associate Professor Margie Sunde (Oral Examiner, University of Sydney). Absent: Dr Ashley Garrill

Xiaoli Sun had her oral exam on the 14th July. The title of her thesis is 'Enhanced protein functionalities'. In

attendance were Dr Mike Boland, Associate Professor Ren Dobson and Professor Jack Heinemann (Oral

Organiser). Via video link were Professor Juliet Gerrard and Xiaoli. Congratulations Xiaoli!

Pictured: Dr Mike Riddet (Oral Examiner, Riddet CORE, Massey), Professor Juliet Gerrard (a vision!), Xiaoli and

Associate Professor Ren Dobson

Kevin Chase, had his oral exam today, Monday 25th July. The title of his thesis is 'Allee effects, host tree density

and the establishment of invasive Bark beetles'. In attendance were his supervisors, Dr Eckehard Brockerhoff

(Scion), Professor Dave Kelly, the Oral Examiner, Dr Darren Ward (Landcare) and the Oral Organiser, Associate

Professor Ximena Nelson. Kevin has been one of those postgrads who settled into kiwi life with ease and it has

been a pleasure to get to know him throughout his degree. Will miss your happy, smiling face - congratulations

Kevin!

Pictured: Dr Eckehard Brockerhoff, Professor Dave Kelly, Kevin (via video link), Dr Darren Ward and Associate

Professor Ximena Nelson

In the spotlight

Charity Fight Night & Fundraiser

Brandon 'Nitro' Goeller would like to thank all of the Biology staff and students that helped him to raise over

$1000 for the Bowel and Liver Trust. The Charity Fight Night was held on Friday, 22 July and the live stream of the

event can be viewed on the UCSA Facebook Page. Nitro charged hard after his opponent for three rounds and lost

the bought as a split decision. Great effort, Nitro!

Louise 'Loulou lightening' Orcheston-Findlay would like to thank everyone from SBS who helped along the way

with encouragement and $$. She won her bout and raised over $1000 for the Child Cancer Foundation.

Postgraduate news

Graduation Council ceremony - 29 June

Katherine Bushman, Distinction

Paddy Gibson, First Class Honours

Longyuan (Robin) Hu, Second Class Honours, Division Two

What film is that?

Hello? What do you look like? Talk louder, I can't hear you! Hey, hello! Hello, I can't hear you! Five. Yes. Yes. I

don't know. I don't know.

382: Boys, this is the Papa Bear.

Answer: Looks like we've got us a... Convoy (1978), starring Kris Kristofferson as "Papa Bear".

Guessed by: Craig Galilee

and now for something completely different...

How to be Ab Fab 2016-style

80-odd years of Shake It Off

Rare sighting of a Styracosaurus located in the office of Angus McIntosh

photo credit: P.E. Jameson

Recipes of the Week

Lentil 'sausage' rolls

Plum-glazed meat loaf

Thought for the Week

No rule book. No time frame. No judgement. Grief is as individual as a fingerprint. Do what is right for your soul. ~ LFW

Newsletter 384 12 August 2016

Recent publications in the school

Anderson, S.H., Kelly, D., Robertson, A.W. and Ladley, J.J. (2016). Pollination by birds: a functional evaluation. In:

Why birds matter: avian ecological functions and ecosytem services. C. H. Sekercioglu, D. G. Wenny and C. J.

Whelan, Eds. Chicago, University of Chicago Press: 73-106.

De Palma, A., Abrahamczyk, S., Aizen, M.A., Albrecht, M., Basset, Y., Bates, A., Blake, R.J., Boutin, C., Bugter, R.,

Connop, S., Cruz-López, L., Cunningham, S.A., Darvill, B., Diekötter, T., Dorn, S., Downing, N., Entling, M.H.,

Farwig, N., Felicioli, A., Fonte, S.J., Fowler, R., Franzén, M., Goulson, D., Grass, I., Hanley, M.E., Hendrix, S.D.,

Herrmann, F., Herzog, F., Holzschuh, A., Jauker, B., Kessler, M., Knight, M.E., Kruess, A., Lavelle, P., Le Féon, V.,

Lentini, P., Malone, L.A., Marshall, J., Martínez Pachón, E., McFrederick, Q.S., Morales, C.L., Mudri-Stojnic, S.,

Nates-Parra, G., Nilsson, S.G., Öckinger, E., Osgathorpe, L., Parra-H, A., Peres, C.A., Persson, A.S., Petanidou,

T., Poveda, K., Power, E.F., Quaranta, M., Quintero, C., Rader, R., Richards, M.H., Roulston, T., Rousseau, L.,

Sadler, J.P., Samnegård, U., Schellhorn, N.A., Schüepp, C., Schweiger, O., Smith-Pardo, A.H., Steffan-Dewenter,

I., Stout, J.C., Tonietto, R.K., Tscharntke, T.,Tylianakis, J.M., Verboven, H.A.F., Vergara, C.H., Verhulst, J.,

Westphal, C., Yoon, H.J. and Purvis, A. (2016). Predicting bee community responses to land-use changes: Effects

of geographic and taxonomic biases. Scientific Reports 6(31153): doi:10.1038/srep31153.

Frost, C.M., Peralta, G., Rand, T.A., Didham, R.K., Varsani, A. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Apparent competition

drives community-wide parasitism rates and changes in host abundance across ecosystem boundaries. Nature

Communications 7(12644): doi:10.1038/ncomms12644.

Malak, A., Baronian, K. and Kunze, G. (2016). Blastobotrys (Arxula) adeninivorans - a promising alternative yeast

for biotechnology and basic research. Yeast doi:10.1002/yea.3180.

Rohr, R.P., Saavedra, S., Peralta, G., Frost, C.M., Bersier, L.-F., Bascompte, J. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016).

Persist or produce: A community trade-off tuned by species evenness. The American Naturalist

188(4): doi:10.1086/688046.

South, P.M. and Thomsen, M.S. (2016). The ecological role of invading Undaria pinnatifida: an experimental test

of the driver-passenger models. Marine Biology 163(175): doi:10.1007/s00227-00016-02948-00221.

Stevens, J.C.B., Hickford, M.J.H. and Schiel, D.R. (2016). Evidence of iteroparity in the widely distributed

diadromous fish inanga Galaxias maculatus and potential implications for reproductive output. Journal of

Biology doi:10.1111/jfb.13083.

Welsch, J., Hale, R.J., Buckley, H.L. and Case, B.S. (2016). Quantification and comparison of shelterbelt carbon

stocks within and between an organic mixed-cropping farm and a conventional dairy farm. New Zealand Natural

Sciences 41: 14-28.

Wenny, D.G., Sekercioglu, C.H., Cordeiro, N.J., Rogers, H.S. and Kelly, D. (2016). Seed dispersal by fruit-eating

birds. In: Why birds matter: avian ecological functions and ecosystem services. C. H. Sekercioglu, D. G. Wenny

and C. J. Whelan, Eds. Chicago, University of Chicago Press: 107-146.

Whelan, C.J., Tomback, D.F., Kelly, D. and Johnson, M.D. (2016). Trophic interaction networks and ecosystem

services. Why birds matter: avian ecological functions and ecosystem services. C. H. Sekercioglu, D. G. Wenny

and C. J. Whelan, Eds. Chicago, University of Chicago Press: 49-72.

PhD oral exams completed

Sinan Uğur Umu had his oral exam on Friday 29th July. The title of his is 'Investigating prokaryotic transcriptomes

and the impact of crosstalk between noncoding RNA and messenger RNA interactions' In attendance were his

Senior Supervisors, Associate Professor Ant Poole and Dr Paul Gardner, and the Oral Organiser, Dr Tammy

Steeves. Via video link was Sinan and the Oral Examiner, Professor Murrary Cox (Massey University).

Congratulations Sinan!

Pictured: Dr Paul Gardner, Professor Murray Cox, Sinan and Professor Ant Poole

Camille Coux had her oral exam on Friday 5th August. The title of her thesis is 'Linking the Structure of Ecological

Networks to

Functional Diversity and Ecosystem Processes in Changing Environments'. In attendance was Professor Jason

Tylianakis (Co-Senior Supervisor), Associate Professor Daniel Stouffer (Co-Senior Supervisor) and Professor

Hazel Chapman (Oral Organiser). Via video link was Camille and the Oral Examiner Dr Kevin Burns. We miss your

style and grace, like a floating butterfly and your beautiful accent. Congratulations Camille!

Pictured: Associate Professor Daniel Stouffer, Dr Kevin Burns, Camille, Associate Professor Hazel Chapman and

Professor Jason Tylianakis

We remember...

Photo credit: Geography

We note with sadness that Henry Connor died on Tuesday 26 July at Rannerdale Veterans Home in Christchurch.

Henry made a huge contribution to botany in New Zealand. He was Director of the Botany Division of the

Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (forerunner of Landcare Research) until his retirement in 1982.

After that he took up an honorary position at UC in Geography and continued working actively. Among the notable

achievements of this later period are his comprehensive revision of species in the genus Chionochloa (snow

tussocks) in the New Zealand Journal of Botany in 1991, and co- authorship with Elizabeth Edagar in 2000 of

Volume 5 of the Flora of New Zealand, covering all native and exotic grasses. He was also the New Zealand expert

on poisonous plants, publishing "Poisonous Plants in New Zealand" in 1951, revised in 1977, and in 2009 co-

authoring "Plants that Poison: a New Zealand Guide" with John Fountain from the Otago National Poisons Centre.

In 2002 he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of his services to botany.

In the spotlight

UC Admin Plus length of service celebration

UC Admin Plus (UCAP) is a network of non-teaching staff from across UC. On Thursday 28 July over 40 staff were

presented with length of service certificates at a celebratory morning tea held at Bentleys at UCSA Foundry.

Registrar Jeff Field and Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr made the presentations and over 100 colleagues were

present for the celebration. It was great to be involved in a feel-good function celebrating the importance of non-

teaching staff from across UC.

Awards were made for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40+ years of service at UC – a total of 1065 years of service.

*******************************

Lyn de Groot, our School Administrator was awarded her certificate on Tuesday 9th August when the VC, Dr Rod

Carr came to visit SBS.

Lyn de Groot: 40 years plus

Nicki Judson: 20 years ************************************ Penny Moore: 10 years

Funding success

Congratulations to Hazel Chapman, who has been successful in securing further funding for the Nigerian Montane

Forest Project at the Ngel Ngaki Field Station through the MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Africa

Development Partnership Facility. The funding, $76,000 is for upgrading the field station, including the creation of

an arboretum and an education centre.

Congratulations to David Schiel, who has just negotiated a one-year extension to sub-contract funding under the

NIWA "Coasts & Oceans Research Programme 5, Managing Marine Stressors". The funding is $138,000 for the

next 12 months.

Congratulations to Ren Dobson, who with Conan fee (CAPE) has secured funding for the Biomolecular

Interactions Centre (BIC) from the Riddet CoRE at Massey University. Funding of $123,000 over 2 years will

support projects of mutual interest to BIC and the Riddet Centre.

Congratulations to Jason Tylianakis and Paul Gardner, who have each had funding confirmed for 5-year roles in

the Bio-Protection CoRE at Lincoln University. Jason for two projects: 'Scenario modelling of the evolution of host

resistance', and 'Understand how community interaction networks resist and respond to invasions’. Funding for

year 1 of the program is $145,000. Paul for two projects: 'To identify determinants of virulence and adaptation in

the kiwifruit pathogen Pseudomaonas syringae pv. Actinidiae’, and 'Provide bioinformatics expertise to allow

genomic comparisons'. Funding for year 1 of the program is $91,000.

What film is that?

My daughter is in pain, can't you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!

383: Hello? What do you look like? Talk louder, I can't hear you! Hey, hello! Hello, I can't hear you! Five. Yes. Yes. I

don't know. I don't know

Answer: Poltergeist (1982). Carol Anne (Heather O'Rourke) talking to the "ghosts".

Guessed by: Nobody

and now for something completely different...

Simon's Cat Logic - Why Do Cats Sleep in Unusual Places?!

First Lady Michelle Obama Carpool Karaoke

Wheel of Musical Impressions with Céline Dion

Chris Amon obituary: 1943-2016

Le Mans tribute

Secret life of bees: personalities of insects revealed for first time in life long study

Recipes of the Week

New lunchbox favourites

Tuna coleslaw wraps

Thought for the Week

Begin doing what you want to do now.

We are not living in eternity.

We have only this moment, sparkling like a star

in our hand- and melting like a snowflake.

~ Francis Bacon Sr.

Newsletter 385 23 August 2016

Our 4th years will be starting their tests on Monday 5th September through to the 16th. To round off the occasion

they will be able to enjoy pizza and fanta's. Study well and best of luck.

Recent publications in the school

Fraley, K.M., Falke, J.A., Yanusz, R. and Ivey, S. (2016). Seasonal movements and habitat use of potamodromous

rainbow trout across a complex Alaska riverscape. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 145: 1077-

1092.

Ashley Overbeek was a visting undergraduate student, from Stanford last year. This is her first publication

and at first author!

Overbeek, A. L., Hauber, M.E., Brown, E., Cleland, S., Maloney, R.F. and Steeves, T.E. (2016). Evidence for

brood parasitism in a critically endangered Charadriiform with implications for conservation. Journal of

Ornithology doi:10.1007/s10336-016-1375-x.

PhD oral exams completed

Aliaa Idris succesfully completed her PhD oral examination on Friday August 12th. The chair of the exam was

Hazel Chapman who hosted a four way Skype conversation with Aliaa Idris in Kuala Lumpa, Malaysia, the senior

supervisor Dr David Collings in Newcastle, Australia, and the oral examiner Professor Staffan Persson from the

University of Melbourne. Aliaa's thesis title is 'A microscopy study of specialized cell walls in the roots of the orchid

genus Miltoniopsis'. Congratulations Aliaa!

Helen Asmead had her oral exam also on Friday 12th August. In attendance were her Senior Superviosr,

Professor Juliet Gerrard, Co-Supervisor, Dr Grant Pearce, Oral Organiser, Professor Paula Jameson, Oral

Examiner, Dr David Goldstone (University of Auckland) and Helen. Her thesis title is 'Proteins as Building Blocks

for Biological Nanomaterials'. Congratulations Helen!

Pictured: Paula Jameson, Grant Pearce, Helen Ashmead, Juliet Gerrard and David Goldstone.

In the spotlight

Where Science Ends and the GMO Debate Really Begins

Opponents and proponents of genetically modified food have invoked science in their arguments, but science has

no definitive answer. Evaluating the risks and benefits of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) cannot depend on

science alone, at least for now.

Professor Jack Heinemann has a mention in this article - read more at The Epoch Times.

Didymo directly affects freshwater fish: new study

A new study by University of Canterbury researchers has shown that the invasive freshwater algae didymo is

having a significant impact on fish in our rivers and streams.

Research by University of Canterbury (UC) ecologist Professor Jon Harding and NIWA scientist Dr Phil Jellyman

shows that the invasive freshwater algae can have a significant impact on fish communities in rivers and streams.

Read the full story at UC Communications.

Results from the May scholarships round

We had a number of very strong applicants spread across the school (for both Doctoral and Masters scholarships),

and two of these have been successful in what has proven to become an increasingly competitive process. These

two are:

Nooshin Ghodsian - awarded a Doctoral Scholarship to work with Steven Gieseg

Bethany Jose - awarded a Doctoral Scholarship to work with Paul Gardner

Congratulations to both!

Canterbury scientist selected for astronaut programme shortlist

We have lift-off...

A University of Canterbury chemistry academic is in the top one percent of applicants shortlisted by NASA to

become an astronaut.

Dr Sarah Kessans is a postdoctoral fellow at the university. Read the full story at Newstalk ZB.

What film is that?

He who controls the Spice, controls the universe!

384: My daughter is in pain, can't you understand that! GIVE MY DAUGHTER THE SHOT!

Answer: Terms of Endearment. Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) screams to one of the nurses to give her

daughter the shot. She won Best Actress in 1984 for this film. Check it out at Alice in Videoland.

Guessed by: Craig Galilee

and now for something completely different...

The Bradas - New Zealand @ #HHI2016 (Gold Medalist Adult Division)

Kiwis in Rio - look back

Wallabies labelled worst Australian team in a decade after Sydney shocker against All Blacks

Making a Bed With Cats Around

ROGUE ONE: A Star Wars Story 'Celebration' TRAILER (2016)

Recipes of the Week

Chicken pie with root vege mash

Baked eggplant layer

Thought for the Week

I hate housework! You make the beds, you do the dishes and six months later you have to start all over again.

~ Joan Rivers

Newsletter 386 5 September 2016

Best of luck to our fourth year students undertaking their tests for the next two weeks. May all those long hours of

swot and publication reading all pay off.

Recent publications in the school

Maistro S., Broady P.A., Andreoli C. and Negrisolo E. (2016). Xanthophyceae. In: Handbook of the protists. J. M.

Archibald, A.G.B. Simpson, C.H. Slamovits, L. Margulis, M. Melkonian, D.J. Chapman and J.O. Corliss, Eds.

Switzerland, Springer International Publishing: 1-28.

This is Kate's first publication since the conferrment of her PhD and at first author. Congratualations Kate!

Schimanski, K.B., Piola, R.F., Goldstien, S.J., Floerl, O., Grandison, C., Atalah, J. and Hopkins, G.A. (2016).

Factors influencing the en route survivorship and post-voyage growth of a common ship biofouling

organism, Bugula neritina. Biofouling 32(8): 969-978.

In the spotlight

Queenstown Research Week in Nelson

The lab group (comprised of students from the labs of Tammy Steeves, Marie Hale, and Pieter Pelser) submitted

two outfits to the Fashionomics Competition. Our models Michael Bartlett (aka "The Safety Gentleman")

and Tammy Steeves (aka "The Punk Professor") rocked the runway and won First Place and Honorable Mention,

respectively, out of thirteen competitors.

Pictured: Punk Professor and Safety Gentleman

Fashionomics? Check (Winner: The Safety Gentleman, aka Michael Bartlett).

MapNet? Check (Emerging Researcher, Best Talk: Stephanie Galla).

Pictured: Stephanie Gall, Natalie Forsdick, Tammy Steeves and Michael Bartlett

Defibrillator in Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences has purchased a defibrillator which is located in the reception waiting area on level 2 of the

SBS2 building. The current signage within the Schools building will be updated shortly.

NZ professor fights deforestation with 3D bioprinted synthetic wood

It seems like 3D printing has taken root at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Just last month, the

university’s archeological faculty announced its intentions to 3D print educational models of 3,000-year-old

artefacts. Now, its biological sciences department is planning to use 3D printing to fight deforestation,

with Associate Professor David Lueng having just been awarded a government grant to explore the development

of synthetic wood through the 3D bioprinting of live plant cells. The research project aims to provide the wood

industry with a sustainable alternative. Read the full article at 3ders.

Health Research Society of Canterbury Poster Expo

Amy Hill (MSc candidate) won a poster prize at the Health Research Society of Canterbury Poster Expo on

Thursday 25th August. Congratulations Amy!

Funding succes

Congratulations to Ren Dobson, who with colleague Volker Nock in Electrical Engineering, has been awarded one

of three Tech Jumpstart prizes ($20,000) for their project “A point-of-care microfluidic device that tests for

blood incompatibility”.

Tech Jumpstart gives University of Canterbury staff a chance to transform their innovative ideas into reality.

Projects receive $20,000 funding to help with technology development, as well as commercialisation support from

R&I and possible access to additional funding sources for continued development.

Congratulations to colleague David Leung, who has won Government funding to explore the potential of 3D-

printing live plant cells (bio-printing) to create synthetic wood. The project - Enabling sustainable economic

development with advanced additive manufacturing of wood - will receive $255,000 over three years. The funding

comes from the Science for Technological Innovation (SfTI) National Science Challenge.

David will work on creating a new, sustainable industry for synthetic wood manufacture through 3D bio-printing live

plant cells that could reduce the need for tree harvesting. If successful, the project would give the New Zealand

manufacturing sector a new, sustainable biomaterial.

Congratulations to David Schiel, who has just secured funding from the Sustainable Seas National Science

Challenge. The project “Tipping Points” will receive funding of $715,000 over three years (1 Apr 2016-30 Jun

2019).

Growing our future video on CAREX

University of Canterbury PhD Candidate Katie Collins, Professor Jon Harding and Arable Farmer Graeme Harris

talk about research work being through the Canterbury Waterway Rehabilitation Experiment (CAREX). This is part

of MPI's "Growing our future initiative". Watch the video on the MPI site. [Honourable mention: Hayley

Delvin, Research Assistant, in the background]

CAREX - now on Facebook

Events

Thesis-in-three - UC final

Tuesday 6th September

6.00 - 8.00 pm

Undercroft

Go along and support our victorious Biological Sciences, College of Science representative: Stephanie Galla

(PhD).

What film is that?

Saturday, March 24, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois, 60062.

385: He who controls the Spice, controls the universe!

Answer: Dune (1984). Baron Harkonnen (Kenneth McMillan) declares these words to his "croonies" whilst getting

his "facial".

Guessed by: Craig Galilee, Lyn de Groot and Emma MacKenzie (who have all read the book(s)

and now for something completely different...

Remembering Gene Wilder

For those of you too young at the time check out these movies, bound to give you lots of laughs and a few un-pc

moments:

The Producers

Blazing Saddles - unfortunately this movie has too many good scenes, so I have selected the trailer instead

Stir Crazy

See no evil, Hear no evil

Rent them out from Alice in Videoland

Fish Tank - Simon's Cat

Algae puts on spectacular light show in Bay

Suitable caption required

Recipes of the Week

Chicken, vegetable and barley soup

Moroccan chicken

Thought for the Week

“But Charlie, don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he always wanted. He lived

happily ever after.”

Gene Wilder - Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory)

Newsletter 387 19 September 2016

Recent publications in the school

Adams, M.J., Lefkowitz, E.J., King, A.M.Q., Harrach, B., Harrison, R.L., Knowles, N.J., Kropinski, A.M., Krupovic,

M., Kyhn, J.H., Mushegian, A.R., Nibert, M., Sabanadzovic, S., Sanfaçon, H., Siddell, S.G., Simmonds,

P., Varsani, A., Zerbini, F.M., Gorbalenya, A.E. and Davison, A.J. (2016). Ratification vote on taxonomic proposals

to the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (2016). Archives of Virology 161: 2921-2949.

De Bruyn, A., Harimalala, M., Zinga, I., Mabvakure, B.M., Hoareau, M., Ravigné, V., Walters, M., Reynaud,

B., Varsani, A., Harkins, G.W., Martin, D.P., Lett, J.-M., and Lefeurve, P. 2016. Divergent evolutionary and

epidemiological dynamics of cassava mosaic geminiviruses in Madagascar. BMC Evolutionary Biology 16: e182.

Hawke, D.J., Gamlen-Greene, R., Harding, J.S. and Leishman, D. (2017). Minimal ecosystem uptake of selenium

from Westland petrels, a forest-breeding seabird. Science of the Total Environment 574: 148-154.

Krupovic, M., Ghabrial, S.A., Jiang, D. and Varsani, A. 2016. Genomoviridae: a new family of widespread single-

stranded DNA viruses. Archives of Virology 161: 2633-2643.

Mabvakure, B., Martin, D.P., Kraberger, S., Cloete, L., van Brunschot, S., Geering, A.D.W., Thomas, J.E.,

Bananej, K., Lett, J.-M., Lefeuvre, P., Varsani, A. and Harkins, G.W. 2016. Ongoing geographical spread

of Tomato yellow leaf curl virus. Virology 498: 257-264.

Paris, D., Nicholls, A.O., Hall, A., Harvey, A. and Massaro, M. 2016. Female-biased dispersal in a spatially

restricted endemic island bird. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology doi:10.1007/s00265-016-2210-3.

White, R.A., McHugh, P.A. and McIntosh, A.R. 2016. Drought survival is a threshold function of habitat size and

population density in a fish metapopulation. Global Change Biology 22(10): 3341-3348.

Winterbourn, M.J. (2016). Life history and ecology of Potamopyrgus estuarinus (Gastropoda: Tateidae) in the tidal

reaches of two New Zealand rivers. Molluscan Research 36(2): 112-118. [now complete with page numbers]

Erskine Fellow welcome

Dr James Murphy, of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia.

Hosted by Ren Dobson & Grant Pearce as a Joint SBS/BIC visitor, Dr Murphy will be teaching into BIOL351 and

BCHM381 and also interacting with BIC and the Callaghan Innovation Centre.

Research Area is understanding how proteins within cells interact, and how genetic mutations that perturb these

interactions can cause human disease. He is researching defective signalling within the network of signalling

proteins and aiming to develop drugs to control the actions of these defective components. Currently looking at

inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and cancers. Dr Murphy is visiting

until 14 October so please make him welcome.

In the spotlight

UC student wins scholarship to Cambridge

University of Canterbury Master’s student Amy Hill has been awarded a prestigious Woolf Fisher Scholarship to

fund her future doctorate studies at the University of Cambridge in England. Read the full story at UC

Communications. What a star you are Amy!!

2017 MBIE Smart Ideas success

Drs Tammy Steeves and Marie Hale for their project "Maximising genetic diversity in endangered species: a

conservation genomic approach". Duration: Three years. Contract value: $1,000,000. Congratulations to both!

D-Prof David Schiel and Dr Mike Hickford for their NIWA project – “Overcoming dispersal and recruitment

constraints on native freshwater biodiversity” – to be funded for a total of $1.1m over 5 years.

Queenstown Research Week in Nelson - Annual Plant Satellite meeting

Samarth Samarth (PhD candidate) was Runner-up in the Best Student Poster award which was funded by the

New Zealand Society of Plant Biologist. He received $100 for his fine efforts. Congratulations Samarth!

Events

Thesis-in-three - UC final Results

Stephanie Galla, PhD candidate, may not have made it into the final three, but she was awarded with an

Honorary mention. Her topic was Married at First Sight for Captive Kakī". Congratulations Stephanie!

What film is that?

I am Juan Sánchez Villalobos Ramírez, Chief metallurgist to King Charles V of Spain. And I'm at your service.

386: Saturday, March 24, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois, 60062.

Answer: The Breakfast Club (1985). Narrated by Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall) after the opening credits.

Guessed by: Nobody

and now for something completely different...

Spring cleaning chores

How to wash windows

How to clean your oven

How to clean your fabric venetian blinds

How to bathe your cat

1. Maintain control of your cat. ... 2. Avoid fighting your cat. ... 3. Soak your kitty from the neck down. ... 4. Keep shampoo out of your cats eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. ... 5. Rinse the shampoo from your kitty. ... 6. Wash your kitty's face with water and a washcloth. ... 7. Watch your cat for signs of panic and distress. 8. Get First Aid Kit out and cover wounds with band aids...

The Biology Kid Creche staff take a break

B(r)east feeding in public

Bill(y) goat and Gavin goat

Recipes of the Week

Big fat zero cupcakes

Gluten-free celebration cakes

Thought for the Week

Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.

~ John Muir

Newsletter 388 4 October 2016

Recent publications in the school

Anderson, S.H., Kelly, D., Robertson, A.W. and Ladley, J.J. (2016). Pollination by birds: a functional evaluation.

In: Why birds matter: avian ecological functions and ecosytem services. C. H. Sekercioglu, D. G. Wenny and C. J.

Whelan, eds. Chicago, University of Chicago Press: 73-106.

Chandurvelan, R., Marsden, I.D., Gaw, S. and Glover, C.N. (2017). Acute and sub-chronic effects of sub-lethal

cadmium exposure on energy metabolism in the freshwater shrimp, Paratya curvirostris. Ecotoxicology and

Environmental Safety 135: 60-67.

This is Wafaa's first publication and at first author, before the submission of her PhD thesis. Her senior

supervisor is Dr Ashley Garrill. Congratulations Wafaa!

Hassan, W., Chitcholtan, K., Sykes, P. and Garrill, A. (2016). A combination of two receptor tyrosine kinase

inhibitors, Canertinib and PHA665752 compromises ovarian cancer cell growth in 3D cell models. Oncology &

Therapy doi:10.1007/s40487-016-0031-1.

Jameson, P.E. (2017). Cytokinins. Encyclopedia of Applied Plant Sciences. B. Thomas, B. G. Murray and D. J.

Murphy, eds. Waltham, MA, Academic Press. 1: 391-402.

Moinet, G.Y.K., Cieraad, E., Hunt, J.E., Turnbull, M.H. and Whitehead, D. (2016). Phytomass index improves

estimates of net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange in intensively grazed grassland. Agriculture, Ecosystems and

Environment 233: 298-307.

This is Sinan's first publication and at first author. Sinan conferred his PhD in Biotechnology in September.

Associate Professor Ant Poole and Dr Paul Gardner were his Senior Supervisors. Read about the

breakthrough below, he and the biomolecular team made. Congratulations Sinan!

Uğur Umu, S., Poole, A.M., Dobson, R.C.J. and Gardner, P.P. (2016). Avoidance of stochastic RNA interactions

can be harnessed to control protein expression levels in bacteria and archaea. eLife 5: e13479.

Wenny, D.G., Sekercioglu, C.H., Cordeiro, N.J., Rogers, H.S. and Kelly, D. (2016). Seed dispersal by fruit-eating

birds. In: Why birds matter: avian ecological functions and ecosystem services. C. H. Sekercioglu, D. G. Wenny

and C. J. Whelan, eds. Chicago, University of Chicago Press: 107-146.

Whelan, C.J., Tomback, D.F., Kelly, D. and Johnson, M.D. (2016). Trophic interaction networks and ecosystem

services. In: Why birds matter: avian ecological functions and ecosystem services. C. H. Sekercioglu, D. G. Wenny

and C. J. Whelan, eds. Chicago, University of Chicago Press: 49-72.

This is Tarryn's first publication and at first author. She conferred her PhD in Ecology in 2013. Professor

Dave Kelly was her Senior Supervisor. Congratulations Tarryn!

Wyman, T.E. and Kelly, D. (2017). Quantifying seed dispersal by birds and possums in a lowland New Zealand

forest. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 41(1): doi:10.20417/nzjecol.41.4.

In the spotlight

Fulbright New Zealand: Bright Sparks

Enjoying New Zealand life and its "curious, interested, friendly" people. Matt Jones from Pullman, Washington is a

Fulbright U.S. Graduate Award grantee developing a new framework for studying non-native species dispersal in

New Zealand at the University of Canterbury towards his Washington State University PhD.

Eliza (Eli) Oldach from Chapel Hill, North Carolina is researching coastal ecosystems with the Marine Ecology

Research Group at University of Canterbury.

Read the Bright Sparks September 2016 issue, featuring Matt Jones.

UC student explores native crayfish sustainability

Studying at UC’s School of Biological Sciences in the College of Science, with scholarship funding and support

from the UC Ngāi Tahu Research Centre (NTRC), Channell Thoms, who is a descendant of Ngāi Tahu from Ngati

Kuri hapu with whakapapa to Maungamanu, has just completed her Master’s thesis on freshwater crayfish or

kekewai (Paranephrops zealandicus).

Unfortunately you have missed her talk (29 Sept), but you can read all about Channell's research at UC

Communications.

Loud shirt day, Friday 23rd September

A small, but festive group celebrated Loud shirt day. This year the theme was FIESTA. Thank you so much for

another wonderful year of fundraising to support deaf kiwi kids with cochlear implants and hearing aids. On the day

we raised $72.20.

Report from the American Society for Microbiology Conference

Nicole Wheeler, PhD candidate reported on her presentation at the American Society for Microbiology

Conference in June 2016, supported by the 2015 NZMS student oral presentation prize. It was highlighted in New

Zealand Microbiological Society Newsletter: NZMS NEWZ issue 4. Read it here.

Scholarship provides valuable experience

A scholarship partnership between the University of Canterbury and Cawthron is providing valuable experience for

a PhD student studying toxic microalgae in the Pacific.

Phoebe Argyle, PhD candidate, has recently returned from Tonga. She’s focusing on harmful microalgae that live

on the surface of seaweed in the tropics and cause ciguatera fish poisoning – an illness that can cause death.

Read the full story at Coastal & Freshwater News, Cawthron.

UC scientists make biomolecular breakthrough

A team of University of Canterbury researchers has made a scientific breakthrough in biomolecular interactions,

which will help discover the determinants of gene expression.

Members of UC’s Biomolecular Interaction Centre – doctoral student Sinan Uğur Umu, Associate Professor

Renwick Dobson, Associate Professor Anthony Poole and Dr Gardner – were involved in the research project.

Umu spent his three-year PhD predominantly working on this project after Dr Gardner proposed the original

hypotheses over four years ago. Read the full story at UC Biological Sciences.

Newstalk ZB have an intersting take on their research, listen here. The topic starts at 1:57 and runs for 78 seconds.

An Insight article about the work has been written by colleagues at the University of North Carolina:

Bioinformatics: Selecting against accidental RNA interactions

What film is that?

Well, what am I supposed to do? You won't answer my calls, you change your number. I mean, I'm not gonna be

ignored, Dan!

387: I am Juan Sánchez Villalobos Ramírez, Chief metallurgist to King Charles V of Spain. And I'm at your service.

Answer: Highlander (1986). Ramirez (Sean Connery) introduces himself.

Guessed by: Nobody

and now for something completely different...

Ig Nobel win for Alpine 'goat man'

League's longest title drought ends with historic Sharks win

Western Bulldogs win AFL grand final to end 62-year drought

The Top 10 NZ Television Ads

(Re-live your youth!)

Laser Toy - Simon's Cat

Recipes of the Week

Kumara, rocket and asparagus frittata

Vegetarian pad Thai

Thought for the Week

The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply.

~Unknown

Newsletter 389 17 October 2016

Recent publications in the school

This is Terra's first publication, being a Chapter in a Book. Terra conferred her Masters in 2015. Her senior

supervisor was Professor Jim Briskie. Congratulations Terra!

Nelson, N.J., Romign, R.L., Dumont, T., Reardon, J.T., Monks, J.M., Hitchmough, R.A., Empson, R. and Briskie,

J.V. (2016). Lizard conservation in mainland sanctuaries. In: New Zealand Lizards. D. G. Chapple, ed. Switzerland,

Springer International Publishing: 321-339.

This is Stephanie's first publication and at first author before the submission of her PhD. Her senior

supervisor is Dr Tammy Steeves. Congratulations Stephanie!

Galla, S.J., Buckley, T.R., Elshire, R., Hale, M.L., Knapp, M., McCallum, J., Moraga, R., Santure, A.W., Wilcox, P.

and Steeves, T.E. (2016). Building strong relationships between conservation biology and primary industry leads to

mutually-beneficial genomic advances. Molecular Ecology http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec.13837.

Heskel, M.A., Atkin, O.K., O'Sullivan, O.S., Reich, P.B., Tjoelker, M.G., Weerasinghe, L.K., Penillard, A., Egerton,

J.J.G., Creek, D., Bloomfield, K.J., Xiang, J., Sinca, F., Stangl, Z.R., Martinez-de la Torre, A., Griffin, K.L.,

Huntingford, C., Hurry, V., Meir, P. and Turnbull, M.H. (2016). Reply to Adams et al.: Empiricial versus process-

based approaches to modeling temperature responses of leaf respiration. Proceeding of the National Academy of

Sciences doi/10.1073/pnas.1612904113.

Recent theses in the UC Library

Doctor of Philosophy

Chase, K. D. (2016). Allee effects, host tree density and the establishment of invasive bark beetles. School of

Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Doctor of Philosophy: 96. [embargoed till 15 August 2018]

Kaur, M. (2016). Amyloid fibril based bionanotechnologies. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch,

Canterbury. Doctor of Philosophy: 211.

Moinet, G. (2016). Factors influencing the exchange of C within agricultural systems. School of Biological

Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Doctor of Philosophy. [embargoed till 13 June 2017]

Sun, X. (2016). Enhanced protein functionalities School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Doctor of

Philosophy: 316. [embargoed till 15 August 2018]

Umu, S. U. (2016). Investigating prokaryotic transcriptomes and the impact of crosstalk between noncoding RNA

and messenger RNA interactions. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Doctor of Philosophy:

126.

Master of Science

Bushman, K. L. (2016). From fish to fowl: a comparison using stable isotope analysis of the little penguin in

captive and wild populations. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in

Ecology: 91. [embargoed till 31 May 2018]

Carvell, C. (2016). Ontogenetic shift in plant-related cognitive specialization by the mosquito-eating jumping

spider, Evarcha culicivora. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Zoology:

112. [embargoed till 19 May 2018]

Charan-Dixon, H. (2016). Sea cucumber fisheries in the Kingdom of Tonga: regeneration biology, ecology, and

environmental chemistry. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Zoology:

168. [embargoed till 19 May 2018]

Cross, S. (2016). Identification of oxldl-induced oxidative stress sources in cardiovascular disease. School of

Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Biochemistry: 124.

Dhaneshwar, A. (2016). Decolorisation of methylene blue using Lactuca and Sophora species. School of

Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Environmental Sciences: 59. [embargoed till

30 May 2018]

Fairless, J. J. (2016). Sex, parasites and coevolution: improving forecasts for the distribution of the New Zealand

mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science

in Ecology: 78.

Forsdick, N. (2016). Genetic diversity within and among populations of black robins on the Chatham Islands, New

Zealand. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Ecology: 121. [embargoed

till 30 June 2018]

Gibson, P. S. (2016). The biochemistry and genetics of herbicide-induced changes in antibiotic resistance in

Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of

Science in Cellular and Molecular Biology: 126.

Hu, L. (2016). Characterization of dihydrodipicolinate synthase and dihydrodipicolinate reductase from

chlamydomonas reinhardtii, cyanidioschyzon merolae, selaginella moellendorffii, ostrecoccus tauri and ostrecoccus

lucimarinus. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Biochemistry: 83.

[embargoed till 7 April 2017]

Kim, J. N. (2016). Agonistic interactions in female New Zealand fur seals: the functions of conspecific aggression

and its implications in spatial population dynamics. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master

of Science in Biological Sciences: 141. [embargoed till 19 May 2018]

Male, M. F. (2016). Identification of CRESS DNA viruses in faeces of Pacific flying foxes in the Tongan

archipelago. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Cellular and Molecular

Biology: 102.

Nonis, J. (2016). Bacteriophage as a biocontrol tool for foodborne pathogens. School of Biological Sciences.

Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Microbiology: 98.

Steel, O. (2016). Exploring the diversity of CRESS DNA viruses associated with the faecal matter of wild and

domestic animals in New Zealand. School of Biological Sciecnces. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in

Microbiology: 112. [embargoed till 2 May 2018]

Vanderhaven, B. (2016). Reef fish survey methods and application to population dynamics of parrotfish within the

Kingdom of Tonga. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch, Canterbury. Master of Science in Biological

Sciences: 138. [embargoed 19 May 2018]

Zygadlo, M. (2016). Metal contamination in streams in three New Zealand cities, the effects on benthic

communities and the accumulation in a New Zealand mayfly. School of Biological Sciences. Christchurch,

Canterbury. Master of Science in Environmental Sciences: 109. [embargoed till 2 September 2018]

In the spotlight

Opinion - What price academic freedom?

Professor Jack Heinemann weighs in on the argument of what academic freedom means. Read his opinion in

the UC Student blog.

Braided River Awareness & Art Auction

The Braided River Awareness & Art Auction is about to come to a close and, thus far, we raised over $9,000 for the

Kakī Recovery Programme! However, we have 4 boxes of excellent wine remaining (2 boxes of 6 bottles each of

Pinot Noir, and 2 boxes of 6 bottles each of Riesling) graciously donated by the Black Stilt Winery

(http://blackstiltwines.co.nz). The price per box of 6 bottles is $120 for the Pinot Noir and $80 for the Riesling.

These prices are well below the RRP so grab a bargain for a worthy cause! If you are interested, please contact

Stephanie Galla (stephanie.galla@pg.canterbury.ac.nz) or Tammy Steeves (tammy.steeves@canterbury.ac.nz)

before the 29th of October. First come, first served.

UC's aspiring astronaut returns from NASA inspired

Dr Sarah Kessans, the postdoctoral fellow at the University of Canterbury who is in the top 1% of applicants

shortlisted by NASA to become an astronaut, recently returned from initial interviews for NASA's Astronaut

Candidate Class of 2017 in the United States.

Read the wonderful insight into Sarah's journey to becoming an astronaut at UC Communications.

Kiwi scientist Sarah Kessans' astronaut dream moves a giant leap closer - The New Zealand Herald

Christchurch woman one step closer to Mars - The Press

UC students urge Kiwis to become ant eaters

Would you like locusts with your huhu grubs? Do you prefer your ants cooked medium rare or well done? These

questions could be coming to a restaurant near you if two Canterbury student-entrepreneurs get their way.

A University of Canterbury Centre for Entrepreneurship (UCE) student company, Anteater, is working with high-end

food producers to make delicious dishes from insects to be served in restaurants throughout the country.

The Canterbury student-entrepreneurs behind the appropriately named incubator company, Peter Randrup and

Bex De Prospo, see their creepy-crawly start-up as a first step towards a more ambitious environmental goal.

Peter, who’s studying Insect Biology at UC, says he is committed to finding more efficient, sustainable ways to

produce high-quality protein sources. He wants to help people understand how much of an environmental impact

that can be made just by small changes in diet.

Read the full story at UC Communications.

What film is that?

When I came out into society, I was fifteen. I already knew that the role I was condemned to, namely to keep quiet

and do what I was told, gave me the perfect opportunity to listen and observe.

388: Well, what am I supposed to do? You won't answer my calls, you change your number. I mean, I'm not gonna

be ignored, Dan!

Answer: Fatal Attraction (1987). Alex Forrest (Glenn Close) talking/yelling to Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas).

Interesting movie for those contemplating having a affair...

Guessed by: Nobody

and now for something completely different...

Unionist Helen Kelly dies in Wellington

Public service to remember Helen Kelly

Forest innovators take to the skies (and the soil)

Trash Cat - Simon's Cat

Rembering Jean Alexander (aka Hilda Ogden)

Bet Lynch & Hilda Ogden Fight In The Street

Hilda breaks down

Hilda Ogden Sings...Badly..

Annie and Hilda

Hilda Ogden Special - that kiss

Recipes of the Week

Sweet and sour beef

Sweet and sour pineapple chicken

Thought for the Week

“Quite right, Stanley, I wouldn’t give them to a working man, but seeing as you don’t fall under that

category there’s no problem is there? Now get them ate.”

Hilda to Stanley when he’s served pilchards for tea.

Newsletter 390 1 November 2016

There are only...

Recent publications in the school

Belton, L.E., Cameron, E.Z. and Dalerum, F. (2016). Spotted hyaena space use in relation to human infrastructure

inside a protected area. PeerJ 4: e2596.

This is Natalie Forsdick's first publication and at first author. Natalie submitted her thesis in April 2016. Her

senior supervisor was Dr Marie Hale. Congratulations Natalie!

Forsdick, N.J., Cubrinovska, I., Massaro, M. and Hale, M.L. (2016). Genetic diversity and population

differentiation within and between island populations of two sympatric Petroica robins, the Chatham Island black

robin and tomtit. Conservation Genetics Early access online(doi:10.1007/s10592-016-0899-1).

This is a first publication for Thomas Hildebrand (MSc, conferred 2014), Travis Foster (PhD, before

submission), Alfonso Siciliano (PhD, before submission) and Eli Oldach (MSc, before submission). They

are all supervised by Drs Mads Thomsen and David Schiel. Congratuations to all!

Thomsen, M.S., Hildebrand, T., South, P.M. Foster, T., Siciliano, A., Oldach, E. and Schiel, D.R. (2016). A

sixth-level habitat cascade increases biodiversity in an intertidal estuary. Ecology and Evolution

0(doi:10.1002/ece3.2499): 1-13.

Annual Biology Conference - 20 October 2016

Best overall talk: Stephanie Galla

(pictured with Senior Supervisor, Dr Tammy Steeves)

Best PhD talk: Bernat Bramon Mora

(pictured with Solomon Wante, PhD candidate)

Second place, PhD talk: Alicia Lai

Third place, PhD talk: Nicole McRae

(pictured with Brandon Goeller and Nixie Boddy, PhD candidates)

Best MSc talk:Sam Elley

(left before I could take a pic!)

Second place, MSc talk: Bonnie Humphrey

Third place, MSc talk: Elizabeth Dunn

Best BSc(Hons)/BSc talk: Eli Oldach

(pictured are members of the MERG team; Iurii Malakhov, PhD candidate; Jan McKenzie, MERG technician; Mads

Thomsen, Research Associate; Travis Foster, PhD candidate; Mark Yungnickel, MSc candidate and Alfonso

Sicilianao, PhD candidate)

Best journal article in applied natural sciences/conservation research in New Zealand by a BSc(hons) or MSc

student:

Ashley Overbeek

Overbeek, A.L., Hauber, M.E., Brown, E., Cleland, S., Maloney, R.F. and Steeves, T.E. (2016). Evidence for brood

parasitism in a critically endangered Charadriiform with implications for conservation. Journal of Ornithology

doi:10.1007/s10336-016-1375-x.

Best paper by an BSc(Hons) student:

David Lloyd-Jones

Lloyd-Jones, D.J. and J. V. Briskie (2016). Mutual wattle ornaments in the South Island Saddleback (Philesturnus

carunculatus) function as armaments. Ethology 122: 61-71.

Best paper by an MSc student:

Matthew Arnet

Arnet, M., Santos, B., Brockerhoff, E.G., Pelser, P.B., Ecroyd, C. and Clemens, J. (2015). Importance of arboreta

for ex situ conservation of threatened trees. Biodiversity and Conservation 24(14): 3601-3620.

Honorable mention of a PhD student:

Carol Frost

Frost, C. M., Peralta, G., Rand, T.A., Didham, R.K., Varsani, A. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Apparent competition

drives community-wide parasitism rates and changes in host abundance across ecosystem boundaries. Nature

Communications 7(12644).

Best paper by a PhD student: Camille Coux (on behalf of her supervisor, Jason Tylianakis)

Coux, C., Rader, R., Bartomeus, I. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Linking species functional roles to their network

roles. Ecology Letters 19(7): 762-770.

Best overall achievement:

Alyssa Cirtwill

Five papers in the past 12 months (three as first author).

Our thanks go to the following:

Ximena Nelson, Brigitta Kurenbach, Matt Walters, Penny Moore, Mads Thomson, Dave Conder, Matthias Dehling,

Alan Woods, Brandon Goeller, all Session Chairs, All student helpers, to all the people who performed the

entertainment.

Thanks to our generous sponsors:

In the spotlight

Doubts about the promised bounty of genetically modified crops

The controversy over genetically modified crops has long focused on largely unsubstantiated fears that they are

unsafe to eat.

But an extensive examination by The New York Times indicates that the debate has missed a more basic problem

— genetic modification in the United States and Canada has not accelerated increases in crop yields or led to an

overall reduction in the use of chemical pesticides.

This article was based on the analysis the Heinemann group published in 2014 and is credited about half way

down. Read the full article at the New York Times. The same article was in The Seattle Times.

NZ project could transform bird conservation

Pioneering genetic research by New Zealand scientists could help protect hundreds of endangered species around

the world.

Canterbury University scientist Dr Tammy Steeves, who has been working with kaki for more than a decade, said

the handful of DNA markers previously used to inform breeding decisions hadn't offered a full enough picture of

their genome, or simply too few puzzle pieces of their complete genetic jigsaw. Read the full article at the New

Zealand Herald.

Sustainable agriculture — getting more for less

New research by UC Biological Sciences PhD students Jessica Roche and Qianqian Guo is throwing light on

how plants such as ryegrass take up and use nitrogen during the grazing cycle. Ballance Agri-Nutrients, working

with UC, provided funding for this research. Read the complete story at Scoop.

Funding success

Congratulations to Pieter Pelser and PhD student Jasper Obico for successfully obtaining funding of $9,000 over

two years from the Rufford Foundation (UK) Small Grants for Nature Conservation, for their project ‘A first

assessment of patterns of genetic diversity and connectivity of the last remaining forests of Cebu (Philippines)’.

Students aim to keep bugs out of New Zealand

While the stink bug is ubiquitous in the Eastern Panhandle, the brown pest with its signature scent has not reached

some foreign countries. That’s why two Ph.D. students from New Zealand are currently studying stink bug behavior

at the USDA Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville: to keep the bugs from reaching the shores of

their country.

Laura Nixon, a visiting Ph.D. student from Lincoln University in New Zealand, and Carol Bedoya, a Ph.D.

student from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, are the two researchers working to understand the

behavior of the brown marmorated stink bug–and how to squash the species’ destruction of agricultural crops.

Carol started his PhD in Biological Sciences earlier this year with Associate Professor Ximena Nelson. Read the

full article at The Journal.

Events

Movember - starting 1st November

Why grow a Mo?

Men are facing a health crisis that isn’t being talked about. They are dying too young, before their time. We’re

taking action and we need your help. This Movember, grow your moustache for men’s health.

The Freshwater Ecology Research Group and the Marine Ecology Research Group are competing to raise funds

for Movember. Grow and groom your moustache for 30 days. At the end of the month the School will be hosting a

fundraiser morning tea to admire those hair fixtures. If you already have a moustache, perhaps you could grow it

even longer and give it some vroom! Let's not forget Dave Rutherford's fine moustache!

"Because prostate cancer didn’t just take my dad, it took my best friend." - Charlotte

"For men’s mental health. For the boys close to me who lost their battles." - Kieran

Check out the Movember website for more information.

What film is that?

I'm 36 years old, I love my family, I love baseball, and I'm about to become a farmer. But until I heard the voice, I'd

never done a crazy thing in my whole life.

389: When I came out into society, I was fifteen. I already knew that the role I was condemned to, namely to keep

quiet and do what I was told, gave me the perfect opportunity to listen and observe.

Answer: Dangerous Liaisons (1988). Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) declares at the start of the movie.

Guessed by: Nobody ( Nobody is becoming very popular - this week's one should be easier!)

and now for something completely different...

A crowdfunding campaign just launched to scientifically test shark deterring surf wax

Tom Cruise acts out his film career with James Corden

The Monster - Simon's Cat (A Halloween Special)

Edge-of-space-cam

Hallelujah - Pentatonix

Recipes of the Week

Butterscotch self-saucing pudding

Tiramisu

Thought for the Week

When you decide to throw away your Baked Alaska...

“While one may encounter many defeats, one must not be defeated.” — Maya Angelou

Newsletter 391 16 November 2016

Recent publications in the school

Adjapong, G., Hale, M. and Garrill, A. (2016). A comparative investigation of azole susceptibility

in Candida isolates from vulvovaginal candidiasis and recurrent vulvovaginal candidiasis patients in Ghana.

Medical Mycology doi:10.1093/mmy/myw122.

Galatowitsch, M. and McIntosh, A.R. (2016). Developmental constraints control generalist invertebrate

distributions across a gradient of unpredictable disturbance. Freshwater Science 35(4): 1300-1311.

In the spotlight

College of Science Research Awards 2016: winners announcement

The winner of the College of Science Excellence in Research Linkages Award 2016 is Dr Mike Hickford of the

School of Biological Sciences. Mike’s research group have developed restoration and rehabilitation ‘tools’ and

management practices for the improvement of the whitebait fishery in conjunction with many end-users including

iwi, government departments, farmers, other land-owners and research organisations.

A vision fulfilled as the Sign of the Packhorse Hut turns 100

OPINION: A hundred years ago Paula Jameson's great-grandfather, Harry Ell, was building the Sign of the

Packhorse, the fourth rest-house on his proposed recreational route to Akaroa via the crater rims and summit

ridgelines of Banks Peninsula.

Harry Ell's vision for a recreational route along the summit ridgelines is complete, with the opening of the Te Ara

Pataka /Summit Walkway on Saturday November 26th. The ceremony honouring Harry Ell is the concluding event

in this year's Banks Peninsula Walking Festival and is taking place on the summit of Mt Herbert/Te Ahu Patiki, the

highest point on Banks Peninsula.

If you would like to join the celebrations or find out more about the Banks Peninsula Walking Festival head

to bpwalks.co.nz and book a place on one of the tramps heading up Mt Herbert on Saturday November 26 or

perhaps choose one of the numerous other opportunities to experience the wonderful places of neighbouring

Banks Peninsula.

Read the full story in The Press.

Marsden Fund success

Congratulations to Daniel Stouffer on the success of his Marsden Fund proposal, 'Quantifying the importance of

non-additive competition in diverse natural plant communities' assessed by the Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour

panel. The Marsden Fund Council has recommended total funding for the proposal of $795,000 over the three-year

project.

Congratulations to Jim Briskie, who with AIs Shinichi Nakagawa, Patricia Brekke, Nicola Hemmings and Neil

Gemmell is involved in a Fast-start project to Helen Taylor (Otago) entitled: "Why do inbred males fire blanks?

Unravelling the relationship between inbreeding and infertility".

More funding success

Congratulations to our colleague Daniel Stouffer, who is a partner investigator with chief investigator A/Prof

Margie Mayfield (University of Queensland) on an Australian Research Council funded project entitled "How

complex species interactions mediate plant community diversity". Funding is for a total of AUD$447K (excl.

overheads) over three years.

What film is that?

I thought you were good Paul... but you're not good. You're just another lying ol' dirty birdy.

390: I'm 36 years old, I love my family, I love baseball, and I'm about to become a farmer. But until I heard the

voice, I'd never done a crazy thing in my whole life.

Answer: Field of Dreams (1989). Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) speaks at the beginning in voiceover. Who knew "he

would come".

Guessed by: Nobody...

and now for something completely different...

John Lewis Christmas Advert 2016 - #BusterTheBoxer

Cats Who Are Cooler Than You Video Compilation 2016

Emergency Survival Items & Getaway Kit

All is well in the world - Stranded cows rescued from quake island near Kaikoura

Recipes of the Week

19 Quick and Easy No-Cook Recipes

31 Healthy Recipes That Require Zero Cooking

Thought for the Week We learn geology the morning after the earthquake. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Newsletter 392 30 November 2016

Recent publications in the school

This is Nixie's first publication, and at first author, before the submission of her PhD. Her senior supervisor

is Professor Angus McIntosh. Congratulations Nixie!

Boddy, N.C. and McIntosh, A.R. (2016). Temperature, invaders and patchy habitat interact to limit the distrbution

of a vulnerable freshwater fish. Austral Ecology early access online(doi:10.1111/aec.12463).

This is Anthony Weatherhead's first publication. He is beginning his MSc Part II in 2017. His senior

supervisor is Associate Professor Ren Dobson. Congratulations Anthony!

Cala, A.R., Nadeau, M.T., Abendroth, J., Staker, B.L., Reers, A.R., Weatherhead, A.W., Dobson, R.C.J., Myler,

P.J. and Hudson, A.O. (2016). The crystal structure of dihydrodipicolinate reductase from the human-pathogenic

bacterium Bartonella henselae strain Houston-1 at 2.3 Å resolution. Structural Biology

Communications F72(doi.org/10.1107/S2053230X16018525).

Cameron, E.Z., Edwards, A.M. and Parsley, L.M. (2016). Developmental sexual dimorphism and the evolution of

mechanisms for adjustment of sex ratios in mammals. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences early access

online(doi:10.1111/nyas.13288).

Christensen, J.B., Soares da Costa, T.P., Faou, P., Pearce, F.G., Panjikar, S. and Perugini, M.A. (2016). Structure

and function of cyanobacterial DHDPS and DHDPR. Scientific Reports 6(37111): doi:10.1038/srep37111.

Dhandapani, P., Song, J., Novak, O. and Jameson, P.E. (2016). Infection by Rhodococcus fascians maintains

cotyledons as a sink tissue for the pathogen. Annals of Botany doi:10.1093/aob/mcw202.

This is Jessica's first publication, and at first author. She conferred her MSc in Ecology (2011). Her senior

supervisors were Professor Dave Kelly and Dr Eckehard Brockerhoff. Congratulations Jessica!

Kerr, J.L., Kelly, D., Bader, M.K.-F. and Brockerhoff, E.G. (2016). Olfactory cues, visual cues, and

semiochemical diversity interact during host location by invasive forest beetles. Journal of Chemical

Ecology doi:10.1007/s10886-016-0792-x.

Lawrence, C., Paris, D., Briskie, J.V. and Massaro, M. (2016). When the neighbourhood goes bad: can

endangered black robins adjust nest-site selection in response to the risk of an invasive predator? Animal

Conservation early access online(doi:10.1111/acv.12318).

Stainton, D., Martin, D.P., Collings, D.A. and Varsani, A. (2016). Comparative analysis of common regions found

in babuviruses and alphasatellite molecules. Archives of Virology doi:10.1007/s00705-016-3168-1.

Schwing, R., Nelson, X.J. and Parsons, S. (2016). Audiogram of the kea parrot, Nestor notabilis. Journal of

Acoustical Society of America 140(5): 3739-3744.

Tayagui, A., Garrill, A., Collings, D. and Nock, V. (2016). On-chip measurement of protrusive force exerted by

single hyphal tips of pathogenic microorganisms. 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for

Chemistry and Life Sciences, 9-13 October 2016, Dublin, Ireland: 150-151.

Wootton, K.L. and Stouffer, D.B. (2016). Species' traits and food-web complexity interactively affect a good web's

response to press disturbance. Ecosphere 7(11): e01518.

PhD oral exam completed

Yinnon Dolev had his successful PhD oral exam on Thursday 24th November. In attendance were his Senior

Supervisor, Associate Professor Ximena Nelson, Dr Elissa Cameron (Oral Organiser) and via video link, Professor

Jochen Zeil (Oral Examiner, ANU). Yinnon's thesis is titled 'Visual perception in jumping spiders (Araneae,

Salticidae)'. It has been wonderful to get to know you and the wonderful world of jumping spiders. I will miss your

informative dialogues in the tearoom and your happy smiles. Mazel tov Yinnon!

Read Yinnon's UC Student Profile here. Yinnon also walked away with the Best PhD talks at the Annual Biology

Conference, 2013 and 2014.

Rishi Pandey had his successful PhD oral exam on Friday 25th November. In attendance were his Senior

Supervisors, Professor Juliet Gerrard and Dr Grant Pearce; the Oral Examiner, Dr Viji Sarojini (School of Chemical

Sciences, University of Auckland) and the Oral Organiser, Dr Ashley Garrill. Rishi's thesis is titled 'Self-assembly of

protein derived peptides'. It has been an enormous pleasure to get to know you, your happy spirits, your smile and

your giggles. Congratulations Rishi!

In the spotlight

2016 Research Medal awarded

This year's Research Medal was awarded to Distinguished Professor David Schiel whose work has been

recognised as truly world class.

The Research Medal is the highest honour which the UC Council can extend to its academic staff in recognition of

research excellence. The 2016 medal was presented on Friday 18th November at a Council function.

Congratulations David.

Catch the video of David speaking about his research at the Chancellor's Dinner.

What's the future for Kaikoura's marine life?

Kathryn Ryan talks to David Schiel, a Professor of Marine Science at Canterbury University who's currently

carrying out an urgent survey of sealife along the coast of Kaikoura, parts of which have been lifted more than 6

metres. Listen to the podcast here.

Clearing debris into Kaikoura coastline

Islay Marsden of the University of Canterbury discusses what clearing rocks and silt from quake-induced

landslides will do to the coastal environment. Listen to the podcast here.

Brian Mason Fund success

Helen Warburton and Angus McIntosh - Mudfish foodwebs: maps of interactions for species 'living on the edge' -

$18,893

Paula Jameson - Deciphering the divaricates - $12,090

Tommaso Alestra - How do mussel beds persist in the Canterbury region? Solving a 'paradox' by identifying

predator free biogenic habitats - $13,000

Congratulations to all!

Student sucess

Eduardo Burmeister, MSc candidate with Professor Dave Kelly, recently attended the 'Ecology & Restoration,

Australasia (ERA2016)'. It was a joint conference of the Society for Ecological Restoration Australasia (SERA) &

the New Zealand Ecological Society (NZES), and was held in Hamilton from 19 – 23 November. Eduardo was

awarded for Outstanding Student Presentation with his talk n "Environmental factors influencing the Douglas fir

invasion of Nothofagus forest". He receives a cash prize and one year's free membership to the NZES.

Congratulations Eduardo!

Award for Research Excellence

Warm congratulations to colleague Paul Gardner, who was awarded the Custom Science New Zealand Society

for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Award for Research Excellence. Great recognition for Paul’s

achievements to date – we know that there is more to come!

Famous seal breeding ground destroyed by quake

A beloved seal breeding ground near Kaikoura has been destroyed. Ohau Point is a popular tourist spot due to its

thriving seal colony on the jagged rocks by State Highway 1. Visitors can walk along Ohau Stream Track to a

waterfall, where seal pups are often spotted playing in the pool beneath.

A group of University of Canterbury students had been studying the colony and hoped to use thermal imaging to

check the population. "We're hoping to get up there within the next couple weeks," said scientist Dr Sharyn

Goldstein, who is supervising the students. Read the full story at Stuff.

Biological Sciences Seminar Series

Check it out now: http://www.biol.canterbury.ac.nz/seminars/

You should be able to import the calendar into whatever system you use.

What film is that?

391: I thought you were good Paul... but you're not good. You're just another lying ol' dirty birdy.

Answer: Misery (1991). Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) telling Paul Sheldon (James Caan) off.

Guessed by: Nobody

What book is that?

Perhaps people are reading more books? I know I am. Thus I will add some excerpts from books I have been

reading to get you guessing.

In fact, I have often wondered what made Dorothy select the moment she did to come back. It wasn't immediately

after she died, which is when you might expect. It was months and months later. Almost a year. Of course I could

have just asked her, but somehow, I don't know. The question seemed impolite. I can't explain exactly why.

and now for something completely different...

New Zealand is the first country to wipe out invasive butterfly

Lucky Knot Bridge is spectacular pedestrian infrastructure

Watch This Mother Tick Lay 1,500 Eggs

What the heck are white rainbows, and where do they come from?

Remembering Kiwi music legend Ray Columbus, 1942-2016

You Shall Not Pass, Dog

Recipes of the Week

Chicken and mushroom filo rolls

Filo, spinach and egg tart

Thought for the Week “I think”, said Christopher Robin, “that we ought to eat all our provisions now, so we won’t have much to carry.” A A Milne

Newsletter 393 12 December 2016

Special graduation & End of year celebration newsletter: 19th December

Recent publications in the school

Jackson, R.R., Deng, C. and Cross, F.R. (2016). Convergence between a mosquito-eating predator's natural diet

and its prey-choice behaviour. Royal Society Open Science 3(160584): doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160584.

Jameson, P.E., Dhandapani, P., Novak, O. and Song, J. (2016). Cytokinins and expression

of SWEET, SUT, CWINV and AAP genes increase as pea seeds germinate. International Journal of Molecular

Sciences 17(12): doi:10.3390/ijms17122013.

North, R.A., Watson, A.J.A., Pearce, F.G., Muscroft-Taylor, A.C., Friemann, R., Fairbanks, A.J. and Dobson,

R.C.J. (2016). Structure and inhibition of N-acetylneuraminate lyase from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus

aureus. FEBS Letters early access online (doi:10.1002/1873-3468.12462).

This is Alex Tino's first publication, and at first author, after the submission of her MSc. He senior

supervisor was Dr Ashley Garrill. Congratulations Alex!

Tino, A.B., Chitcholtan, K., Sykes, P.H. and Garrill, A. (2016). Resveratrol and acetyl-resveratrol modulate activity

of VEGF and IL-8 in ovarian cancer cell aggregates via attenuation of the NF-ĸB protein. Journal of Ovarian

Research 9(84): doi:10.1186/s13048-13016-10293-13040.

This is Nicole's first publication, and at first author, before the submission of her PhD. Her senior

supervisor is Paul Gardner. Congratulations Nicole!

Wheeler, N.E., Barquist, L., Kingsley, R.A. and Gardner, P.P. (2016). A profile-based method for identifying

functional divergence of orthologous genes in bacterial genomes. Bioinformatics 32(23): 3566-3574.

In the spotlight

David Schiel awarded UC Research Medal

Credit: UC Communications

Distinguished Professor David Schiel, who is widely acknowledged as one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent

marine scientists, has been awarded the University of Canterbury’s Research Medal for his sustained record of

research. Read about David's research and the background to the medal. Read the full article at UC

Communications. Includes three minute video highlighting his research.

Slips would 'gloop together' if pushed into sea

Scientists urge caution before sediment from the slips along the Kaikōura coastline is pushed into the sea, with

more information needed about the underwater impact of the recent quakes.

University of Canterbury professor of marine science David Schiel said he understood the urgency of getting the

roads functioning again, but the local reefs were already compromised. Read the full story at Radio New Zealand.

The plight of the whitebait

The closing of a reportedly “lacklustre” whitebait season has New Zealand scientists speculating on

whether the industry is sustainable.They've called for whitebaiters to be licensed and the banning of

commercial harvesting.

“There is no doubt that freshwater fish populations in New Zealand are declining,” says Dr Mike

Hickford, research associate at the University of Canterbury's marine ecology research groups. Read the full story

at Sunlive - the Bay's news first.

Experts warn whitebait fishery threatened - The New Zealand Herald

Is whitebaiting sustainable? - Scoop Business

Earthquake update

News from David Schiel

We continue our work along the coast in some of the most fascinating ecological changes I have ever seen. You

can see in this photo of me how severe the uplift is in some areas. We are now finding, three weeks later, that

some of the sites we have studied for over 25 years were uplifted by only around 30-40 cm and yet the algal beds

are dying. We also had reports that lobsters were moving inshore and feeding on dead and dying invertebrates

such as large gastropods and abalone (paua). What we saw was beyond belief. Literally hundreds of lobsters in

very shallow waters. Large aggregations of 50-60 lobsters, some of which were the largest we have ever seen.

Our team is back on the coast around Kaikoura this week and next. We have set up permanent datum marks for

new elevations, put in Dissolved Oxygen sensors (to gauge contamination of inshore waters) and temperature

sensors (to gauge how much tidal exposure has changed in our sites). And we have surveyed and marked lots of

sites for future comparisons as everything dies off and some replacement occurs.

We have posted a lot of this on Facebook, including videos, photos and radio interviews. Of course, you have to

join Facebook to see them (go on, you can do it! Even I signed up last week so that I could view the stuff we

posted). For online privacy freaks such as myself, make sure you turn off anything that can make you visible to

others.

Once on Facebook, search on Reef Uplift Research Consortium. Once it comes up, ‘Like’ it. Then you can navigate

the tabs for photos, videos, etc. - D. Schiel

Photo: DRS in Waipapa, where there was a 6m uplift. Southern bull kelp, normally at the subtidal margin, is high

and dry above him.

Events

General staff Christmas luncheon

This year we ventured out to 808 in Belfast on the 6th December. We ate plates of ham, salmon and turkey and

some of us even attempted ham & pea soup. Dessert was a winner for everybody. A few awards were handed out

and of course we did Secret Santa. Everybody was envious of Thomas' walking rooster! Paula was able to come

along and enjoy the festivities too. We also raised a glass to absent friends, our Dave, being six months since his

passing. Occasions like this remind us of the special bonds of friendship that are spread amongst us.

Movember 2016

The MERG (Marine Ecology Research Group) and FERG (Freshwater Ecology Research Group) members

decided to challenge each other for Movember. Mo's were grown, wives despised them, but at the end of the day,

moustache is king! The School held a morning tea on the 2nd December and throughout the month of November,

over $1,000 was raised. Great efforts boys for men's health. Special ups to Brandon Goeller and John 'Pancho'

Pirker. Notable mention to Head of School, Professor Matthew Turnbull.

MERG: Drs John Pirker, Mike Hickford

FERG: Professor Angus McIntosh, Brandon Goeller (Phd candidate) and Tim Green (MSc candidate)

Mr Nick Etheridge

Assorted mo's and mo supporters

Te Ara Pataka opening

credit. P.E. Jameson

Pictured: Professor Paula Jameson

Centenary celebrations for Harry Ell, founder of Te Ara Pātaka / Summit Walkway and builder of the Packhorse

Hut.

Harry Ell's vision for a recreational route along the summit ridgelines is complete, with the opening of the Te Ara

Pataka /Summit Walkway on Saturday November 26th. The ceremony honouring Harry Ell was the concluding

event in this year's Banks Peninsula Walking Festival and took place on the summit of Mt Herbert/Te Ahu Patiki,

the highest point on Banks Peninsula.

5hr walk, 11km, 500m climb. Hard Walking.

The walk was part of the Te Ara Pātaka Harry Ell centenary celebration. Group walked to the highest point on

Banks Peninsula and celebrated the formal opening of Te Ara Pātaka /Summit Walkway with keynote

speaker Paula Jameson, Harry Ell’s great granddaughter.

100 years ago Christchurch conservationist Harry Ell built Sign of the Packhorse Hut as a rest house on his

proposed Summit Road - a recreational route from Christchurch to Akaroa via the magnificent summit ridgelines of

Banks Peninsula. Now Rod Donald Banks Peninsula Trust and Department of Conservation have brought Ell’s

dream to fruition completing the walking track Te Ara Pākaka / Summit Walkway linking Gebbies Pass to Hilltop.

What book is that?

“Now you see,' said the turtle, drifting back into the pond, 'why it is useless to cry. Your tears do not wash away

your sorrows. They feed someone else's joy. And that is why you must learn to swallow your own tears.”

392: In fact, I have often wondered what made Dorothy select the moment she did to come back. It wasn't

immediately after she died, which is when you might expect. It was months and months later. Almost a year. Of

course I could have just asked her, but somehow, I don't know. The question seemed impolite. I can't explain

exactly why.

Answer: The Beginner's Goodbye by Anne Tyler

and now for something completely different...

Biologists unlock 51.7 million-year-old genetic secret to landmark Darwin theory

Bed Sheets - Simon's Cat

Ten tips to surviving a Christmas holiday with the family

Best underwater photos of 2016

Live: Bill English's first day as Prime Minister as John Key steps down

(...it is completely different)

Recipes of the Week

Gluten-free Christmas cake

HFG trifle

Thought for the Week

In the end, it’s not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away

Newsletter 394 21 December 2016

End of year roundup I know everybody’s perceptions will differ, but for me this has been quite a year! We have continued to deliver on

our mission and all the signs are that we can expect bigger and better things in the coming year. As we break for a

well-earned break, I want to thank all in the SBS family for their hard work and good spirits in 2016.

Nga mihi nui,

Matthew

Recent publications in the school

Bartomeus, I., Gravel, D., Tylianakis, J.M., Aizen, M. A., Dickie, I.A. and Bernard-Verdier, M. (2016). A common

framework for identifying linkage rules across different types of interactions. Functional Ecology 30: 1894-1903.

Bell, T. and Tylianakis, J.M. (Accepted). Microbes in the Anthropocene: spillover of agriculturally-selected bacteria

and their impact on natural ecosystems. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 283(20160896).

Burge, O.R., Kelly, D. and Wilmshurt, J.M. (2016). Interspecies interference and monitoring duration affect

detection rates in chew cards. Austral Ecology. Early access online (doi:10.1111/aec.12471).

Nixon, L. and Bedoya, C. (2016). Developing tools for the detection of brown marmorated stink bug in imports.

Surveillance 43(3): 28-29.

O'Sullivan, O.S., Heskel, M.A., Reich, P.B., Tjoelker, M.G., Weerasinghe, L.K., Penillard, A., Zhu, L., Egerton,

J.J.G., Bloomfield, K.J., Creek, D., Bahar, N.H.A., Griffin, K.L., Hurry, V., Meir, P., Turnbull, M.H. and Atkin, O.K.

(2016). Thermal limits of leaf metabolism across biomes. Global Change Biology 23: 209-223.

Peralta, G., Frost, C.M., Didham, R.K., Rand, T.A. and Tylianakis, J.M. (In press). Non-random food-web

assembly at habitat edges increases connectivity and functional redundancy. Ecology.

Poisot, T., Stouffer, D.B. and Kéfi, S. (2016). Describe, understand and predict: why do we need networks in

ecology? Functional Ecology 30: 1878-1882.

PhD oral exams completed

Chan (Sonia) Deng, had her oral exam, Tueday 20th December. Whilst her Senior Supervisor Robert Jackson

was in Kenya, Sonia's Associate Supervisor, Associate Professor Ximena Nelson linked up via video. The title of

her thesis is 'Predatory and plant-use specialization by Evarcha culicivora, an East African salticid spider'. Her Oral

Examiner was Dr Cor Vink, Canterbury Musuem. It has been an enormous pleasure to get to know you Sonia. I

thoroughly enjoyed my dumpling lesson at your home. Good fortune to you and your husband. Congratulations

Sonia!

Pictured: Professor Bill Davison (Oral Organiser), Sonia, Aynsley Macnab (Spider lab) and Dr Cor Vink (Oral

Examiner)

Jessica Roche, had her oral exam on Thursday 15th December. Her senior supervisors were Professor Matthew

Turnbull and Professor Paula Jameson. The title of her thesis is 'The effect of nitrogen status and carbon

remobilisation on nitrate assimilation and associated cytokinin signalling in shoots and roots of Lolium perenne'.

Jessica appeared via video link from France. Her Oral Examiner was Professor Mitchell Andrews from Lincoln

University. It has been a wonderful pleasure to get to know you Jessica and we all miss your sweet French

accent! Félicitations à vous Jessica!

Pictured: Professor Matthew Turnbull, Jessica, Professor Mithell Andrews and Professor Paula Jameson

Alyssa Cirtwill, had her oral exam on Tuesday 13th December. Her senior supervisor was Associate Professor

Daniel Stouffer. The title of her thesis is 'Species roles and link roles: a richer perspective on network ecology'. The

Oral Examiner was Professor Ross Thompson, University of Canberra. This is Daniel's first PhD candidate to

complete their oral defence. Congratulations Alyssa!

Pictured: Professor Angus McIntosh, Oral Organiser, Dr Ross Thomspon, Oral Examiner, Alyssa and Associate

Professor Daniel Stouffer, Senior Supervisor

In the spotlight

Biological Heritage Science Challenge funding results

Research funding for: groundwater and waterway health, fighting kauri dieback disease and other

biosecurity threats, and understanding public attitudes to novel pest eradication strategies

The National Science Challenge for NZ’s Biological Heritage has approved six new research projects from its latest

contestable funding round. There are two related to kauri dieback disease, two concerned with groundwater

ecosystems and restoration of streams and waterways, and two focused on the public: research and development

of a customised mobile app to enlist public help in reporting biosecurity threats, and research into public attitudes

towards novel ways of getting rid of wasps and rats.

What is delaying the recovery of our degraded streams and rivers?

Project Leaders: Drs Helen Warburton and Catherine Febria, University of Canterbury, with Professors Jon

Harding and Angus McIntosh

The good news is that an enormous public effort is going into the restoration of our waterways. The bad news is

that there is some resistance to restoration – not from people, but the waterways themselves. Degraded waterways

seem to become dominated by species that preserve the status quo. This determined default to an unhealthy state

is disheartening and needs to be understood to ensure that our efforts are fully rewarded.

Read the full story at Scoop.

New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society

5-8 December, Invercargill

The Freshwater and Marine teams transported themselves down to Invercargill to attend the NZFSS conference.

They came away with bucket fulls of knowledge and tidy collection of awards. Congratulations go to Mark (MERG),

and Nixie and Chris (FERG).

Pictured: Nixie Boddy, Professor Angus McIntosh and Chris Meijer

Mark Yungnickel, MSc candidate, won the Best student freshwater conservation oral presentation award, valued

at $250.

Nixie Boddy, PhD candidate, won Best conservation-related student presentation award, valued at $250,

sponsored by DOC.

Chris Meijer, MSc candidate, won the Best student poster and Best live poster presentation awards, which came

with $150 each.

Pictured: Nicky Glenjarman (MSc candidate) and Professor Jon Harding

Fergies go to the seaside in Bluff

Pictured: Tom Moore (MSc graduate 2014), Kevin Fraley (PhD candidate), Nicky and Richard White (PhD

candidate)

Fergies go to a party

Roaring 20's costumes - spot the dapper gentlemen and ravishing gals

Fundraising highlights of the year

Orange Friday fundraiser

On Friday 11th March the school put on a morning tea for Orange Friday to hep the victims of domestic abuse.

There sure were some colourful bodies and food about. For our sterling efforts we raised $117. Check out our

colourful crew.

Every five minutes the police attend a domestic abuse incident in New Zealand.

Pink Ribbon Breakfast

The School held their Pink Ribbon morning tea on 26th May, supporting the New Zealand Breast Cancer

Foundation. Again, a great attendance for a worthwhile cause. The School raised $158 at the morning tea and we

received $179 in donations, coming to a grand total of $337!! This exceeded our expectations of $200. Thanks to

everyone who came along and supported this cause. Thanks to all the sweet plates, the sweetie guesses and the

pinkness. Above all thanks to all the wonderful donations.

By the end of this day, eight women in New Zealand would have been told they have breast cancer.

Loud shirt day

A small, but festive group celebrated Loud shirt day on Friday, 23rd September. This year the theme was FIESTA.

Thank you so much for another wonderful year of fundraising to support deaf kiwi kids with cochlear implants and

hearing aids. On the day we raised $72.20.

Movember 2016

The MERG (Marine Ecology Research Group) and FERG (Freshwater Ecology Research Group) members

decided to challenge each other for Movember. Mo's were grown, wives despised them, but at the end of the day,

moustache is king! The School held a morning tea on the 2nd December and throughout the month of November,

over $1,000 was raised. Great efforts boys for men's health. Special ups to Brandon Goeller and John 'Pancho'

Pirker. Notable mention to Head of School, Professor Matthew Turnbull.

MERG: Drs John Pirker, Mike Hickford

FERG: Professor Angus McIntosh, Brandon Goeller (Phd candidate) and Tim Green (MSc candidate)

Mr Nick Etheridge

Assorted mo's and mo supporters

Lecturing academics making it big this year!

In order of receiving award/accolades:

Steven Gieseg, was awarded $50,667 in the Lottery Health Research Board round.

Dave Kelly awarded an extension with extra funding from the Animal Health Board to $312,850 over five years,

which represents an increase of $27K plus GST per year for final two years over the original grant value.

Paula Jameson awarded $25,300 over 1 year from Callaghan Innovation.

Jason Tylianakis awarded $233,500 over 3 years from National Science Challenge Our Biological Heritage

(through Landcare Research).

Jim Briskie received $15,140 from the Brian Mason Trust.

David Schiel received the Research Medal.

Hazel Chapman, who has been successful in securing further funding for the Nigerian Montane Forest Project at

the Ngel Ngaki Field Station through the MFAT (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade) Africa Development

Partnership Facility. The funding, $76,000 is for upgrading the field station, including the creation of an arboretum

and an education centre.

David Schiel, negotiated a one-year extension to sub-contract funding under the NIWA "Coasts & Oceans

Research Programme 5, Managing Marine Stressors". The funding is $138,000 for the next 12 months.

Ren Dobson, who with Conan fee (CAPE) has secured funding for the Biomolecular Interactions Centre (BIC) from

the Riddet CoRE at Massey University. Funding of $123,000 over 2 years will support projects of mutual interest to

BIC and the Riddet Centre.

Jason Tylianakis and Paul Gardner, who have each had funding confirmed for 5-year roles in the Bio-Protection

CoRE at Lincoln University. Jason was awarded $145,000 and Paul received $91,000.

Ren Dobson, who with colleague Volker Nock in Electrical Engineering, was awarded one of three Tech Jumpstart

prizes ($20,000).

David Leung, who has won Government funding to explore the potential of 3D-printing live plant cells (bio-printing)

to create synthetic wood. receiving $255,000 over three years.

David Schiel, received funding from the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge worth $715,000 over three

years.

Tammy Steeves and Marie Hale received funding from the 2017 MBIE Smart Ideas for their project "Maximising

genetic diversity in endangered species: a conservation genomic approach". Duration: Three years. Contract value:

$1,000,000.

David Schiel and Mike Hickford received funding from the 2017 MBIE Smart Ideas for their project – “Overcoming

dispersal and recruitment constraints on native freshwater biodiversity” – to be funded for a total of $1.1m over 5

years.

Pieter Pelser and PhD student Jasper Obico for successfully obtaining funding of $9,000 over two years from the

Rufford Foundation (UK) Small Grants for Nature Conservation.

Daniel Stouffer on the success of his Marsden Fund proposal, 'Quantifying the importance of non-additive

competition in diverse natural plant communities' assessed by the Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour panel. The

Marsden Fund Council has recommended total funding for the proposal of $795,000 over the three-year project.

Jim Briskie, who with AIs Shinichi Nakagawa, Patricia Brekke, Nicola Hemmings and Neil Gemmell is involved in

a Fast-start project to Helen Taylor (Otago) entitled: "Why do inbred males fire blanks? Unravelling the relationship

between inbreeding and infertility".

Daniel Stouffer, who is a partner investigator with chief investigator A/Prof Margie Mayfield (University of

Queensland) on an Australian Research Council funded project entitled "How complex species interactions

mediate plant community diversity". Funding is for a total of AUD$447K (excl. overheads) over three years.

Helen Warburton and Angus McIntosh, received Brian Mason funding worth $18,893.

Paula Jameson, received Brian Mason funding worth $12,090.

Jim Briskie and Della Bennet (PhD candidate in Biological Sciences) received Brian Mason funding worth

$11,910.

Islay Marsden and Nuwan de Silva (PhD candiate in Biological Sciences) received Brian Mason funding worth

$10,600.

Paul Gardner, was awarded the Custom Science New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Award for Research Excellence.

Tammy Steeves, to Senior Lecturer Above Bar

Ashley Garrill, to Associate Professor

Paul Gardner, to Associate Professor

Hazel Chapman, progression within Associate Professor grade

Jason Tylianakis, progression within Professor grade

John Pirker, who has just been announced as joint winner (with Eileen Britt, Psychology) of the College of Science

Kaupapa Māori Teaching Award 2016. The selection panel was impressed by John’s sustained commitment to

Kaupapa Māori teaching philosophy, the number and breadth of bicultural teaching activities with which he is

involved, and his grass-roots support for Maori and Pacifica students.Each award comes with a prize of $3,000

grant in aid to support the further development of the teaching work in question.

General staff successes

UC Admin Plus length of service celebration

UC Admin Plus (UCAP) is a network of non-teaching staff from across UC. On Thursday 28 July over 40 staff were

presented with length of service certificates at a celebratory morning tea held at Bentleys at UCSA Foundry.

Registrar Jeff Field and Vice-Chancellor Dr Rod Carr made the presentations and over 100 colleagues were

present for the celebration. It was great to be involved in a feel-good function celebrating the importance of non-

teaching staff from across UC.

Awards were made for 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40+ years of service at UC – a total of 1065 years of service.

*******************************

Lyn de Groot, our School Administrator was awarded her certificate on Tuesday 9th August when the VC, Dr Rod

Carr came to visit SBS.

Lyn de Groot: 40 years plus

Nicki Judson: 20 years ************************************ Penny Moore: 10 years

Student successes

Della Bennet

and Professor Jim Briskie received $11,910 from the Brian Mason Trust.

Nuwan de Silva

and Professor Islay Marsden received $10,600 from the Brian Mason Trust.

David Packer

who with supervisor Professor David Norton has been awarded $9,000 from the Brian Mason Trust.

Aisling Rayne

was successful in obtaining a Canterbury Branch NZFGW (New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women) Trust

Award valued at $2,000.

Mark Yungnickel

was awarded $15.000 to support his Masters research from a Meadow Mushroom Waterways Centre Masters

Scholarship.

Amy Hill

was awarded a prestigious Woolf Fisher Scholarship to fund her future doctorate studies at the University of

Cambridge in England.

Amy also won a poster prize at the Health Research Society of Canterbury Poster Expo.

She also presented the school at the UC Science Thesis-in-Three as our MSc entry.

Eimear Egan

presented the school at the UC Science Thesis-in-Three, PhD entry

Phoebe Argyle

presented the school at the UC Science Thesis-in-Three, PhD entry

Stephanie Galla

represented the school at the Thesis-in-Three UC Science finals, where she awarded with an Honorary mention.

.

Samarth Samarth

was Runner-up in the Best Student Poster award which was funded by the New Zealand Society of Plant Biologist,

at the Queenstown Research Week. He received $100 for his fine efforts.

Eduardo Burmeister

attended the 'Ecology & Restoration, Australasia (ERA2016)' and was awarded for Outstanding Student

Presentation with his talk.

He received a cash prize and one year's free membership to the NZES.

Annual Biology Conference awardees

Best overall talk: Stephanie Galla

(pictured with Senior Supervisor, Dr Tammy Steeves)

Best PhD talk: Bernat Bramon Mora

(pictured with Solomon Wante, PhD candidate)

Second place, PhD talk: Alicia Lai

Third place, PhD talk: Nicole McRae

(pictured with Brandon Goeller and Nixie Boddy, PhD candidates)

Best MSc talk:Sam Elley

(left before I could take a pic!)

Second place, MSc talk: Bonnie Humphrey

Third place, MSc talk: Elizabeth Dunn

Best BSc(Hons)/BSc talk: Eli Oldach

(pictured are members of the MERG team; Iurii Malakhov, PhD candidate; Jan McKenzie, MERG technician; Mads

Thomsen, Research Associate; Travis Foster, PhD candidate; Mark Yungnickel, MSc candidate and Alfonso

Sicilianao, PhD candidate)

Best journal article in applied natural sciences/conservation research in New Zealand by a BSc(hons) or MSc

student:

Ashley Overbeek

Overbeek, A.L., Hauber, M.E., Brown, E., Cleland, S., Maloney, R.F. and Steeves, T.E. (2016). Evidence for brood

parasitism in a critically endangered Charadriiform with implications for conservation. Journal of Ornithology

doi:10.1007/s10336-016-1375-x.

Best paper by an BSc(Hons) student:

David Lloyd-Jones

Lloyd-Jones, D.J. and J. V. Briskie (2016). Mutual wattle ornaments in the South Island Saddleback (Philesturnus

carunculatus) function as armaments. Ethology 122: 61-71.

Best paper by an MSc student:

Matthew Arnet

Arnet, M., Santos, B., Brockerhoff, E.G., Pelser, P.B., Ecroyd, C. and Clemens, J. (2015). Importance of arboreta

for ex situ conservation of threatened trees. Biodiversity and Conservation 24(14): 3601-3620.

Honorable mention of a PhD student:

Carol Frost

Frost, C. M., Peralta, G., Rand, T.A., Didham, R.K., Varsani, A. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Apparent competition

drives community-wide parasitism rates and changes in host abundance across ecosystem boundaries. Nature

Communications 7(12644).

Best paper by a PhD student: Camille Coux (on behalf of her supervisor, Jason Tylianakis)

Coux, C., Rader, R., Bartomeus, I. and Tylianakis, J.M. (2016). Linking species functional roles to their network

roles. Ecology Letters 19(7): 762-770.

Best overall achievement:

Alyssa Cirtwill

Five papers in the past 12 months (three as first author).

New additions to the School

Dr Mitja Remus-Emsermann

Mitja joined as in October as a lecturing microbiology academic.

Dr Elissa Cameron

Elissa came along in April as a lecturing animal physiology academic

Dr Johanna Yletyinin

Johanna joined us later in the year to start a Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Jason Tylianakis in the field of

terrestrial ecology.

Dr Paula Casanovas

Paula joined us in December to also start a Postdoctoral Fellowship with Professor Jason Tylianakis in the field of

terrestrial ecology.

Hatches, Matches and Dispatches

We go ga-ga

Daniel Pearce, 28 July, 3.3 kg

Magda and Grant are his proud parents. No doubt big brother Adam is pleased as punch.

Thomas Neale, 7 August, 2.97 kg (6 lb, 9 oz)

Kate Schimanski (PhD in Ecology, 2015) and her fiancé, James Neale are his proud parents.

Nicolai Lilley-Cook (Nico), 23 October

Stacie and DJ welcome their second son. Brother to Alexander.

Frederic (Freddie) John Thornton, 7 November 2016

Kim Baronian is his proud grandparent.

We celebrate

Stephanie and Tony Dijkstra, 13th February 2016

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.” -

Winnie the Pooh

We remember

David Rutherford (Dave), passed away on the morning of Wednesday 6th July.

You could talk to Dave about almost anything. He loved a good natter about life and the world we live in. He had

masses of knowledge and gave out hoards of advice. He loved his boat, his car - "the great white shark", the next

door neighbour's dog, the birds in his back garden, and his family. The most special moments of our daily lives

have now disappeared. Dave has been taken away, but his presence is around us everyday.

**********

Henry Connor died on Tuesday 26th July at Rannerdale Veterans Home in Christchurch. Henry made a huge

contribution to botany in New Zealand. He was Director of the Botany Division of the Department of Scientific and

Industrial Research (forerunner of Landcare Research) until his retirement in 1982. After that he took up an

honorary position at UC in Geography and continued working actively. In 2002 he was made a Companion of the

New Zealand Order of Merit in recognition of his services to botany.

photo credit: Geography

**********

Kevin F. O'Connor, passed away on Friday 2nd December.

Kevin Francis O'Connor was a New Zealand science educator. Certified fellow New Zealand Institute Agricultural

Science, 1974. Recipient Leonard Cockayne Memorial Lecturer award, Royal Society New Zealand, Wellington,

1989, MacMillan Brown Lecturer award, Vice Chancellors' Committee New Zealand University, 1992, Ray

Brougham Trophy, New Zealand Grassland Memorial Trust, 1996, Order of Merit award, Her Majesty Queen

Elizabeth II, 2004.

Editor: This legend of a man was so inspiring. He crafted his words so splendidly you could almost be spell-bound.

He treated everybody he met the same, whether you were a grizzled professor or tapping away on a typewriter. I

admired him greatly, he shall be missed.

photo credit: Otago Daily Times

December graduation - 16th December

Inspirational Alumni

Dr Jane Allison

Jane’s goal is to understand the molecular mechanisms that underpin life. To achieve this, she uses computer

simulations to explore how biological molecules move and interact.

Jane attended Cashmere High School before attending UC, where she completed a BSc(Hons) in three years. She

was awarded the Percival Memorial Prize and the Sir George Grey Senior Scholarship during her studies.

She was then awarded a Woolf Fisher Scholarship for PhD study at Trinity College, University of Cambridge.

While studying at Cambridge Jane broadened her sporting interests. She captained the Cambridge University

Women’s Cricket team, scoring a century at Lord’s, and represented Trinity and the university in football, cross-

country and rowing.

In 2007 Jane took up a Postdoctoral Researcher position at ETH Zürich in Switzerland, where she continued to

row, winning a gold medal at the European University Championships.

Jane accepted a Lecturer position at Massey University in 2012, and in 2016 she began a 5 year Rutherford

Discovery Fellowship to pursue new frontiers in biomolecular simulation.

Her research bridges the gap between computational predictions and experimental observations, and she has

pioneered the use of structural modelling and simulation to investigate evolutionary relationships.

Jane regularly communicates her research to a wide range of different audiences and is a strong advocate for early

career researchers.

Check out previous Inspirational Alumni

Doctor of Philosophy COUNCIL CEREMONY

Kevin Chase in Ecology

Allee effects, host tree density and the establishment of invasive bark beetles

Camille Coux in Ecology

Linking the structure of ecological networks to functional diversity and ecosystem processes in changing

environments

Katherine Donovan in Biochemistry

Dancing to a different tune: adaptive evolution fine-tune protein dynamics.

Nurul Aliaa Idris in Cellular & Molecular Biology

A microscopy study of specialized cell walls in the roots of orchids of the genus Miltoniopsis

Manmeet Kaur in Biochemistry

Amyloid fibril based bionanotechnologies

Gabriel Moinet in Ecology

Factors influencing the exchange of C within agricultural systems

Xiaoli Sun in Biochemistry

Enhanced protein functionalities

Sinan Ugur Umu in Biotechnology

Investigating prokaryotic transcriptomes and the impact of crosstalk between noncoding RNA and messenger RNA

interactions

Master of Science

Alannah Rickerby with Supervisory team, Associate Professor Ant Poole and Dr Paul Gardner

Sean P. Cross Biochemistry First Class Honours

Janelle I. Hosking Biological Sciences Second Class Honours (Division One)

Paththinikuttige J.S. Nonis Microbiology First Class Honours

Kerri-Anne B. Regan Biochemistry Distinction

Alannah M. Rickerby Cellular & Molecular Biology First Class Honours

Olivia M.G. Steel Microbiology First Class Honours

Malea Zygadlo Environmental Sciences Distinction

COUNCIL CEREMONY

Katherine Bushman in Ecology, Distinction

Paddy Gibson in Cellular & Molecular Biology, First Class Honours

Robin Hu in Biochemistry, Second Class Honours (Division Two)

Bachelor of Science with Honours Tess O'Malley Zoology First Class Honours

Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences / Biochemistry

Roland Eveleens & Alex Barclay Chris Kaldor & Associate Professor Steven Gieseg (Supervisor)

Aisling Rayne & Roland Eveleens Hannah Tuisamoa & proud Mum

Tauli Aperaamo Alexandra R. Barclay Erica F.J. Boyd

Biying Cao Olivia F. Chirnside Regan J. Clarke

Jack P.A. Clemens Grazel J. Dela Cruz Roland A. Eveleens

Koaalii R.A. Gibson Nanami Higashitani Jemma-Joy R. Hippolite

Kate E. Idiens Christopher D. Kaldor Abby Keith

Saskia H.M.C. Kibblewhite Michito Kumagai Zoe M.I. Kumbaroff

Sharnae C. Ladkin Seula Lee Emma S. Lim

Bernie Y.C. Ling Robert Mackechnie Anneka R.E. Magno

Laura G. McDonnell Raina V. Mcewan Rachel A.B. Miguel

Tess A. Nicholas Lolohea I.K. Ofa Noah F. Papali'i

Fadzai Paradza Seha Park Samantha G. Paterson

Aisling L. Rayne Kerri-Anne B. Regan Alysha F.R. Rigter

Helena C. Ruffell Olivia G. Silvester Anzhelika Svetlova

Larissa J. Tait Simone M. Templeton Hannah M.T. Tuisamoa

Erin F. Wilks Michelle E. Williamson Jeremy G. Wing

Michelle J.-H. Wu

Dr Elissa Cameron's first graduation Dr John Pirker setting the mood

The gowns gather Roland's proud parents

Graduation gathering

What book is that?

393: “Now you see,' said the turtle, drifting back into the pond, 'why it is useless to cry. Your tears do not wash

away your sorrows. They feed someone else's joy. And that is why you must learn to swallow your own tears.”

Answer: The Joy Luck Club

Quizzes to entertain you over the summer

The Second Ultimate Pride and Prejudice Quiz

Act 1-Scene 3 - William Shakespeare

Frozen mania

Lion King

Science Knowledge Quiz

Science quiz - with timer

and now for something completely different...

Simon Paints - Christmas

Simon's Cat: Guide to Winter - for those reading this in the far north

Muddy Paws - Simon's Cat

Travel photographer of the year - National Geographic

100 photos of the year - Time

Recipes of the Week

Eggnog

Chocolate Salted Caramel Pavlova - recipe at the bottom of page

Thought for the Year

Everything You’ve Ever Wanted Is On The Other Side Of Fear. - George Addair

Editor's notes

So, you've read to the bottom of the newsletter, well done! I'm sure you will agree with me that we have had some

extraordinary highlights for 2016. Thank you to everybody who has provided something for the newsletters this

year, whether it be your latest publication, a job advertisement or a link to a cat video. Thanks to Google Alerts. I

hope to share with you more alerts next year. The newsletter is a great platform to highlight the great stuff we all

contribute to the school. Suggestions are always welcome.

You are constantly in our thoughts Dave.

The blackbird trills with merry voice

At the onset of the night

Its melody piercing hazy murk

Singing with glorious might.

How impressive for one so small

To out-sing the robin and the lark

To call upon those thermal tides

Coursing cross lane and hedge and park.

Oh sweet, enchanting warbler

Let your tune pierce every heart

Your voice is the last, we hear at night

And first....at the fresh day's start.

~ Ali Mayo

If you have items of news or interest that you would like included in this newsletter, contact the admin office before

noon on Friday at bioladmin@canterbury.ac.nz or phone ext 6732.