Impacts of climate change on land suitability of key crops in New Zealand

Hamon, B., Quénol, H., Vannier, C. et al. Impacts of climate change on land suitability of key crops in New Zealand. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-49178-8

Multi-gene phylogeny and morphology of Pleurotus in Aotearoa New Zealand reveal a new variety of Pleurotus pulmonarius

Hera, D., Cooper, J., Buchanan, P. K., Dhami, M. K., Dickie, I. A. (2026). Multi-gene phylogeny and morphology of Pleurotus in Aotearoa New Zealand reveal a new variety of Pleurotus pulmonarius. Fungal biology, 130(3), 101747. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funbio.2026.101747

Abstract

Increased demand of cultivated oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus species) in Aotearoa New Zealand has led to the importation of exotic species, which pose potential invasion risks. Gaps in taxonomic knowledge of this genus have complicated biosecurity decisions and cultivation efforts. To address this, we collected 84 wild and cultivated New Zealand Pleurotus specimens for multi-locus phylogenetic analysis (ITS, LSU, RPB1, RPB2, and Tef) and morphological examination. We describe P. pulmonarius var. aotearoa as a new variety indigenous to New Zealand, distinct from imported P. pulmonarius sens. str. We establish that P. purpureo-olivaceus has no anamorphic stage and falls outside the subgenus Coremiopleurotus, unlike P. australis, a species sometimes found on living trees. The close monophyletic relationship between P. parsonsiae and P. djamor underscores the need to reconsider the presence of the exotic P. djamor in the country. The refined species boundaries between the indigenous P. australis, P. parsonsiae, P. pulmonarius var. aotearoa and P. purpureo-olivaceus have important implications for conservation and biosecurity, and support the potential of using indigenous strains for cultivation in New Zealand.

Chemical Composition and In Sacco Degradation Kinetics of Four Common Biowastes in Canterbury

Olszewski, A. S. E., Mangwe, M., Robinson, B., Whitehead, D., & Bryant, R. H. (2026). Chemical composition and in sacco degradation kinetics of four common biowastes in Canterbury. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 69, e70010. https://doi.org/10.1002/jag2.70010

Volatile sulfur compounds in New Zealand Sauvignon blanc: An inter-regional survey

Manners, S. H., van Leeuwen, K. A., Gaw, S., Panicker, K., Gill, S., Dhami, M. K., . . . Stott, M. B. (2025). Volatile sulfur compounds in New Zealand Sauvignon blanc: An inter-regional survey. Food Chemistry, 495(Part 1), . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2025.146369

Engaging in Transdisciplinary Soil Research: A Roadmap for Soil Scientists

Gillespie, J., Cavanagh, J.-A., Edwards, S., Jolly, D., Payne, D., & Smith, C. (2025). Engaging in transdisciplinary soil research: A roadmap for soil scientists. European Journal of Soil Science, 76(6), e70231. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.70231

Research at the interface between Indigenous knowledge and soil science; weaving knowledges to understand horticultural land use in Aotearoa New Zealand

Gillespie, J., Payne, M., Payne, D., Edwards, S., Jolly, D., Smith, C., and Cavanagh, J.-A. (2025). Research at the interface between Indigenous knowledge and soil science; weaving knowledges to understand horticultural land use in Aotearoa / New Zealand. SOIL, 11, 583–607. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-583-2025

Spatial opportunities at the rural-urban fringe: balancing urban growth, food production and ecology

Robinson, M., Bowring, J., Davis, S., & Edwards, S. (2025). Spatial opportunities at the rural-urban fringe: balancing urban growth, food production and ecology. Landscape Research, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/01426397.2025.2552995

Mobile species' responses to surrounding land use generate trade-offs among nature's contributions to people

O'Brien, S. A., Tylianakis, J. M., Anderson, D. P., Boesing, A. L., Lai, H. R., Le Provost, G., Manning, P., Neyret, M., Blüthgen, N., Jung, K., Magdon, P., Müller, S., Schenk, N. V., Scherer-Lorenzen, M., & Lavorel, S. (2025). Mobile species' responses to surrounding land use generate trade-offs and synergies among nature's contributions to people. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122(45), e2505401122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2505401122

Abstract

Agricultural landscapes provide material, non-material and regulating contributions that affect human wellbeing. The responses of these nature’s contributions to people (NCP) to land-use patterns depend on supporting biota with different habitat requirements, generating trade-offs and synergies. Predictions of NCP trade-offs could inform land-use decisions, but these do not typically account for the effects of land-use patterns on the movement of NCP-providing species, nor for interactions among NCP providers. To explore spatial trade-offs and synergies in eight indicators of NCP, we used Bayesian models that allow for interactions among land uses and among NCP using data from 150 grassland sites across rural Germany. We found that spatial arrangements of forest and open habitat influenced many NCP: acoustic diversity, birdwatching potential, natural enemy abundance and pollination. In particular, the amount and proximity of land uses in the surrounding landscape, especially forest and open habitat, drove the supply of most NCP. However, NCP provided by smaller-bodied taxa (herbivory and pathogen infection) responded weakly to landscape factors. Multiple NCP provided by a given taxon responded differently to their surrounding landscape (e.g. bird-provided caterpillar predation and seed predation), leading to trade-offs among NCP over short distances (≤60 m). These were caused by different rates and directions of response to amount and location of land uses. Resulting spatial predictions revealed that grassland-dominated or mixed forest-grassland areas better maximize beneficial NCP and minimize detrimental NCP across landscapes than purely forest-dominated areas. This suggests promoting semi-natural vegetation in agricultural landscapes to provide greater-than-additive benefits to net NCP supply.

A transdisciplinary approach for assessing connections between soil, food, and people in Aotearoa New Zealand

Gillespie, J., Cavanagh, J.-A., Edwards, S., Jolly, D., Payne, D., & Smith, C. (2024). A transdisciplinary approach for assessing connections between soil, food, and people in Aotearoa New Zealand. European Journal of Soil Science, 75(3), e13521. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejss.13521

The floral interface: a playground for interactions between insect pollinators, microbes, and plants

Lignon, V. A., Jones, E. E., Dhami, M. K., Mas, F., & Kaiser, C. (2024). The floral interface: a playground for interactions between insect pollinators, microbes, and plants. New Zealand Journal of Zoology. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014223.2024.2353285

Draft genome sequence of Thermococcus waiotapuensis WT1 T, a thermophilic sulfur-dependent archaeon from the order Thermococcales

Manners, S. H., Dobson, R. C. J., Stott, M. B., Carere, C. R., & Dhami, M. K. (2024). Draft genome sequence of Thermococcus waiotapuensis WT1 T, a thermophilic sulfur-dependent archaeon from the order Thermococcales. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.1128/mra.00815-23

Integral health farming

Gregorini, P., Gordon, I. J., Fleming, A., Morris, R., Romera, A., Judson, G., Moorhead, A., Barnes, J., Eggers, J., Charters, S., Davis, S., & O, S. A. (2024). Integral health farming. Npj Sustainable Agriculture, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44264-024-00022-4

Agroecology for the City—Spatialising ES-Based Design in Peri-Urban Contexts

Morris, R., Davis, S., Grelet, G-A., Gregorini, P. (2024). Agroecology for the City—Spatialising ES-Based Design in Peri-Urban Contexts. Land. 13(10):1589. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101589

ESMAX for spatial agroecology: A conceptual spatial model for the quantification and visualisation of ES performance from different configurations of landscape

Morris, R., Davis, S., Grelet, G-A., Gregorini, P. (2024). ESMAX for spatial agroecology: A conceptual spatial model for the quantification and visualisation of ES performance from different configurations of landscape. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture and Environment, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/sae2.12097

A Model for Spatially Explicit Landscape Configuration and Ecosystem Service Performance, ESMAX: Model Description and Explanation

Morris, R., Davis, S., Grelet, G.-A., Doscher, C., & Gregorini, P. (2024). A Model for Spatially Explicit Landscape Configuration and Ecosystem Service Performance, ESMAX: Model Description and Explanation. Sustainability, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020876

Effects of Winery Wastewater to Soils on Mineral Properties and Soil Carbon

Nightingale-McMahon, M., Robinson, B., Malcolm, B., Clough, T., & Whitehead, D. (2024). Effects of Winery Wastewater to Soils on Mineral Properties and Soil Carbon. Land, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060751

Landscape patterns drive provision of nature's contributions to people by mobile species

O’Brien, S. A., Anderson, D. P., Lavorel, S., Lai, H. R., de Burgh, N., & Tylianakis, J. M. (2024). Landscape patterns drive provision of nature's contributions to people by mobile species. Journal of Applied Ecology, 00, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14764

Peri-urban landscapes and the potential of integrated foodscapes to support healthy cities: an Aotearoa New Zealand case study

Davis, S., Chen, G., Robinson, M., & Darvill, N. (2024). Peri-urban landscapes and the potential of integrated foodscapes to support healthy cities: an Aotearoa New Zealand case study. Cities and Health. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2024.2348284

Grubs up: Multiple enactments of insects as food in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Hyde, C. (2022). Grubs up: Multiple enactments of insects as food in Aotearoa/New Zealand. New Zealand Sociology, 37(2), 94–106.

Multiscapes and Urbanisation: The Case for Spatial Agroecology

Morris, R., Gregorini, P., Davis, S., & Grelet, G.-A. (2022). Multiscapes and Urbanisation: The Case for Spatial Agroecology. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031352