The vegetation communities that existed in the semi-arid intermontane basins and gorges of Central Otago prior to human settlement ~750 years B.P. are poorly understood. This is because of a lack of fossil evidence and complex restructuring by anthropogenic factors, especially increased fire frequency, and more recently mammalian grazing. There is also little information regarding the effect of the lost fauna on maintaining and structuring presettlement communities, both in Central Otago and throughout the eastern South Island dryland zone. This study aims to provide a clearer understanding of the functioning of pre-settlement ecosystems in dryland Central Otago, particularly the role of the largest vertebrate herbivores, the moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes), and to explore the implications of the extinct fauna for land conservation management across New Zealand. Late Pleistocene and Holocene vegetation communities of the Central Otago lowlands were reconstructed from plant macrofossils, including seeds, leaves, and wood, excavated from rockshelter, cave, and swamp deposits throughout the region. The macrofossils represent three main vegetation types: late Pleistocene to mid (late?) Holocene basin floor wetland herb associations, Olearia-shrublands surrounding these wetlands, and mid to late Holocene open scrubland and woodland in gorges and on low altitude slopes, dominated by filiramulate Olearia, Coprosma, and Corokia, with abundant lianes (Muehlenbeckia spp. and Rubus spp.) and understorey herbs. Many native tree and shrub species that are presently widespread in the Central Otago lowlands were rare or absent prior to anthropogenic fires (e.g. Discaria toumatou, Kunzea ericoides, Leptospermum scoparium). Other tree and shrub species once present are now extinct in the region (e.g. Coprosma obconica, Plagianthus regius, Pseudopanax ferox). The loss of these indigenous woody vegetation communities was a major factor contributing to the extirpation of many small bird species, and undoubtedly also reptile and invertebrate species, from the region. Plant macrofossils from rockshelters included remains of bird nests, identifiable by desiccated feathers and eggshell amongst them. These macrofossils include the first described plant remains from the nests of moa, which were constructed from a shallow bed of twigs of locally available shrubs and lianes. Many of the twigs are 25-30 mm in length and show evidence of having been clipped by moa bills. Desiccated coprolites, mostly of moa, but also specimens attributed to Finsch�s duck (Chenonetta finschi) and red-crowned parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae), were recovered from rockshelter excavations. Moa species associated with a sample of coprolites were identified using ancient DNA analysis, and plant macrofossils from these were examined, together with previously unexamined moa gizzard content samples excavated from mires in the eastern South Island dryland zone. The results indicate that, in addition to previously reported browsing, upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus) and heavy-footed moa (Pachyornis elephantopus) also functioned as grazers, and seeds in their coprolites are dominantly of low shrubs and ground-cover herbs. Of particular interest was the higher than expected frequency of seeds from the currently rare and threatened 'spring annual' herbs; Ceratocephala pungens and Myosurus minimus subsp. novae-zelandiae (Ranunculaceae), suggesting further research on potential ecological relationships between moa and these plants would be worthwhile. The results of this study have provided a baseline for future conservation and restoration projects in the Central Otago lowlands.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of New South Wales, 2006. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Dec. 11, 2007). Includes bibliographical references (p. 179-201).

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About the Book: This selected series of international studies is aimed at achieving a balance between the house and the desert, assuming an energy-conscious future. In the book experimental houses and examples from the world's deserts are discussed, documented and illustrated. The studies were sponsored by the Arid Lands Natural Resources Committee of the University of Arizona.

Project Completion Report, OWRT Project No. A-086-ARIZ / Agreement No. 14-34-0001-8003, Project Dates: 10/01/77-9/30/78 / Acknowledgement: The work upon which this report is based was supported by funds provided by the State of Arizona and the United States Department of Interior, Office of Water Research and Technology as authorized under the Water Resources Act of 1964. / From the Introduction: "The research work under this contract has been conducted by graduate student David B. Dunbar and summarized in his M.S. thesis entitled "Analysis of a Parameter Estimation Technique for Linear Hydrologic Systems Using Monte Carlo Simulation" submitted to the Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, in 1981. The present report is a brief summary of Mr. Dunbar's thesis." David Dunbar's thesis is available at: http://arizona.openrepository.com/arizona/handle/10150/191728 / The primary accomplishment of this research has been demonstrating the power of the deconvolution technique developed by Neuman and de Marsily (1976) in dealing with noisy rainfall- runoff records of short duration. Such records are encountered in arid environments where rainfall often occurs in short isolated bursts and the data are measured with a considerable margin of error. Our research work consisted of superimposing known noise on synthetic rainfall- runoff data and examining the ability of the Neuman -de Marsily deconvolution method to estimate the correct impulse response of the system when the data include only a single storm event. Approximately 50 Monte Carlo simulation runs were performed for each of three different noise models considered in our work. The results clearly demonstrated that the deconvolution model leads to reliable estimates and can be used with confidence in the presence of realistic noise levels. In addition to the Monte Carlo simulation tests and their analysis, certain improvements were introduced into the original deconvolution technique. In particular, the original version of the technique required that the hydrologist exercise subjective judgement in choosing the "best" solution for the deconvolution problem from a large number of admissible solutions. Our new method of selecting the "best" result is based on a comparative analysis of residuals and is more reliable than the earlier subjective approach. The improved method has been applied to real as well as synthetic rainfall -runoff data.

"Pure and simple" is an expression that does not fit when water quality is the topic. To assure the delivery of good quality, pure water is not a simple matter at all, as water quality managers well know.