title: Modeling the Neolithic Transition in Europe. Archaeobotanical Aspect of the Expansion of Neolithic Population in Europe.

authors: Ahmad, Laeeq

subjects: Neolithic Expansion in Europe

abstract: Whether or not the spread of agriculture in Europe was accompanied by movements of people is a long-standing question in archaeology and anthropology, which has been frequently addressed with the help of population genetic data.

The development and spread of agriculture across Europe is one of the most important events in human history. Studies have addressed questions regarding this Neolithic expansion from three perspectives – the flow of people, the flow of genes, and the flow of culture. Conclusions from these disparate approaches can be contradictory.
The goal of this project is to investigate the movement of the Neolithic people across Europe with respect to Archaeobotany. 

Archaeological evidence, radiocarbon dates and genetic markers are consistent with the spread of farming from a source in the Near East.
Data has been collected comprising pollen counts at layers within cores of sediment. Spatial coordinates are associated with each core, and the layers are separated according to a chronology. Identification of a strong and enduring signal of cereal pollen should indicate the arrival of Neolithic migrants to the area, bringing with them the practice of agriculture. 
I will be using a diffusion model developed by Davison et al (2006). This model takes a set of parameters and simulates the spread of a population from an original starting point, taking account of factors such as topography and geography. This model might help in the evaluation of results of the observed cereal pollen data from this study, by suggesting whether those results are sensible with respect to the underlying theory of population movement inherent in the diffusion model.

text: Modeling the Neolithic Transition in Europe. Archaeobotanical Aspect of the Expansion of Neolithic Population in Europe. Whether or not the spread of agriculture in Europe was accompanied by movements of people is a long-standing question in archaeology and anthropology, which has been frequently addressed with the help of population genetic data.

The development and spread of agriculture across Europe is one of the most important events in human history. Studies have addressed questions regarding this Neolithic expansion from three perspectives – the flow of people, the flow of genes, and the flow of culture. Conclusions from these disparate approaches can be contradictory.
The goal of this project is to investigate the movement of the Neolithic people across Europe with respect to Archaeobotany. 

Archaeological evidence, radiocarbon dates and genetic markers are consistent with the spread of farming from a source in the Near East.
Data has been collected comprising pollen counts at layers within cores of sediment. Spatial coordinates are associated with each core, and the layers are separated according to a chronology. Identification of a strong and enduring signal of cereal pollen should indicate the arrival of Neolithic migrants to the area, bringing with them the practice of agriculture. 
I will be using a diffusion model developed by Davison et al (2006). This model takes a set of parameters and simulates the spread of a population from an original starting point, taking account of factors such as topography and geography. This model might help in the evaluation of results of the observed cereal pollen data from this study, by suggesting whether those results are sensible with respect to the underlying theory of population movement inherent in the diffusion model.

year: 2013

title: Responses of wild freshwater fish to anthropogenic stressors in the Waikato River of New Zealand

authors: West, David William

subjects: fish health

abstract: To assess anthropogenic impacts of point-source and diffuse discharges on fish populations of the Waikato River, compare responses to different discharges and identify potential sentinel fish species, we sampled wild populations of brown bullhead catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus, (LeSueur, 1819)), shortfin eel (Anguilla australis Richardson, 1848), and common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus McDowall, 1975) in the Waikato River. Sites upstream and downstream of: geothermal; bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME); sewage and thermal point-source discharges were sampled. At each site, the population parameters, relative abundance, age structure and individual indices such as: condition factor; and organ (gonad, liver, and spleen) somatic weight ratios; and number and size of follicles per female were assessed. Indicators of fish residence and in some cases exposure to contaminants in discharges were analyzed. Bile chemistry of brown bullhead and shortfin eel was assayed, liver and muscle metal levels were analyzed for brown bullhead and shortfin eel respectively, and stable isotopes of C and N in common bully were measured. Bile, metal and isotopic signatures gave strong evidence that fish had been resident at sites for some time before sampling. Signatures of bile and metal contaminants showed contamination was localised to discharge areas. Gradients in stable isotopes in common bully showed evidence of changes in water sources and anthropogenic effects along the river. Biochemical variables, hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and plasma steroids indicated exposure and response of brown bullhead and shortfin eel to pulp and paper contaminants at the BKME site.
Physiological (blood) variables showed fish largely responded in a predictable way to elevated water temperatures at discharge sites at time of sampling, however total haemoglobin of brown bullhead and common bully blood failed to increase at the BKME site despite elevated temperatures and low dissolved oxygen. Growth rates, condition factor, age structure, and gonadosomatic index (GSI) suggest that discharges with significant heat or nutrients benefit brown bullhead despite physiological impairment at the BKME site. Shortfin eel individuals also benefited from heated water discharges. No consistent impacts on common bully health were obvious at individual discharge sites, or cumulatively along the river due to the gradual deterioration in water quality downstream. Common bully individuals also benefited from heat in discharges but lack of juveniles at sites where numerous juvenile brown bullhead were found, suggest that unlike brown bullhead populations, common bully populations were not responding with significant recruitment. Although I found little evidence of toxic effects of discharges on shortfin eel, caution is required in assessing the potential of contaminants to impact eel populations due to the life history of shortfin eel, and exploited nature of populations. For example, reproductive damage suffered by adult eels may not immediately manifest itself in the effected population due to temporal delays in gonadal maturation, and recruitment, and single panmictic populations supplementing recruitment of impacted populations.
Distinct changes in population parameters at each of the paired sites and changes in individual variables showed that fish responded to discharges. The range of responses in species suggests different sensitivity to contaminants and amount of benefit which each species receives from heat in discharges. In these terms shortfin eel would be the most resistant, then brown bullhead and lastly common bully. Interpretation of population-level impacts at the geothermal and BKME discharge sites is made difficult due to benefits of additional heat. There is also the possibility that detection of sub-lethal or chronic effects on sensitive juvenile life-stages may be being hidden by compensatory density population responses. Responses and life history of common bully made them the preferred indicator species of the three species sampled, and supported overseas examples using small-bodied fish species as sentinels.

text: Responses of wild freshwater fish to anthropogenic stressors in the Waikato River of New Zealand To assess anthropogenic impacts of point-source and diffuse discharges on fish populations of the Waikato River, compare responses to different discharges and identify potential sentinel fish species, we sampled wild populations of brown bullhead catfish (Ameiurus nebulosus, (LeSueur, 1819)), shortfin eel (Anguilla australis Richardson, 1848), and common bully (Gobiomorphus cotidianus McDowall, 1975) in the Waikato River. Sites upstream and downstream of: geothermal; bleached kraft mill effluent (BKME); sewage and thermal point-source discharges were sampled. At each site, the population parameters, relative abundance, age structure and individual indices such as: condition factor; and organ (gonad, liver, and spleen) somatic weight ratios; and number and size of follicles per female were assessed. Indicators of fish residence and in some cases exposure to contaminants in discharges were analyzed. Bile chemistry of brown bullhead and shortfin eel was assayed, liver and muscle metal levels were analyzed for brown bullhead and shortfin eel respectively, and stable isotopes of C and N in common bully were measured. Bile, metal and isotopic signatures gave strong evidence that fish had been resident at sites for some time before sampling. Signatures of bile and metal contaminants showed contamination was localised to discharge areas. Gradients in stable isotopes in common bully showed evidence of changes in water sources and anthropogenic effects along the river. Biochemical variables, hepatic ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) and plasma steroids indicated exposure and response of brown bullhead and shortfin eel to pulp and paper contaminants at the BKME site.
Physiological (blood) variables showed fish largely responded in a predictable way to elevated water temperatures at discharge sites at time of sampling, however total haemoglobin of brown bullhead and common bully blood failed to increase at the BKME site despite elevated temperatures and low dissolved oxygen. Growth rates, condition factor, age structure, and gonadosomatic index (GSI) suggest that discharges with significant heat or nutrients benefit brown bullhead despite physiological impairment at the BKME site. Shortfin eel individuals also benefited from heated water discharges. No consistent impacts on common bully health were obvious at individual discharge sites, or cumulatively along the river due to the gradual deterioration in water quality downstream. Common bully individuals also benefited from heat in discharges but lack of juveniles at sites where numerous juvenile brown bullhead were found, suggest that unlike brown bullhead populations, common bully populations were not responding with significant recruitment. Although I found little evidence of toxic effects of discharges on shortfin eel, caution is required in assessing the potential of contaminants to impact eel populations due to the life history of shortfin eel, and exploited nature of populations. For example, reproductive damage suffered by adult eels may not immediately manifest itself in the effected population due to temporal delays in gonadal maturation, and recruitment, and single panmictic populations supplementing recruitment of impacted populations.
Distinct changes in population parameters at each of the paired sites and changes in individual variables showed that fish responded to discharges. The range of responses in species suggests different sensitivity to contaminants and amount of benefit which each species receives from heat in discharges. In these terms shortfin eel would be the most resistant, then brown bullhead and lastly common bully. Interpretation of population-level impacts at the geothermal and BKME discharge sites is made difficult due to benefits of additional heat. There is also the possibility that detection of sub-lethal or chronic effects on sensitive juvenile life-stages may be being hidden by compensatory density population responses. Responses and life history of common bully made them the preferred indicator species of the three species sampled, and supported overseas examples using small-bodied fish species as sentinels.

year: 2007

title: Lake Rotokawau: Water quality and sediment study

authors: Pearson, Lisa Kyle

abstract: Lake Rotokawau is a small (0.52 km2), deep (74 m), oligotrophic lake in the Rotorua Lakes District, located approximately 4.1 km east of Lake Rotorua. The lake is privately owned and managed by the local iwi, Ngati Rangiteaorere. During a site visit carried out on the 25 July 2010, surface and bottom water samples and a sediment core were collected, together with a water column profile (CTD) of temperature, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, conductivity and depth. The CTD cast showed an anoxic hypolimnion and that the lake likely had not mixed during at the time of sampling, in mid-winter. This observation is highly unusual amongst the Te Arawa lakes and suggests that the lake may remain stratified for multiple years. The lack of mixing could be due to several factors including: presence of higher-salinity bottom waters, high water depth to area ratio, and sheltered aspect. The sediment core collected in the central basin revealed the presence of Ruapehu ash (1995-6 eruption) preserved in the upper 5 cm of the sediment record and the Tarawera Tephra (1886 eruption) located at 13 cm below the sediment water interface. The Ruapehu Ash layer is not preserved in sediment from any other Rotorua lakes and has likely been preserved due to the lack of seasonal mixing. The sediment and pore water chemistry are similar to that of the other lakes in the Rotorua region but however multiple sediment cores are necessary to fully assess variability across the whole lake area.
It is recommended that a routine monitoring programme be established so that any improvement or degradation in water quality can be detected and the mixing frequency of the lake determined. The water quality monitoring should include water column profiles of temperature, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, conductivity and depth, nutrient analysis (ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus) of surface and bottom waters and water clarity readings (e.g. Secchi disk and light attenuation). Our observations point to the highly unusual nature of Lake Rotokawau in terms of mixing status and indicate a strong need to preserve significant biological and landscape features of this lake which has not been subject to problems with invasive species that characterise several other lakes in this region.

text: Lake Rotokawau: Water quality and sediment study Lake Rotokawau is a small (0.52 km2), deep (74 m), oligotrophic lake in the Rotorua Lakes District, located approximately 4.1 km east of Lake Rotorua. The lake is privately owned and managed by the local iwi, Ngati Rangiteaorere. During a site visit carried out on the 25 July 2010, surface and bottom water samples and a sediment core were collected, together with a water column profile (CTD) of temperature, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, conductivity and depth. The CTD cast showed an anoxic hypolimnion and that the lake likely had not mixed during at the time of sampling, in mid-winter. This observation is highly unusual amongst the Te Arawa lakes and suggests that the lake may remain stratified for multiple years. The lack of mixing could be due to several factors including: presence of higher-salinity bottom waters, high water depth to area ratio, and sheltered aspect. The sediment core collected in the central basin revealed the presence of Ruapehu ash (1995-6 eruption) preserved in the upper 5 cm of the sediment record and the Tarawera Tephra (1886 eruption) located at 13 cm below the sediment water interface. The Ruapehu Ash layer is not preserved in sediment from any other Rotorua lakes and has likely been preserved due to the lack of seasonal mixing. The sediment and pore water chemistry are similar to that of the other lakes in the Rotorua region but however multiple sediment cores are necessary to fully assess variability across the whole lake area.
It is recommended that a routine monitoring programme be established so that any improvement or degradation in water quality can be detected and the mixing frequency of the lake determined. The water quality monitoring should include water column profiles of temperature, dissolved oxygen, fluorescence, conductivity and depth, nutrient analysis (ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus) of surface and bottom waters and water clarity readings (e.g. Secchi disk and light attenuation). Our observations point to the highly unusual nature of Lake Rotokawau in terms of mixing status and indicate a strong need to preserve significant biological and landscape features of this lake which has not been subject to problems with invasive species that characterise several other lakes in this region.

year: 2011-07