title: Mapping the ecological and biophysical character of seabed habitats of the Paraninihi Marine Reserve, Taranaki, New Zealand.

authors: Sturgess, Nicole

subjects: Multibeam sonar

abstract: Habitat mapping is important for determining the spatial distribution of biological and physical components of the seabed. Conventional surveying methods, such as diver or drop camera surveys are time consuming and constrained by factors such as depth, water clarity, currents, and weather conditions, which means that is not practical to survey large tracks of sea floor using these methods. Consequently, a substantial proportion of the world’s seafloor remains undescribed. In recent years, multibeam sonar (MBES) has revolutionised the way we image, map and understand the marine environment. However, the quantitative characterisation of MBES backscatter imagery for seafloor and habitat mapping remains a developing field. This thesis examines the utility of MBES backscatter imagery as a tool for the characterisation and mapping of biogenic habitats. Pariokariwa Reef, located within Paraninihi Marine Reserve, Northern Taranaki, was chosen as the location for this study because it supports a range of distinct habitats (including sponge gardens of unusually high biomass and diversity) against which to assess our ability to use MBES backscatter imagery to recognise biogenic seabed habitats.

This thesis describes the collection of spatially coincident MBES data (bathymetric and backscatter) within Paraninihi Marine Reserve and outlines techniques used to process and transform this data. Acoustic data was used to generate a predictive habitat map that was linked to the habitat classes derived from observations made on Pariokariwa Reef, over fine spatial scales. Results from the survey, showed MBES successfully produces high resolution bathymetric imagery that revealed the reefs unique morphology. The resolution of the backscatter imagery was fine enough to identify four dominant seabed classes on the reef, but not fine enough to accurately map heterogeneous habitat over small spatial scales. Results from the study suggest that image-based backscatter classification shows promise for the interpretation of MBES backscatter data, for the production of habitat maps. However, this study revealed a new challenge associated with habitat mapping, which is acoustic surveying over complex reef topography. Hence for complex or heterogeneous topographies, MBES data must be generated at a finer resolution in order to acquire the same level of detail that is available in predictive habitat models created from acoustic surveys conducted over flat, homogenous terrain.

I also examined the distribution of biological assemblages over a smaller spatial scale, to that examined using MBES. The purpose of this exercise was to test whether the reefs complex terrain influences biological community composition and distribution. Visual imagery obtained from drop camera and scuba diver surveys, revealed heterogeneous habitat over small spatial scales, across the morphology of the reef. Community composition and distribution significantly changed with reef aspect, with percentage sponge and biogenic reef appearing to be significantly higher over the vertical face of the reef, and within reef overhangs. Percentage silt was highest below the reef, and appears to be a dominant environmental factor influencing the composition and distribution of sponge communities on the Pariokariwa Reef. The findings from this study suggest multibeam sonar can be used as a tool to map biogenic seabed habitat. However, there are challenges associated with acoustic seabed classification across complex terrain, and therefore requires in situ surveys, conducted over smaller spatial scales.

text: Mapping the ecological and biophysical character of seabed habitats of the Paraninihi Marine Reserve, Taranaki, New Zealand. Habitat mapping is important for determining the spatial distribution of biological and physical components of the seabed. Conventional surveying methods, such as diver or drop camera surveys are time consuming and constrained by factors such as depth, water clarity, currents, and weather conditions, which means that is not practical to survey large tracks of sea floor using these methods. Consequently, a substantial proportion of the world’s seafloor remains undescribed. In recent years, multibeam sonar (MBES) has revolutionised the way we image, map and understand the marine environment. However, the quantitative characterisation of MBES backscatter imagery for seafloor and habitat mapping remains a developing field. This thesis examines the utility of MBES backscatter imagery as a tool for the characterisation and mapping of biogenic habitats. Pariokariwa Reef, located within Paraninihi Marine Reserve, Northern Taranaki, was chosen as the location for this study because it supports a range of distinct habitats (including sponge gardens of unusually high biomass and diversity) against which to assess our ability to use MBES backscatter imagery to recognise biogenic seabed habitats.

This thesis describes the collection of spatially coincident MBES data (bathymetric and backscatter) within Paraninihi Marine Reserve and outlines techniques used to process and transform this data. Acoustic data was used to generate a predictive habitat map that was linked to the habitat classes derived from observations made on Pariokariwa Reef, over fine spatial scales. Results from the survey, showed MBES successfully produces high resolution bathymetric imagery that revealed the reefs unique morphology. The resolution of the backscatter imagery was fine enough to identify four dominant seabed classes on the reef, but not fine enough to accurately map heterogeneous habitat over small spatial scales. Results from the study suggest that image-based backscatter classification shows promise for the interpretation of MBES backscatter data, for the production of habitat maps. However, this study revealed a new challenge associated with habitat mapping, which is acoustic surveying over complex reef topography. Hence for complex or heterogeneous topographies, MBES data must be generated at a finer resolution in order to acquire the same level of detail that is available in predictive habitat models created from acoustic surveys conducted over flat, homogenous terrain.

I also examined the distribution of biological assemblages over a smaller spatial scale, to that examined using MBES. The purpose of this exercise was to test whether the reefs complex terrain influences biological community composition and distribution. Visual imagery obtained from drop camera and scuba diver surveys, revealed heterogeneous habitat over small spatial scales, across the morphology of the reef. Community composition and distribution significantly changed with reef aspect, with percentage sponge and biogenic reef appearing to be significantly higher over the vertical face of the reef, and within reef overhangs. Percentage silt was highest below the reef, and appears to be a dominant environmental factor influencing the composition and distribution of sponge communities on the Pariokariwa Reef. The findings from this study suggest multibeam sonar can be used as a tool to map biogenic seabed habitat. However, there are challenges associated with acoustic seabed classification across complex terrain, and therefore requires in situ surveys, conducted over smaller spatial scales.

year: 2015

title: V’ënen Taut: Grammatical Topics in The Big Nambas Language of Malekula

authors: Dodd, Royce Richard

subjects: Vanuatu

abstract: V’ënen Taut: Grammatical Topics in The Big Nambas Language of Malekula presents a synchronic description of five different areas of the grammar of V’ënen Taut, a language spoken in Northwest Malekula in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu. The data used in this project comes from roughly three and a half hours of recorded speech collected during two field trips to the village of Tenmaru in 2013. The areas of interest for this publication are nouns and the noun phrase, verbal prefixes, verbal suffixes, post-verbal modification, and clause structure. V’ënen Taut is often mentioned in phonology publications due to its use of linguo-labial consonants. V’ënen Taut is noted amongst other Malekula languages as having very rich verbal morphology. This work recognises five distinct prefix positions, three distinct suffix positions, and pronominal enclitics. The first prefix positon is filled by morphemes which code both grammatical person and mood. V’ënen Taut makes four mood distinctions: realis, irrealis, conditional, and imperative. The fifth prefix position is filled by four morphemes which code grammatical number categories: singular, paucal, plural, and impersonal. Rather than using verbal serialisation to indicate complex events and actions, V’ënen Taut uses a well-developed echo-subject system. A wide variety of semantic modifier suffixes indicates that verbal serialisation may have been a more productive grammatical feature of V’ënen Taut in the past. In addition to the many bound verbal modifiers, there are numerous free post-verbal modifiers, some of which can be inflected by pronominal enclitics. The basic word order of V’ënen Taut is predominantly SVO; although, post-verbal arguments can be moved to a clause initial position through constituent fronting. V’ënen Taut has intransitive and transitive verbs and both of these verb classes can have their valence increased through the use of the extended participant preposition a/an. Grammatical relations are marked using the nominative-accusative case marking system encoded though constituent order and nominal agreement morphology on the verb.

text: V’ënen Taut: Grammatical Topics in The Big Nambas Language of Malekula V’ënen Taut: Grammatical Topics in The Big Nambas Language of Malekula presents a synchronic description of five different areas of the grammar of V’ënen Taut, a language spoken in Northwest Malekula in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu. The data used in this project comes from roughly three and a half hours of recorded speech collected during two field trips to the village of Tenmaru in 2013. The areas of interest for this publication are nouns and the noun phrase, verbal prefixes, verbal suffixes, post-verbal modification, and clause structure. V’ënen Taut is often mentioned in phonology publications due to its use of linguo-labial consonants. V’ënen Taut is noted amongst other Malekula languages as having very rich verbal morphology. This work recognises five distinct prefix positions, three distinct suffix positions, and pronominal enclitics. The first prefix positon is filled by morphemes which code both grammatical person and mood. V’ënen Taut makes four mood distinctions: realis, irrealis, conditional, and imperative. The fifth prefix position is filled by four morphemes which code grammatical number categories: singular, paucal, plural, and impersonal. Rather than using verbal serialisation to indicate complex events and actions, V’ënen Taut uses a well-developed echo-subject system. A wide variety of semantic modifier suffixes indicates that verbal serialisation may have been a more productive grammatical feature of V’ënen Taut in the past. In addition to the many bound verbal modifiers, there are numerous free post-verbal modifiers, some of which can be inflected by pronominal enclitics. The basic word order of V’ënen Taut is predominantly SVO; although, post-verbal arguments can be moved to a clause initial position through constituent fronting. V’ënen Taut has intransitive and transitive verbs and both of these verb classes can have their valence increased through the use of the extended participant preposition a/an. Grammatical relations are marked using the nominative-accusative case marking system encoded though constituent order and nominal agreement morphology on the verb.

year: 2014

title: Tapuwaekiwi tapuaeharuru taiharuru te Whakatōhea toheraoa: Connecting to my iwi and reclamation of identity through endurance running grounded in iwi narratives and tikanga/culture.

authors: Helyar-Magill, Nicholas

abstract: This thesis explores the intersection of endurance, whakapapa, and cultural reconnection through the lens of ultra-marathon running and Te Whakatōhea tīpuna pūrākau. By weaving together personal narratives, historical contexts, and contemporary athletic practices, this research examines the role of endurance sports as a pathway for cultural revitalisation and identity reclamation among Māori athletes.
Endurance is a fundamental characteristic of Te Whakatōhea, embodied not only in the physical feats of long-distance running but also in the iwi's historical resilience through colonisation, raupatu, and cultural disconnection. This research positions ultra-marathon running as both a metaphor and a mechanism for reclaiming whakapapa, fostering well-being, and strengthening the connection between Māori athletes and te ao Māori. Drawing upon Kaupapa Māori methodology, qualitative research methods, and tikanga Māori principles, this research seeks to decolonise endurance sports by embedding iwi narratives, tikanga, and mana whenua engagement into the sport of ultra-running.
A central aim of this research is to develop a culturally grounded framework that integrates Te Whakatōhea pūrākau and tikanga into ultra-marathon events. This framework envisions a race that traverses ancestral pathways, acknowledges the whenua and mana whenua, and fosters a culturally safe environment for Māori athletes. The research questions driving this thesis examine the historical endurance of Te Whakatōhea, the impact of colonisation on Māori participation in endurance sports, and the potential for tikanga to be embedded in ultra-marathon events.
The findings of this research reveal that endurance is deeply woven into the whakapapa of Te Whakatōhea and that ultra-marathon running serves as a powerful means of reconnecting with iwi identity, whenua, and te ao Māori. Through interviews with Māori endurance athletes and an exploration of iwi narratives, this research highlights the transformative potential of culturally embedded endurance sports. Furthermore, the research identifies barriers to Māori participation in ultra-marathons, including historical disenfranchisement from traditional athletic spaces and the predominance of Pākehā worldviews in endurance sports. Addressing these barriers, this thesis proposes a tikanga-based model that seeks to attract greater Māori
participation by integrating kaupapa Māori principles into the design, organisation, and execution of ultra-marathon events.
This research is also a personal journey of endurance and reconnection, reflecting on my own whakapapa as a descendant of Te Whakatōhea and an ultra-marathon runner. Raised outside of the iwi rohe, my path of reclaiming identity through sport mirrors the broader themes of cultural endurance and revitalisation explored in this thesis. By engaging with iwi histories, participating in kaupapa Māori spaces, and embedding tikanga into my athletic practice, I have sought to bridge the gap between past and present, creating a future where Māori endurance athletes can thrive within a culturally affirming space.
Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the growing discourse on Indigenous endurance sports, cultural resilience, and decolonial approaches to athletic participation. It affirms that ultra-marathon running, when grounded in whakapapa and tikanga, has the potential to serve as a tool for cultural reconnection, healing, and identity reclamation for Māori athletes and Te Whakatōhea whānau.

text: Tapuwaekiwi tapuaeharuru taiharuru te Whakatōhea toheraoa: Connecting to my iwi and reclamation of identity through endurance running grounded in iwi narratives and tikanga/culture. This thesis explores the intersection of endurance, whakapapa, and cultural reconnection through the lens of ultra-marathon running and Te Whakatōhea tīpuna pūrākau. By weaving together personal narratives, historical contexts, and contemporary athletic practices, this research examines the role of endurance sports as a pathway for cultural revitalisation and identity reclamation among Māori athletes.
Endurance is a fundamental characteristic of Te Whakatōhea, embodied not only in the physical feats of long-distance running but also in the iwi's historical resilience through colonisation, raupatu, and cultural disconnection. This research positions ultra-marathon running as both a metaphor and a mechanism for reclaiming whakapapa, fostering well-being, and strengthening the connection between Māori athletes and te ao Māori. Drawing upon Kaupapa Māori methodology, qualitative research methods, and tikanga Māori principles, this research seeks to decolonise endurance sports by embedding iwi narratives, tikanga, and mana whenua engagement into the sport of ultra-running.
A central aim of this research is to develop a culturally grounded framework that integrates Te Whakatōhea pūrākau and tikanga into ultra-marathon events. This framework envisions a race that traverses ancestral pathways, acknowledges the whenua and mana whenua, and fosters a culturally safe environment for Māori athletes. The research questions driving this thesis examine the historical endurance of Te Whakatōhea, the impact of colonisation on Māori participation in endurance sports, and the potential for tikanga to be embedded in ultra-marathon events.
The findings of this research reveal that endurance is deeply woven into the whakapapa of Te Whakatōhea and that ultra-marathon running serves as a powerful means of reconnecting with iwi identity, whenua, and te ao Māori. Through interviews with Māori endurance athletes and an exploration of iwi narratives, this research highlights the transformative potential of culturally embedded endurance sports. Furthermore, the research identifies barriers to Māori participation in ultra-marathons, including historical disenfranchisement from traditional athletic spaces and the predominance of Pākehā worldviews in endurance sports. Addressing these barriers, this thesis proposes a tikanga-based model that seeks to attract greater Māori
participation by integrating kaupapa Māori principles into the design, organisation, and execution of ultra-marathon events.
This research is also a personal journey of endurance and reconnection, reflecting on my own whakapapa as a descendant of Te Whakatōhea and an ultra-marathon runner. Raised outside of the iwi rohe, my path of reclaiming identity through sport mirrors the broader themes of cultural endurance and revitalisation explored in this thesis. By engaging with iwi histories, participating in kaupapa Māori spaces, and embedding tikanga into my athletic practice, I have sought to bridge the gap between past and present, creating a future where Māori endurance athletes can thrive within a culturally affirming space.
Ultimately, this thesis contributes to the growing discourse on Indigenous endurance sports, cultural resilience, and decolonial approaches to athletic participation. It affirms that ultra-marathon running, when grounded in whakapapa and tikanga, has the potential to serve as a tool for cultural reconnection, healing, and identity reclamation for Māori athletes and Te Whakatōhea whānau.

year: 2024