Pests invaluable research material
Not many people welcome the discovery of wasp nests, but they are providing invaluable research material for two Dunedin students. University of Otago genetics PhD…
Biosecurity - Control
Once pests have become established, how can we best control or eradicate them?
Media
Report
The use of AI (artificial intelligence) in New Zealand for the sorting of images and classification of animal pest species
This report has been commissioned by the Biological Heritage Challenge to review the current development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for sorting and classifying…
Publication
Mitonuclear interactions, mtDNA-mediated thermal plasticity and implications for the Trojan Female Technique for pest control
Here we test whether the male-sterilizing effects previously associated with the mt:Cyt-b mutation are consistent across three thermal and three nuclear genomic contexts. The effects of this…
Publication
New Zealand shouldn’t ignore feral cats
A letter to BioScience: A publication in Nature (Owens 2017) attracted our attention recently. The article refers to the ambitious, arduous, and encouraging plan to…
Media
‘Instruction manual’ to kauri dieback pathogen uncovered
In a world first, researchers have decoded the genome of the pathogen that causes kauri dieback. RNZ spoke to Nari Williams (Plant & Food Research).
Video
Conservation & Restoration 2022
It’s a huge challenge to conserve and restore kauri and native plants vulnerable to myrtle rust for future generations. It requires Te Ao Māori world…
Publication
Gene drive and RNAi technologies: a bio-cultural review of next-generation tools for pest wasp management in New Zealand
There is a global need for novel, next-generation technologies and techniques to manage pest species. We review work on potential step-changing technologies for large landscape…
Elevating and Recognising Knowledge of Indigenous Peoples to Improve Forest Biosecurity
Current forest biosecurity systems and processes employed in many countries are, in large, constructs of Western principles, values and science knowledge that have been introduced…
Report
Predator Free New Zealand: Social, Cultural, and Ethical Challenges
A bioethics panel was established to map out the landscape of social, ethical and cultural considerations surrounding Predator Free New Zealand. The panel was co-convened…
Presentation
Updating the toolbox in the fight against Phytophthora agathidicida – Marion Wood
Presented as part of the Kaurilands Summit 2023, hosted by Ngā Rākau Taketake. To find our more about the Control, Protect, Cure research theme…
Publication
mtDNA polymorphism and metabolic inhibition affect sperm performance in conplastic mice
Although there is a general correlation between nucleotide substitutions in the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) and a variety of metabolic pathologies, research into the impact of…
Publication
Fitness and microbial networks of the common wasp, Vespula vulgaris (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), in its native and introduced ranges
Variation in microbial communities between populations is increasingly hypothesised to affect animal fitness and performance, including for invasive species. Pathogenic species may be lost during…
Publication
A Systematic Review of Sources of Variability and Uncertainty in eDNA Data for Environmental Monitoring
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is becoming a standard tool in environmental monitoring that aims to quantify spatiotemporal variation for the measurement and prediction of ecosystem change.…
Publication
Conservation pest control with new technologies: public perceptions
New genetic tools can potentially mitigate the decline of biodiversity. Democratisation of science mandates public opinion be considered while new technologies are in development. We…
Publication
Modeling CRISPR gene drives for suppression of invasive rodents using a supervised machine learning framework
Invasive rodent populations pose a threat to biodiversity across the globe. When confronted with these invaders, native species that evolved independently are often defenseless. CRISPR…
Publication
RNA interference as a next-generation control method for suppressing Varroa destructor reproduction in honey bee (Apis mellifera) hives
Background The Varroa mite (Varroa destructor) is considered to be the greatest threat to apiculture worldwide. RNA interference (RNAi) using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a…
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