Abstract This study constitutes the first attempt to examine the microbial diversity in New Zealand groundwater samples using a culture‐ and cloning‐independent technique. In this investigation, 18 distinct terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T‐RFLP) peak profiles were generated from groundwater samples collected from various sites and aquifers in the Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa. Most peak profiles were similar, implying only small differences in microbial community structure in the groundwater samples collected, and relatively low microbial diversity compared to non‐aquifer water samples. Nonetheless, subtle but systematic differences in T‐RFLP peak profiles were observed between the aquifers and, in some instances, for groundwater samples collected at different locations within a single aquifer. Differences in the peak profiles appeared to be related to groundwater chemistry, particularly to concentrations of iron, manganese, nitrogen, and sulfur.
DNA sequences of the 5' end of the chloroplast ndhF gene for 15 species of Caryophyllaceae have been analyzed by parsimony and neighbor-joining analyses. Three major clades are identified, with little or no support for monophyly of traditionally recognized subfamilies. The first of the three major clades identified (Clade I) is constituted by part of the subfamily Paronychioideae. It includes members of the tribe Paronychieae and members of tribe Polycarpeae. The second (Clade II) contains members of the Paronychieae exclusively. Tribe Paronychieae is thus apparently polyphyletic and tribe Polycarpeae is at least paraphyletic. The third clade (Clade III) includes members of subfamilies Alsinoideae and Caryophylloideae along with the genus Spergularia. The genus Scleranthus is also part of Clade III, while Drymaria groups with the other genera of tribe Polycarpeae in Clade II. We conclude that morphological characters previously used to delimit subfamilial groupings in the Caryophyllaceae are apparently unreliable estimators of phylogeny.
The Pacific Oceania region was one of the last regions of the world to be settled via human migration. Here we outline a settlement of this region that has given rise to a uniquely admixed population. The current Norfolk Island population has arisen from a small number of founders with mixed Caucasian and Polynesian ancestry, descendants of a famous historical event. The 'Mutiny on the Bounty' has been told in history books, songs and the big screen, but recently this story can be portrayed through comprehensive molecular genetics. Written history details betrayal and murder leading to the founding of Pitcairn Island by European mutineers and the Polynesian women who left Tahiti with them. Investigation of detailed genealogical records supports historical accounts.Using genetics, we show distinct maternal Polynesian mitochondrial lineages in the present day population, as well as a European centric Y-chromosome phylogeny. These results comprehensively characterise the unique gender-biased admixture of this genetic isolate and further support the historical records relating to Norfolk Island.Our results significantly refine previous population genetic studies investigating Polynesian versus Caucasian diversity in the Norfolk Island population and add information that is beneficial to future disease and gene mapping studies.
We have developed an SH‐wave version of frequency‐domain full waveform tomography. Acoustic and SH waveform tomography are applied to a multicomponent seismic data set acquired over a shallow contaminated aquifer at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. We present synthetic tests of the method and field data inversions. Synthetic waveform tomography tests reveal fundamental differences in the interaction of acoustic and SH‐waves with subsurface velocity perturbations, and illustrate potential benefits of SH‐wave imaging at the field site such as significantly higher resolution associated with lower velocity. High‐resolution velocity models from inversion of the field data are interpreted in terms of lithology and water saturation, which are better constrained by the availability of both P‐and S‐wave velocity.
DNA fingerprinting originally developed as a genetic mapping strategy but has quickly found many other applications ranging from forensic casework to wildlife conservation. The versatility of various DNA fingerprinting methods is illustrated by a series of examples taken from the work of one laboratory in New Zealand.
Taxonomic information for New Zealand mosquito species is predominantly morphological with very few molecular data available to date. In this study, the 5’ end of COI (775 nt) and ITS1 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer regions (388 – 638 nt) were amplified and sequenced from DNA templates representing 17 species in total; the 15 previously known New Zealand mosquito species, a newly discovered undescribed Aedes sp. nov. from the Chatham Islands and a recently eradicated invader, Ae. camptorhynchus. This paper provides DNA barcoding sequences for the entire New Zealand mosquito biota, the first for the majority of these species. Phylogenetic analysis of COI and ITS1 indicated that the endemic species are all genetically distinct from the exotic species examined including disease vector species. The genus Opifex is distant from the genus Aedes but Ae. chathamicus is not thereby refuting the proposed move of this species to the genus Opifex by Reinert et. al. (2004). Culexasteliae results show it to be a valid species but Cx. rotoruae not necessarily so. The Aedes sp. nov. appears to be a valid new species closely related to Ae. subalbirostris. No evidence of population variation based on geographic location was detected.