Fixing marine governance in Fiji? The new scalar narrative of ecosystem-based management

Although there is widespread concern over degrading marine environments, there is debate within the global marine conservation agenda about the nature of the problem and appropriate solutions. At the center of this debate lie questions about the appropriate scale at which to plan and implement marine resource management. In the late 1990s, Fiji became recognized as one of the most successful examples of community-based marine resource management in the world. Recently, there has been a move to manage human–environment interactions at larger “natural” scales. We draw from the political ecology and “politics of scale” literatures, and a critical realist understanding of nature and politics, to explain the emergence of large-scale management and conservation in Fiji. We contribute to a “political ecology of scale” by developing the concept of a scalar narrative to show how social and ecological scales are reworked in the development of an ecosystem-based approach to marine management in Fiji. In doing so, we consider implications of the struggle to define the appropriate scale of marine management, which is closely bound to debates about the role of science and local participation. Our findings suggest that the struggle to define the scale at which marine management should be planned and implemented is inseparable from the struggle over who should define, inform, and conduct the governance process. We aim to clarify marine policy debates as policy actors worldwide move forward to implement ecosystem-based management, increase marine protected area coverage, and pursue sustainable development.     

Evaluation of a low‐cost temperature measurement system for environmental applications

Thermochron iButtons incorporate the latest in digital technology, making them smaller, less expensive, durable and potentially more reliable than many other temperature logging devices. The objective of this study was to test the accuracy of an inexpensive air temperature measurement system, composed of a Thermochron iButton and radiation shield. Sixty‐one iButtons were subjected to a sequence of two water baths (0 °C and 24·9 °C) to assess the absolute accuracy of the sensors. Five solar radiation shields were tested in a greenhouse setting to evaluate the reduction in radiative heating. Significant differences (p < 0·05) were detected between instruments subsequent to both water‐bath treatment analyses. The accuracy of the sensors was well within the manufacturer's stated specification of ±1·0 °C with a collective temperature variance of ±0·21 °C. Temperature responses generated by the Thermochron iButtons in different radiation shields were consistent, but varied significantly (p < 0·05) from 28 to 44 °C based on diurnal temperature ranges. Results indicate that the Thermochron iButton is an accurate, inexpensive alternative to more expensive temperature data‐logging systems, and is well suited for obtaining quality spatially distributed data for hydrologic and water quality investigations. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Survey evaluations to assess marine bioinvasions

Countries need to know what species are present within their waters to effectively manage the issue of non-indigenous marine species. Five survey methods are currently employed to detect introduced marine species: the Hewitt and Martin protocols (66% of effort; 73 ports, 12 countries); Rapid Assessment Surveys (7% of effort; 8 regions, 4 countries); the Bishop Museum protocols (7% of effort; 8 ports, 3 countries); the Chilean aquaculture surveys (1% of effort; numerous regions; 1 country); and Passive Sampling protocols (18% of effort; 20 ports, 2 countries). These methods use either quantitative, qualitative, or a mixture of the two sampling techniques and tend to target locations that are potential inoculation sites (i.e., such as ports, marinas and aquaculture facilities). To date, introduced marine species surveys have been implemented in 19 countries and have detected more than 1185 non-indigenous, 735 cryptogenic and 15,315 native species.     

Seasonal variations in the north toroidal sporadic meteor source

Abstract— Determining the origins of the sporadic meteoroid sources helps determine their current properties. We have analyzed four years of orbital radar data, looking at how the rates, radiants, and orbits of meteoroids in the north toroidal sporadic source change throughout the year. Twelve broad radiant concentrations, separated in either time or radiant location, are identified. Six are broad distributions associated with more focused shower activity, and six are not associated with major showers. Four of the six concentrations not associated with showers have been named Toroidal, Toroidal A, Toroidal B, and Toroidal C, because of their constant location at the north toroidal centre. The other two, which appear close to the north toroidal source and drift toward the helion and antihelion sources respectively, have been named the Helion Arc and the Antihelion Arc. The twelve radiant concentrations generally last for more than ten degrees solar longitude, and those which may have a single parent are likely composed of orbitally evolved material.     

Geo-political genetics: Claiming the commons through species mapping

Genetic techniques are increasingly employed in the field of conservation biology; our understanding of sea turtle biology, and particularly of sea turtle migrations and population structures, has increased through genetic analyses that ‘match’ turtles found in various and often widely distributed habitats (e.g. nesting beaches, foraging grounds, migratory corridors). This relatively recent technological development has implications for how sea turtles are conceived, both as resources and as objects of conservation. Traditionally, sea turtle populations have been identified with nesting beaches, and most conservation efforts have been focused on these discrete geographic locations and undertaken by the state. The more complete understanding of relationships among turtles found in geographically disparate areas, achieved via genetic analysis, can take conservation beyond the beaches and territorial waters of individual states; foraging populations can now be linked to nesting populations sometimes hundreds of kilometers distant. In this paper, we explore the implications of genetic analysis for sea turtle conservation, the scale at which it is undertaken, and the variety of actors with competing interests in it. We focus on the case of hawksbill sea turtles in the Caribbean, where genetic data are invoked in conservation conflicts. We are particularly interested in the way genetic data can support the scaling-up of sea turtle conservation, creating new ‘conservation territories,’ and we draw on political ecology and common pool resource theory to explore the implications thereof.     

Earth-based 12.6-cm wavelength radar mapping of the Moon: New views of impact melt distribution and mare physical properties

We present results of a campaign to map much of the Moon’s near side using the 12.6-cm radar transmitter at Arecibo Observatory and receivers at the Green Bank Telescope. These data have a single-look spatial resolution of about 40 m, with final maps averaged to an 80-m, four-look product to reduce image speckle. Focused processing is used to obtain this high spatial resolution over the entire region illuminated by the Arecibo beam. The transmitted signal is circularly polarized, and we receive reflections in both senses of circular polarization; measurements of receiver thermal noise during periods with no lunar echoes allow well-calibrated estimates of the circular polarization ratio (CPR) and the four-element Stokes vector. Radiometric calibration to values of the backscatter coefficient is ongoing. Radar backscatter data for the Moon provide information on regolith dielectric and physical properties, with particular sensitivity to ilmenite content and surface or buried rocks with diameter of about one-tenth the radar wavelength and larger.Average 12.6-cm circular polarization ratio (CPR) values for low- to moderate-TiO₂ mare basalt deposits are similar to those of rough terrestrial lava flows. We attribute these high values to abundant few-centimeter diameter rocks from small impacts and a significant component of subsurface volume scattering. An outflow deposit, inferred to be impact melt, from Glushko crater has CPR values near unity at 12.6-cm and 70-cm wavelengths and thus a very rugged near-surface structure at the decimeter to meter scale. This deposit does not show radar-brightness variations consistent with levees or channels, and appears to nearly overtop a massif, suggesting very rapid emplacement. Deposits of similar morphology and/or radar brightness are noted for craters such as Pythagoras, Rutherfurd, Theophilus, and Aristillus. Images of the north pole show that, despite recording the deposition of Orientale material, Byrd and Peary craters do not have dense patterns of radar-bright ejecta from small craters on their floors. Such patterns in Amundsen crater, near the south pole, were interpreted as diagnostic of abundant impact melt, so the fraction of Orientale-derived melt in the north polar smooth plains, 1000 km farther from the basin center, is inferred to be much lower.     

‘Strange changes’: Indigenous perspectives of climate change and adaptation in NE Arnhem Land (Australia)

Despite growing global attention to the development of strategies and policy for climate change adaptation, there has been little allowance for input from Indigenous people. In this study we aimed to improve understanding of factors important in integration of Yolngu perspectives in planning adaptation policy in North East Arnhem Land (Australia). We conducted workshops and in-depth interviews in two ‘communities’ to develop insight into Yolngu peoples’ observations and perspectives on climate change, and their ideas and preferences for adaptation. All participants reported observing changes in their ecological landscape, which they attributed to mining, tourism ‘development’, and climate change. ‘Strange changes’ noticed particularly in the last five years, had caused concern and anxiety among many participants. Despite their concern about ecological changes, participants were primarily worried about other issues affecting their community's general welfare. The results suggest that strategies and policies are needed to strengthen adaptive capacity of communities to mitigate over-arching poverty and well-being issues, as well as respond to changes in climate. Participants believed that major constraints to strengthening adaptive capacity had external origins, at regional, state and federal levels. Examples are poor communication and engagement, top-down institutional processes that allow little Indigenous voice, and lack of recognition of Indigenous culture and practices. Participants’ preferences for strategies to strengthen community adaptive capacity tended to be those that lead towards greater self-sufficiency, independence, empowerment, resilience and close contact with the natural environment. Based on the results, we developed a simple model to highlight main determinants of community vulnerability. A second model highlights components important in facilitating discourse on enhancing community capacity to adapt to climatic and other stressors.     

Processing and preliminary interpretation of noisy high-resolution seismic reflection/refraction data across the active Ostler Fault zone,South Island,New Zealand

In an attempt to understand the structure of active faults as they emerge from bedrock into shallow semi-consolidated and unconsolidated sediments, we have recorded a comprehensive high-resolution seismic reflection/refraction data set across the Ostler Fault zone on the central South Island of New Zealand. This fault zone, which absorbs 1–2 mm/yr of compression associated with oblique convergence of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, consists of a series of surface-rupturing N–S trending, west-dipping reverse faults that offset a thick sequence of Quaternary glacial outwash and late Neogene fluvio-lacustrine sediments of the Mackenzie Basin. Our study focuses on a region of the basin where two non-overlapping fault segments are separated by a transfer zone. Deformation in this area is accommodated by offsets on multiple small faults and by folding in their hanging walls. The seismic data with source and receiver spacing of 6 and 3 m and nominal CMP fold of 60 was acquired along twelve 1.2 km long lines orthogonal to fault strike and an additional 1.6 km long tie-line parallel to fault strike. The combination of active deformation and shallow glacial outwash sediments results in particularly complicated seismic data, such that application of relatively standard processing schemes yields only poor quality images. We have designed a pre- and post-stack reflection/refraction processing scheme that focuses on minimising random and source-generated noise, determining appropriate static corrections and resolving contrasting reflection dips. Application of this processing scheme to the Ostler Fault data provides critical information on fault geometry and offset and on sedimentary structures from the surface to ～ 800 m depth. Our preliminary interpretation of one of the lines includes complex deformation structures with folding and multiple subsidiary fault splays on either side of a ～ 50° west-dipping primary fault plane.     

Spatial variation of early season surface water chemistry in Kärkevagge, Swedish Lapland

This study examines the spatial variability of early season water chemistry in the arctic-alpine valley of Kärkevagge, Sweden. The data demonstrate the spatially heterogeneous nature of water chemistry and the general patterns of chemical weathering in the valley. Water chemistry in this valley is dominated by two anions, bicarbonate and sulfate. Bicarbonate is derived from the dissolution of atmospheric CO₂ and the weathering of carbonate units in the local metamorphic rocks, while the sulfate is derived from the oxidation of pyrite in the Seve-Koli tectonic nappe. Spatial patterns of chemical constituents reflect the broad effects of local geology on surface water chemistry. In particular, they demonstrate the effects that mineral species present in minor amounts have on basin-wide water chemistry. However, solute flux rates derived from water chemistry and discharge demonstrate less variability.     

Geodetic positioning at sea

Recent accuracy requirements for navigational positioning at sea are such as to require the refinements of recent and past geodetic methods. The computational adjustment method, of this paper, is the technique of variation of parameters. All computations are performed directly on the surface of a reference ellipsoid, so as to preclude any distance restrictions. The methods presented are primarily for use with observations from electronic positioning systems of ranging (circular), and time or phase difference (hyperbolic) type. A new type of observation equation is presented which, when used with a hyperbolic system, results in the first non-iterative solution to the positioning problem. When redundant observational data is obtained, as is frequently the case, full use should be made of the data by using weighted observation equations. Through the use of the new equations, all electronic surveying observations can be processed simultaneously, in real time, with an electronic computer. A continuing error analysis, in the form of a variance-covariance matrix for both the observed and adjusted values, provides system error analysis and diagnoisis.