West Auckland Research Articles

Cancer risk following onset of type 2 diabetes in New Zealanders with impaired glucose tolerance over 25 years: a matched prospective cohort study

BackgroundIn people with prediabetes, the link between developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cancer risk among those with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) remains uncertain. We examined this association in IGT individuals from primary care in South and West Auckland, New Zealand, spanning 1994–2019, assessing 5- and 10-year cancer risks.MethodsStudy cohorts were extracted from the Diabetes Care Support Service in Auckland, New Zealand, linking it with national registries for death, cancer, hospital admissions, pharmaceutical claims, and socioeconomic status. We compared cancer risks in individuals with IGT newly diagnosed with or without T2D within a 1–5-year exposure window. Employing tapered matching and landmark analysis to address potential confounding effects, we formed comparative IGT cohorts. Weighted Cox regression models were then employed to assess the association between T2D onset and 5- and 10-year cancer risks.ResultsThe study included 26,794 patients with IGT, with 629 newly diagnosed with T2D within 5 years and 13,007 without such a diagnosis. Those progressing to T2D had similar 5-year cancer risk but significantly higher 10-year risk (HR 1.35; 95% CI 1.09–1.68). This association was stronger in older individuals, the socioeconomically deprived, current smokers, those with worse metabolic measures, and lower renal function. Patients with IGT of NZ European ethnicity had lower 10-year cancer risk.ConclusionsT2D diagnosis influences cancer risk in individuals with IGT. Developing risk scores for high-risk IGT individuals and implementing cancer screening and structured diabetes prevention, especially in deprived or minority ethnic populations, is essential.

Brief report of fatal rainfall-triggered landslides from record-breaking 2023 storms in Auckland, New Zealand

The aim of this paper is to report on fatal landslides resulting from two extraordinary storm events in January and February 2023, in Auckland, New Zealand, including the characteristics of the terrain, the site geology, and the storms. The January 27 Auckland Anniversary storm was from an “atmospheric river,” dumping Summer’s worth of rain (265 mm) in one day. This was the highest 24-h total on record, estimated a 1 in 200-year event, with a peak 2-min rainfall of 4.2 mm, coinciding with Friday’s evening “rush hour.” This led to widespread landsliding throughout Auckland, including a fatal landslide in Parnell, central Auckland. Notably, this occurred only meters from a similarly destructive landslide in 1997. With January 2023 Auckland’s wettest January on record, and with the region still in a state of emergency, Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle crossed the region on February 13–14. This also caused widespread landsliding, including a fatal landslide at Muriwai on the west Auckland coast. Fatal landslides from the same escarpment had occurred in 1965, close to the February 13, 2023, fatal landslide. Taken together, both storm events caused > 140,000 landslides across the North Island, and flooding, making hundreds of people homeless, with damage estimates of > US$8.6 billion (3.4% of NZ’s GDP). For future disaster risk reduction, attention should be paid to revising legislation and local planning, which currently allows people to legally build (and re-build) houses in landslide-prone areas of New Zealand.

A new species, family, and suborder of beetle for Aotearoa New Zealand – Distocupes varians (Lea, 1902) (Coleoptera: Archostemata: Cupedidae)

ABSTRACT Distocupes varians (Lea, 1908) (Coleoptera: Cupedidae) is a species within the relictual suborder Archostemata. This suborder has a nearly worldwide distribution, which includes the Gondwanan regions and countries Australia, New Caledonia, southern South America, but not New Zealand. The larvae of Archostemata are woodborers, with several cupedid species known to feed on fungi-rich rotting wood, whereas the adults feed on pollen or sap. Until recently, these beetles were unknown from New Zealand, but in November 2021 two adult specimens were caught in SLAM traps in Laingholm, West Auckland. These specimens were collected two weeks apart, which suggests that there is an established population, rather than these being independent incidents of wind-assisted arrivals. This hypothesis is further corroborated by additional specimens of D. varians collected or photographed during November and December 2022, which were then recorded on iNaturalist (https://inaturalist.nz/), a citizen science platform to record, organise and identify biodiversity.

Association Between Onset of Type 2 Diabetes and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in New Zealanders With Impaired Glucose Tolerance Over 25 Years.

Background The association between the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and atrial fibrillation (AF) risk in individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the incident onset of T2D and 5- and 10-year (after the landmark period) risks of AF in people with IGT identified in South and West Auckland primary care settings between 1994 and 2019. Methods and Results We compared AF risk in patients with IGT with and without newly diagnosed T2D within a 1- to 5-year exposure window. Tapered matching and landmark analysis (to address immortal bias) were used to control for confounding variables. The cohorts incorporated 785 patients who had T2D newly diagnosed within 5 years from enrollment (landmark date) and 15 079 patients without a T2D diagnosis. Patients progressing to T2D exhibited significantly higher 5-year (after the landmark period) AF risk (hazard ratio [HR], 1.34 [95% CI, 1.10-1.63]) and 10-year (after the landmark period) AF risk (HR, 1.28 [95% CI, 1.02-1.62]) compared with those without incident T2D. The association was more pronounced among men, older patients, socioeconomically deprived individuals, current smokers, those with higher metabolic measures, and lower renal function. New Zealand European ethnicity was associated with a lower 5- and 10-year risk of AF. Conclusions This study found a mediating effect of T2D on the risk of AF in a population with IGT in New Zealand. The development of risk scores and future replication studies can help identify and guide management of individuals with IGT at the highest risk of AF following incident T2D.

Effect of onset of type 2 diabetes on risks of cardiovascular disease and heart failure among new Zealanders with impaired glucose tolerance over 25 years: tapered-matched landmark analysis

BackgroundThis study aimed to examine the association between the incident onset of T2DM and 5- and 10-year risks of CVD and HF in people with IGT identified in primary care in South and West Auckland, New Zealand (NZ) between 1994 and 2019.MethodsWe compared CVD and HF risks in patients with IGT and with/without T2D newly diagnosed within the exposure window (1–5 years). Tapered matching and landmark analysis (to account for immortal bias) were used to control for potential effects of known confounders.ResultsAmong 26,794 patients enrolled with IGT, 845 had T2D newly diagnosed within 5 years from enrolment (landmark date) and 15,452 did not have T2D diagnosed. Patients progressing to T2D (vs. those not progressing) had a similar 5-year risk for CVD (hazard ratio 1.19; 95% CI 0.61–2.32) but significantly higher 10-year risk of CVD (2.45(1.40–4.29)), 5-year risk of HF (1.94(1.20–3.12)) and 10-year risk of HF (2.84(1.83–4.39). The association between the onset of T2D and risk of 10-year risk of CVD, 5-year and 10-year risk of HF was more likely among men, the socioeconomically deprived, those currently smoking, patients with higher metabolic measures and/or those with lower renal function. Patients of NZ European ethnicity had a lower 10-year risk of CVD.ConclusionsThe study suggests that the diagnosis of T2D mediates the risk of CVD and HF in people with IGT. The development of risk scores to identify and better manage individuals with IGT at high risk of T2D is warranted.

Manakitia a Papatuanuku: Eco-literate pedagogy and music education

As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, the much-heralded threat of climate change has become a reality whose effects we not only read and hear about daily but also experience in a raft of seen and unseen ways in our local communities. Morton (2012) called unequivocally for a broader vision of music education that includes and embraces a cross-curricular emphasis on ecological and social justice. In particular, she challenges music education (and the arts in general) to participate in the provision of eco-aesthetic experiences and activities, which foster participation in and reflection upon human inter-dependency. In this article, I will reflect on my experience as a music teacher in a West Auckland enviroschool and the lessons I learned from the children that influenced and supported the development of music-making activities connected with their environmental concerns. Then, taking into account the work of relevant contemporary musicians/composers and music educators, I will offer some suggestions for eco-literate pedagogical practices (Shevock, 2018) for music teachers in 21st century Aotearoa New Zealand.

Genetic diversity and differentiation in the leaf litter weevil Geochus politus across an urban-rural gradient

Urban reserves have the potential to retain relatively high biodiversity. However, populations of the taxa within them can have reduced genetic diversity and, if gene flow between populations is inhibited by urbanised surroundings, can become genetically differentiated. Here we determine whether differences in population genetic differentiation and diversity can be observed in the leaf litter inhabiting weevil Geochus politus along the urban-rural gradient spanning Waitākere Ranges Regional Parkland and suburbs of west Auckland, New Zealand.

E tumau le fa'avae ae fesuia'i faiga

E tumau le fa'avae ae fesuia'i faiga

Inexpensive throughfall exclusion experiment for single large trees.

PremiseDrought‐induced tree mortality is an emergent threat to forests worldwide, particularly to large trees. Drought‐manipulation experiments involving throughfall exclusion (TFE) tend to focus on large plots that can be expensive to establish and maintain and may be unsuitable for large trees or indigenous forests. We set out to establish a relatively inexpensive TFE method in a natural forest with large trees.MethodsWe designed a novel TFE method and installed it in the Waitākere Range of West Auckland, New Zealand, to study the southern conifer kauri (Agathis australis) under long‐term simulated drought. We measured fluxes of water (sap flow) and carbon (stem increment and litterfall) as indicators of drought effects.ResultsThroughfall was cut off to a 22.25‐m2 area around individual boles, causing reduced soil moisture and reduced sap flow in droughted trees.DiscussionOur new TFE method centered on individual, large trees in native forest and is highly customizable to fit other forest and species types. It can be used to assess physiological responses to drought of individual trees independent of stem size.

Assessing the potential to calendar date Māori waka (canoes) using dendrochronology

The short (c. 750year) span of human occupation in Aotearoa New Zealand and imprecision of archaeological dating techniques available, presents particular challenges when investigating societal and technological change and continuity during the pre-European and early historic periods. Currently, radiocarbon (14C) dating is used to determine the age of archaeological artefacts and/or sites but variations in atmospheric radiocarbon can affect the precision of calibrated dates resulting in broad age ranges for artefacts. This paper assesses the potential of dendrochronology to accurately and precisely date Māori artefacts, which would securely place them in a temporal context, enhancing understanding of manufacturing, provenance, and changes in style. Two kauri (Agathis australis) canoes (waka) recovered from waterlogged deposits in the Waikato River Delta and at Muriwai Beach, west Auckland, and currently undergoing conservation, were sampled for tree-ring dating. The ring width series were too short (<40 rings) for crossdating, however, the work described here has been valuable to informing processes regarding sampling and in highlighting the potential of tree-ring analysis to contribute meaningfully to understanding of these culturally and spiritually significant taonga.

Sustained carbon uptake in a mixed age southern conifer forest

Larger trees accumulate more carbon but have lower growth rates per unit biomass. Nevertheless, large trees are a vital part of the carbon cycle of this mixed age forest. Globally, there is a strong need for detailed information on carbon (C) budgets of native forests, yet New Zealand forests are underrepresented in C inventories. Stem growth and CO2 efflux are two of the major components of forest C budgets, especially in forests with long-lived, large trees. In this paper, we present a breakdown of tree-level C accumulation rates for 26 trees [9.7–176 cm diameter at breast height (DBH)] of one of the world’s largest tree species: the endemic conifer kauri (Agathis australis) over 3 years (2010–2013) in west Auckland. We examined the relationship between C accumulation, tree size, and canopy class (dominant, co-dominant, and intermediate). The total amount of C accumulated was 2.7, 3.5, and 4.2 Mg C ha−2 year−1 in 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively. Large trees (>70 cm DBH) had the fastest absolute rates of growth (basal area increment; 30–140 cm2 year−1) and C accumulation (0.01–0.048 Mg C year−1), but the lowest rates of relative growth (per unit biomass). Relative growth rates peaked at a diameter at breast height of 25 cm, and consequently, co-dominant trees had the highest annual relative growth rates (1.7–2.2% year−1). The majority of C was accumulated in co-dominant trees (62%), with smaller amounts accumulated in dominant (29%) and intermediate trees (9%). One-third of the stand’s C accumulation was accrued by the largest 6% of trees, which made up 46% of the stand’s basal area. While maintenance and growth respiration rates were higher for larger trees, C use efficiency (CUE) was consistent across tree-size classes. To extend the size of trees analysed, we included data from tree-ring analysis of 13 additional trees up to 243 cm DBH and found larger trees accumulated proportionally less C per unit biomass than smaller trees.

From the Personal to the Political, Religious, and a Vision of Socialism in Maurice Gee’s Orchard Street, a New Zealand Novel for Children

This article considers Orchard Street, a novel for children by award-winning New Zealand author, Maurice Gee, and his use of history in depicting New Zealand during the 1951 conflict between the Waterside Workers, and the ship-owners and National government. The article focuses first on Gee’s childhood during the 1940s in Henderson, West Auckland, and on Newington Road where he and his family lived as a model for the creation of Orchard Street. It then looks at the integration of the 1951 conflict into this realistic setting, and Gee’s charging of the street with a political significance.&#x0D; A self-proclaimed socialist, Gee is firmly on the side of the Wharfies, as is his protagonist, the thirteen-year old Ossie Dye who is on the brink of adulthood, and faced with difficult choices. While supporting his parents’ socialist ideals, and delivering illegal propaganda at night, Ossie imagines he is the solitary American cowboy, Zane Grey’s Lone Star Ranger (p. 13), and excludes the lonely Bike Pike from his gang of friends.&#x0D; The article briefly examines Gee’s use of an older Ossie as the first person narrator who, looking back from 1991 to the 1951 conflict, forms a circular frame that modifies its depiction. Also considered is the influence of neo-liberalism and the social and political reforms of the 1980s-1990s on Gee’s writing. The article finally argues that the multi-layered timeframe and geometrical structure of the novel are evidence not only of the author’s preoccupation with division but, more predominantly, of his socialist ideology and search for wholeness and balance.

Stable oxygen isotope signatures of early season wood in New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis) tree rings: Prospects for palaeoclimate reconstruction

One of the longest Southern Hemisphere tree ring chronologies that has potential to provide past climate reconstructions has been produced using New Zealand kauri (Agathis australis). Work to date on kauri has been limited to reconstructions from whole-ring width analysis. In this study, we present the first replicated stable oxygen isotopic composition of early season alpha-cellulose from calendar-dated kauri tree rings within the natural growth range of the species. We also use newly established kauri physiology information about stomatal conductance and a mechanistic model to place initial interpretations on kauri δ18O signatures.Kauri early season δ18O has a range from 26 to 34‰ (V-SMOW) for a site located at Lower Huia Dam in west Auckland, and the mean δ18O chronology from that site is significantly correlated (p<0.05) to October-December vapor pressure, May-December relative humidity and other associated hydroclimatic variables. The observed statistical relationships are consistent with mechanistic δ18O simulations using the forward model of Barbour et al. (2004) that incorporates a leaf temperature energy balance model to calculate transpiration as forced with local meteorological variables and a range of physiological parameters. The correlation results and mechanistic model simulations suggest kauri δ18O early season wood has the potential to provide new quantitative past climate information for northern New Zealand, and also complement whole ring-width reconstructions of past regional climate variability – a component of which is previously established as sensitive to El Niño-Southern Oscillation activity. Additional work is required to determine whether the observed relationships are consistent across the growth range of kauri and what the optimum sample depth is before long isotope-based palaeoclimate reconstructions from modern and sub-fossil kauri sites are undertaken.

Evaluation of Pacific cancer care navigation patient facilitation and support service

From 2010, a not-for-profit community services’ provider has delivered a Pacific cancer navigation patient facilitation and support service (hereafter ‘the Service’) for Pacific peoples residing in an area of West Auckland, New Zealand. The Service was evaluated in 2013. As part of the evaluation, both group and individual interviews were held with sixteen cancer patients, eight family members and seven key informants; in conjunction, observations and informal discussions were held with two navigators. Service personnel were closely involved from the inception of the evaluation, and this practice will be discussed as part of building an evaluation culture in the organisation. There was general agreement that the implementation of the facilitation and support Service had proceeded well, this was characterised by effective engagement with health professionals; the establishment of a support group; the provision of transport; assistance in dealings with Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ); and the provision of timely and accurate information to assist patients and their families. From this common consensus, suggestions were made around increasing and ensuring ongoing funding to sustain the supporting roles of navigators and the services offered. Other invaluable features of the Service included the ability of navigators to translate from English to Samoan, and from medical to lay language, as well as the provision of the Service beyond central metro areas.

Litterfall, carbon and nitrogen cycling in a southern hemisphere conifer forest dominated by kauri (Agathis australis) during drought

Under future climates, droughts will be more frequent and severe in parts of New Zealand, but the impact of drought has not been studied in New Zealand forests. Litterfall is one of the major fluxes of forest carbon. We explored seasonal and annual patterns of litterfall, carbon and nitrogen cycling in wet (2012) and dry (2013) years at Huapai Scientific Reserve, west Auckland. During 2012, rainfall was close to average with a wet summer, while the summer rainfall in the period from January to April 2013 was only 1/3 of the volume that fell during the same period in 2012, causing significant reductions in soil moisture. For the wet year, total annual litterfall was 9.00 ± 0.44 t ha−1, while during the dry year, there was a 72 % increase to 15.46 ± 0.85 t ha−1. Kauri constituted 80 % of the basal area of the plot and also contributed 80 % of the litter. The majority additional litter in the dry year was kauri leaves and twigs. Drought impacted slightly more heavily on the C cycle (with an 85 % increase during the drought year) than the N cycle (with a 69 % increase during the drought year) because concentrations of N in kauri leaves were lower during the drought period, due to nutrient reabsorption. Drought clearly enhances litterfall in this forest, stimulating the carbon and nitrogen cycles. These results have implications for forest C and N budgets as well as fire management practices due to the build-up of dry litter during drought.

Notes on Caloplaca allanii Zahlbr. (Teloschistaceae) a poorly known West Auckland, North Island, New Zealand endemic

After a lapse of 81 years we report the rediscovery of Caloplaca allanii (Teloschistaceae), a lichen previously known only from the type collection. The species appears to be endemic to the Waitakere Ranges coastline west of Auckland, North Island, New Zealand. A revised description of the species based on fresh material is provided, and we expand the distribution of the species as well as describing its habitats and associated species. A table and key to the saxicolous, coastal Caloplaca of the Waitakere Ranges is also provided. As a narrow-range endemic, with apparently very specific habitat requirements, C. allanii is a naturally uncommon, biologically sparse species. Nevertheless because of the small total area of occupancy, we assess C. allanii as ‘Threatened’/‘Nationally Critical’ using the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

WITHDRAWN: The bio-geomorphologic response of the mangrove population to the changed sedimentary settings in West Auckland, New Zealand

This article has been temporarily withdrawn at the request of the Editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy .

WAI wise: a fun, practical and effective water safety experience for young adults

BackgroundYouth are one of the most at-risk groups of drowning. From 2006–2010, 447 people drowned in New Zealand (NZ), of which 16% were aged 15–24 years.In Auckland, 104 people drowned...

Currents off the west coast of Northland, New Zealand

The concept of a southward-flowing West Auckland Current off the west coast of Northland has become an accepted feature of the ocean circulation around New Zealand. Knowledge of this flow is based on sparse data collected in the 1950s. Here we quantify the flows in the area for the first time using a current meter array deployed for a year (2003–2004) across the shelf and slope offshore of Hokianga Harbour and three hydrographic surveys along a transect coincident with the current meter array. Flows are found to be weak, and dominated by the variability. There is a southeastward drift in the mean flow offshore of the 1000-m isobath, with a northwestward mean found inshore of this. The offshore flows appear to result from large-scale sea surface height gradients, while the inshore flows respond to wind forcing in a complex manner.

Dominant perspectives and the shape of urban stormwater futures

Cognitive mapping is used to elicit perspectives on stormwater problems and solutions in West Auckland, New Zealand. In-depth interviews with key stakeholders reveal three dominant perspectives that underlie contemporary approaches to stormwater management: conventional fixes, low impact solutions and community development. Analysis confirms that these perspectives are diverse and partially conflicting. Traditional engineering approaches to managing urban stormwater generate feedback loops that necessitate continued construction of infrastructure to the detriment of environmental systems. Low impact solutions are environmentally sensitive, but they do not break this feedback loop. Community development could reduce the need for more urban stormwater infrastructure in the long-term but it does not address current adverse impacts of urban growth. Analysis suggests that none of the perspectives in themselves will lead to sustainable outcomes. Rather, the transition to a water-sensitive future requires understanding of and engagement with these diverse perspectives in efforts to establish more integrated social-ecological outcomes.