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This study examines the annual cycle of energy and time expenditure in a small folivorous marsupial, the common ringtail possum, Pseudocheirus peregrinus. Particular attention was given to the energy expended in lactation by the females. Field metabolic rate (FMR) and water flux were measured using an isotopic technique (doubly labeled water). Feeding rates were estimated from measurements of FMR in conjunction with information on the composition of the diet and a digestibility study. FMR's and subsequent feeding rates estimated by the doubly-labeled water technique do not include the proportion of food consumed which is diverted to milk solids and is not metabolised by the mother. The amount of energy transferred directly to the young ringtail possum via the milk was estimated from measurements of milk composition and production. Reproduction in the common ringtail possum in Tasmania was seasonal, with the majority of births (mean litter size 1.8) in late autumn and early winter. In general, the young leave the pouch during early spring and are fully weaned by the early summer months. There was no significant seasonal variation in the energy expenditure or water influx of males. The mean FMR of males and non-lactating females was approximately 2.5 times basal metabolic rate which is consistent with the hypothesis that a low total energy cost of free existence (or field metabolic rate) is a characteristic shared by arboreal folivores. Females showed significant changes in water influx and energy expenditure according to their lactational status. The greatest metabolisable energy expenditure was that of females during Phase 3 of lactation (30% above nonreproductive metabolism). Water influx was correspondingly high in these females (36% above non-lactating females). In general, ringtail possums in both the field and captivity lactated for approximately seven months. However, the length of lactation was shorter in females which bred twice in a year. The composition of the milk varied throughout lactation. A peak in milk solids and energy content coincided with emergence of the young from the pouch. Milk solids represented around 18% (w/w) with milk fat representing only 10% of milk solids. Milk production peaked during Phase 3 of lactation. The dilute milk with a relatively low fat content combined with a long period of lactation result in slow growth of the young. Peak milk energy output was 154.5 kJ.kg-0·75 .d-1 and peak metabolisable energy allocation during lactation was 763.2 kJ.kg-0.75 .d-1. These were lower than values available for other herbivores. However, the total output of milk energy by ringtail possums ( 11 MJ/kg) and total metabolisable energy allocation during reproduction (23.4 MJ/kg) were similar to estimates available for other herbivores. The lactational strategy of the ringtail possum has been selected, most likely, in order to spread the energy demands of reproduction over time due to constraints on the rate of energy intake imposed by a leaf diet. The total energy requirement for reproduction (34.4 Ml/year, or 14% of total annual energy budget) suggests that the ringtail also has a relatively low overall energy investment in reproduction. Estimates of total body water made from isotopic dilution and measurements of body mass suggest that females utilise body fat stored during the early stages of lactation to cope with the additional energy required for late lactation. However, reproduction is apparently timed such that late lactation coincides with the increased production of young foliage. Therefore females may also increase their food and water intake during late lactation by consuming young foliage. Differences were found in the composition of milk collected from wild and captive animals. Chemical analyses of the leaves eaten suggested that these differences were due to variations in diet composition. It was, therefore, proposed that the intraand inter-population variation in reproductive traits shown by the common ringtail possum may be related to variations in milk composition and/or production caused by variations in diet quality.

The Support for Researchers group was set up at the University of Huddersfield to consider ways in which Computing and Library Services (CLS) could better support the University’s research community. The group has overseen a number of successful initiatives including targeted training sessions, creation of the Repository, development of dedicated Support for Research web pages, participation in the University Research Festival, EndNote training and support and an improved IT infrastructure for researchers.

At the University of Huddersfield we have been split into subject teams for many years and teaching practice has varied between the teams with little in the way of shared best practice. We recently set up an information skills teaching group comprising the Senior Assistant Librarians across all of the subject teams plus the Senior Assistant librarians at our satellite University Centres at Oldham and Barnsley.\ud \ud The group has been tasked with sharing best practice in the delivery of information skills training; improving the delivery of inductions and information skills teaching to library users; and to increase the amount of cross team working. \ud \ud Two of our specific objectives are the sharing of re-usable information literacy materials between subject teams and the trying out and evaluating of different methods and styles of delivery.\ud \ud Trying to meet these two objectives have enabled and emboldened many of us to introduce more active learning techniques into our teaching. This session covers in a practical, hands on way, a range of active learning techniques that we’ve recently used in inductions and information skills sessions and shows how we have shared these amongst our group. \ud \ud The techniques range from high tech Audience Response Systems (interactive handsets by Quizdom) to library bingo (low tech bits of card) and how we’ve shared experiences of these amongst ourselves. We will use an assortment of techniques in the session to give a flavour of how they may be used in practice to give an interactive and (hopefully!) enjoyable session.