Harnessing spider biodiversity for sustainable horticulture: A call for research and conservation in Aotearoa New Zealand

Sullivan, N. J., Stringer, L. D., Black, A., & Vink, C. (2025). Harnessing spider biodiversity for sustainable horticulture: A call for research and conservation in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Ecology, 49(1), Article u3r6e00. https://doi.org/10.20417/nzjecol.49.3600

Abstract

The world is facing many pressing issues around food production and environmental sustainability. We are living in the sixth mass extinction event, driven by human activities including agricultural intensification, which has significantly affected invertebrate biodiversity. To address these issues, many scientists, growers, and policy makers are moving towards Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and restoring or creating natural or semi-natural habitats adjacent to or within food production ecosystems to conserve biodiversity whilst maintaining agricultural production. Despite spiders being the dominant, most abundant, and most diverse natural enemies of pests in horticultural ecosystems, their potential contribution to pest management has been understudied in Aotearoa | New Zealand. Internationally, many studies have shown the positive effects that spider abundance and diversity have on economically important food production systems, and many studies have demonstrated that enhancing adjacent habitat can conserve the biological control provided by spiders in these productive ecosystems. We highlight international studies that show positive effects of spider conservation on biological control in agroecosystems and discuss the few studies that have been completed on spiders in agriculture in Aotearoa | New Zealand. To date, only eight studies of spiders in agroecosystems have been published from Aotearoa | New Zealand and only a single study published on spiders in New Zealand horticultural ecosystems despite horticulture being a significant export market to countries that demand low chemical residue practices. All eight of these studies have been surveys of spider abundance and richness found in these systems, with a gap remaining in measuring the ecosystem functions they provide. We call for greater investment into research on spider conservation for biological control in Aotearoa | New Zealand to maximise the potential for ecologically friendly productive systems.

A risk-based approach can guide safe cell line development and cell banking for scaled-up cultivated meat production

Bennie, R.Z., Ogilvie, O.J., Loo, L.S.W., Zhou, H., Ng, S.K., Jin, A., Trlin, H.J.F., Wan, A., Yu, H., Domigan, L.J., and Dobson, R.C.J. (2025). A risk-based approach can guide safe cell line development and cell banking for scaled-up cultivated meat production. Nature Food, 3 January 2025; 6: 25-30. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-024-01085-9

Abstract

For commercial viability, cultivated meats require scientifically informed approaches to identify and manage hazards and risks. Here we discuss food safety in the rapidly developing field of cultivated meat as it shifts from lab-based to commercial scales. We focus on what science-informed risk mitigation processes can be implemented from neighbouring fields. We case-study pre-market safety assessments from UPSIDE Foods, GOOD Meat and Vow Group using publicly available dossiers. Quality control and safety assurance practices need to be established and standardized for cell lines and food-grade cell banks.

Place-based diversification: Pathways to diversified shared landscapes in the Wairau Marlborough region of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Barry, M., Mason, R., Strong, D., Wreford, A., Radford, R., Romera, A., & Monge, J. (2024). Place-based diversification: Pathways to diversified shared landscapes in the Wairau Marlborough region of Aotearoa New Zealand. Regional Environmental Change, 24(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-024-02257-w

Diversification as a climate change adaptation strategy in viticulture systems: winegrowers’ insights from Marlborough, New Zealand

Barry, M., Wreford, A., Knook, J., Teixeira, E., Monge, J., & Parker, A. (2024). Diversification as a climate change adaptation strategy in viticulture systems: winegrowers’ insights from Marlborough, New Zealand. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 49(4), 494–517. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2024.2426490

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

Vibrational communication in Scolypopa australis: characterising spontaneous and intrasexual calls in an invasive orchard pest

MacDougall, M. S., Borthwick-Taylor, G., Nelson, X. J., & Stringer, L. D. (2024). Vibrational communication in Scolypopa australis: characterising spontaneous and intrasexual calls in an invasive orchard pest. Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata. https://doi.org/10.1111/eea.13460

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

Preferential Binding of Polyphenols in Blackcurrant Extracts with Milk Proteins and the Effects on the Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenols

Mao, T., Akshit, F., Matiwalage, I., Sasidharan, S., Alvarez, C. M., Wescombe, P., & Mohan, M. S. (2024). Preferential Binding of Polyphenols in Blackcurrant Extracts with Milk Proteins and the Effects on the Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenols. Foods, 13(4), 515. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13040515

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

Kawakawa and the hungry little caterpillars: the kawakawa looper Cleora scriptaria causes unique plant responses in kawakawa Macropiper excelsum leaves

O’Connor, C.T., McNeill, M.R., Bowie, M.H et al. (2024). Kawakawa and the hungry little caterpillars: the kawakawa looper Cleora scriptaria causes unique plant responses in kawakawa Macropiper excelsum leaves. Authorea. https://10.22541/au.172456996.63266328/v1

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

Sculpting the future of meat: Biomaterial approaches and structural engineering for large-scale cell-based production

Jin, A., Bennie, RZ., Ogilvie, OJ., Trlin, HJF., Kong, NS., Yu, H., et al. (2024). Sculpting the future of meat: Biomaterial approaches and structural engineering for large-scale cell-based production. Sust Food Prot., 2(1): 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/sfp2.1023

Interdisciplinary methods for analysing food matrix structures of hybrid cell-based meats: A review

Ogilvie, O. J., Bennie, R. Z., Trlin, H. J. F., Loo, L. S. W., Zhou, H., Jin, A., Oh, J. K., Dobson, R. C. J., Yu, H., & Domigan, L. J. (2024). Interdisciplinary methods for analysing food matrix structures of hybrid cell-based meats: A review. Food Structure, 39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foostr.2023.100361

Evaluation of the protein profile and emulsifying properties of legume wastewater as emulsifier in circular food applications

Zhang, Y., Kim, E. H.-J., & Serventi, L. (2024). Evaluation of the protein profile and emulsifying properties of legume wastewater as emulsifier in circular food applications. LWT, 202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2024.116320