School of Science - Te Kura Pūtaiao
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Research at AUT's School of Science - Te Kura Pūtaiao is focused on key scientific issues with regional and global significance. The common theme connecting all research areas is sustainability – in the broadest sense as it relates to environmental and human health. Our research is closely allied to teaching and learning opportunities at undergraduate and postgraduate level within the school.
Research is organised in five main areas:
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Recent Submissions
- ItemDoes Landscape Composition Influence the Diets of Feral Cats in Agroecosystems?(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2024-03-06) Nottingham, CM; Buckley, HL; Case, BS; Glen, AS; Stanley, MCHabitat fragmentation can influence the diet of mammalian predators, potentially increasing their impact on prey species. Agroecosystems are fragmented landscapes that often have high densities of invasive mammalian predators. Feral cats are generalist predators that have successfully adapted to living in agricultural landscapes. Feral cats are known to eat rabbits, rodents, and birds, but it is unclear how landscape characteristics affect prey consumption. Here, we tested whether feral cat diet in New Zealand agroecosystems was affected by landscape composition and spatial configuration. We examined the contents of 112 feral cat gastrointestinal tracts collected from agroecosystems in different New Zealand regions over a 3-year period. We related prey richness and composition to the landscape composition and spatial configuration in a 500-ha area within which each cat was caught. Dietary analysis showed that feral cats were consuming invertebrates, birds, rodents, and rabbits, and that there were some regional and seasonal effects. No significant differences in prey richness or composition of the diet were associated with variation in landscape composition or spatial configuration. This study confirms feral cats as generalist predators that feed on a wide range of prey types in New Zealand agroecosystems, including some native species. Our study highlights the importance of further research for understanding how current conservation interventions in New Zealand, which include revegetation and rodent control, interact with feral cat populations and behaviours to impact on future biodiversity outcomes.
- ItemBiomarkers of Mussel Exposure to Vibrionaceae: A Review(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2024-05-10) Azizan, A; Venter, L; Alfaro, ACFor more than a century, bacterial infections caused by Vibrio spp. have affected various species of mussels around the world, with limited insights into the responses implemented by mussels against these infections. A combination of chemical analyses and carefully selected biological endpoints from haemolymph and tissues can be used to identify the welfare status of mussels and potentially protect aquatic ecosystems from catastrophic health threats. Recent developments in biomarker identification tools, such as omics and bioinformatics, have been successfully applied to evaluate the effect of environmental pollutants and other chemicals on mussels. However, the application of biomarkers to assess mussel health is limited. This review describes the available scientific literature on biomarker research for Vibrio-mussel interactions, and those aspects related to mussel health and disease assessment, grouped as biomarkers of exposure, effects, and susceptibility. From the review, it is clear that when integrated biomarkers are used, they can provide a deeper understanding of the relative health and potential susceptibility of mussels for better management practices. Furthermore, health biomarker data can be used to build resilience in mussels against climate change conditions, strengthen biosecurity management programs, improve farming and processing efficiency, and add value in terms of market-desirable traits. These data hold promise for advancing sustainability efforts within the aquaculture industry. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.)
- ItemWhy a Strategic Shift in Action Is Needed to Recognise and Empower Indigenous Plant Pathology Knowledge and Research(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2024-04-17) Ehau-Taumaunu, H; Williams, NM; Marsh, A; Waipara, NW; Higgins, CM; Geering, ADW; Mesarich, CH; Rigano, LA; Summerell, BA; Johnson, GI; Williamson, P; MacDiarmid, RMPlant pathology researchers play a pivotal role in thought leadership and its translation to action regarding the recognition and demonstration of the value of Indigenous knowledge and science. For many scientists, navigating the space of Indigenous rights and perspectives is challenging. In pursuit of a cultural shift in research and development within the field of plant pathology, the 2019–2021 Management Committee of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (APPS) undertook a review and modernization of the Society’s Constitution. The aim was to ensure its alignment with principles that foster inclusivity of Indigenous peoples in the development and implementation of relevant research projects impacting their communities. Additionally, a dynamic repository of guidelines and resources was compiled. These resources are designed to assist plant pathologists, while respecting and not superseding the guidance provided by local Indigenous researchers, practitioners, and advisors. The collective efforts of plant pathologists hold immense potential in championing Indigenous Peoples and their rights, steering the field toward a more inclusive and equitable future. This paper builds upon the thesis presented in the APPS Presidential Address at the Biennial APPS Conference in 2021, held virtually in lutruwita (Tasmania) on the unceded lands of the Palawa people. It underscores the potential impact when plant pathologists unite in advocating for Indigenous Peoples and their rightful place within the field.
- ItemNanoprecipitation to Produce Hydrophobic Cellulose Nanospheres for Water-in-Oil Pickering Emulsions(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2024-06-12) Tiban Anrango, BA; Naiya, MM; Van Dongen, J; Matich, O; Whitby, CP; Chen, JLYIn recent years, there has been growing interest in replacing petroleum-based water-in-oil (W/O) emulsifiers with sustainable and less toxic natural materials. Pickering emulsifiers are considered well-suited candidates due to their high interfacial activity and the ability to form emulsions with long-term stability. However, only sporadic examples of natural materials have been considered as inverse Pickering emulsifiers. This study describes the synthesis of a series of hydrophobic cellulose nanospheres by bulk modification with acyl groups of different chain lengths followed by nanoprecipitation, and their application as inverse emulsifiers. Modification with acyl groups of longer chain length (C16, C18) afforded lower degrees of substitution, but resulted in greater thermal stability than groups with shorter acyl chains (C12, C14). Formation of nanospheres with low aspect ratios and narrow size distributions required low initial cellulose concentrations (< 1% w/v), high volumetric ratios of antisolvent to solvent (> 10:1), and slow addition rates (< 20 mL/h). The modified cellulose nanospheres were able to reduce the interfacial tension between water and hexane from 45.8 mN/m to 31.1 mN/m, with an effect that increased with the number of carbons in the added acyl chains. The stearate-modified nanospheres exhibited superhydrophobic behavior, showing a contact angle of 156° ± 4° with water, and demonstrated emulsification performance comparable to the commonly used molecular surfactant sorbitan stearate. Our findings suggest that hydrophobically modified cellulose nanospheres have the potential to be a bio-derived alternative to traditional molecular W/O emulsifiers. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)
- ItemModular Assembly and Optimization of an Artificial Esterase from Functionalised Surfactants(Wiley, 2024-06-21) Matich, Olivia; Naiya, Mohinder Maheshbhai; Salam, Joanne; Tiban Anrango, Bryan Andres; Chen, Jack L‐YA strategy for the screening and optimization of an artificial esterase is presented that utilizes the self‐assembly of amphiphilic molecules. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on the attachment of key functional groups onto molecular scaffolds or surfaces, the modular assembly of amphiphiles allows a large number of catalytic combinations to be investigated with minimal synthetic effort. In this study, iterative combinatorial screens led to an optimized esterase comprising amphiphiles that act as a nucleophilic catalyst, an oxyanion hole and a metal ion chelator. Cooperativity is observed between the functional headgroups of the amphiphiles, an effect that is diminished when co‐assembled with non‐functionalized surfactants. Assessment of the catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) of our optimized catalysts against recently reported artificial esterases shows comparable efficiency, indicating that efficient catalysis is possible with dynamic self‐assembled systems despite the absence of pre‐defined rigid binding pockets.