title: Modelling the effects of tidal range and initial bathymetry on the morphological evolution of tidal embayments

authors: van Maanen, Barend

subjects: Channel networks

abstract: Tidal embayments are characterized by a wide variety of landscape features, often including either complex tidal channel networks or extensive flood-tidal deltas. The origin of these features and the influence of hydrodynamic drivers and initial geological setting on their long-term characteristics are essentially unexplored. A model was applied to simulate the long-term morphological evolution of tidal embayments, with the purpose of providing insight into the environmental conditions that lead to the differences in tidal embayment morphology. Numerical simulations indicated that the interaction between hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and the evolving topography gives rise to the formation of channel networks. The tidal range and the depth of the initially unchannelized tidal basin controlled the way in which the morphology evolved and determined the timescale over which channels and intertidal areas developed. Channel network formation occurred more rapidly when the tidal range increased and/or when the initial basin depth decreased. Tidal basins with a large initial depth showed the development of a flood-tidal delta and for these deep basins channel incision could remain absent over long timescales. Both tidal range and initial bathymetry affected final basin hypsometry and channel network characteristics, including the channel density and the fraction of the basin occupied by the channels. All the simulated morphologies, with different combinations of the tidal range and depth of the basin, evolved towards a state of less morphodynamic activity for which the relative intertidal area was proportional to the ratio of tidal amplitude to basin depth.

text: Modelling the effects of tidal range and initial bathymetry on the morphological evolution of tidal embayments Tidal embayments are characterized by a wide variety of landscape features, often including either complex tidal channel networks or extensive flood-tidal deltas. The origin of these features and the influence of hydrodynamic drivers and initial geological setting on their long-term characteristics are essentially unexplored. A model was applied to simulate the long-term morphological evolution of tidal embayments, with the purpose of providing insight into the environmental conditions that lead to the differences in tidal embayment morphology. Numerical simulations indicated that the interaction between hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and the evolving topography gives rise to the formation of channel networks. The tidal range and the depth of the initially unchannelized tidal basin controlled the way in which the morphology evolved and determined the timescale over which channels and intertidal areas developed. Channel network formation occurred more rapidly when the tidal range increased and/or when the initial basin depth decreased. Tidal basins with a large initial depth showed the development of a flood-tidal delta and for these deep basins channel incision could remain absent over long timescales. Both tidal range and initial bathymetry affected final basin hypsometry and channel network characteristics, including the channel density and the fraction of the basin occupied by the channels. All the simulated morphologies, with different combinations of the tidal range and depth of the basin, evolved towards a state of less morphodynamic activity for which the relative intertidal area was proportional to the ratio of tidal amplitude to basin depth.

year: 2013

title: Cycling on the Verge? Exploring the Place of Utility Cycling in Contemporary New Zealand Transport Policy

authors: Smith, Megan

subjects: discourse analysis

abstract: Efforts to increase cycling as a mode of transport (utility cycling) occur at central, regional and local levels of government through a range of supportive strategies, research, and guidelines.  Despite these efforts, utility cycling levels in New Zealand have remained persistently low.  This thesis examines the apparent disparity between policy intent and policy result, using a discourse analytical approach. It examines how cycling is positioned in contemporary New Zealand transport policy documents, and explores whose priorities are shaping transport policy with what implications for utility cycling.  
This study uses a critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach to analyse the land transport documents from across the institutions of government.  The CDA approach, grounded in the work of van Dijk and Fairclough, draws on ideas from the interpretive tradition of discourse analysis, inspired by Foucault’s concepts of knowledge and power.  This approach reveals the position of utility cycling by exposing the framing, dominant discourses, and discursive strategies that privilege certain transport objectives and activities over others.
The findings show transport is promoted almost exclusively by central government as an activity to facilitate economic growth and efficiency, despite its potential (and actual) impacts on health and well-being, social justice, and environmental sustainability.  The discursive practices of the government privilege private motor vehicle use, helping to both legitimate and maintain that privilege at all levels of government, while positioning utility cycling as a marginalised mode of transport.  
This thesis contributes to scholarship on utility cycling and land transport policy in New Zealand by identifying how the discursive strategies of government control the position of utility cycling in New Zealand.  This study underscores the need for a central government-led, long-term strategic vision for a genuinely integrated, multi-modal transport system, in order for the benefits of utility cycling to be fully maximised.

text: Cycling on the Verge? Exploring the Place of Utility Cycling in Contemporary New Zealand Transport Policy Efforts to increase cycling as a mode of transport (utility cycling) occur at central, regional and local levels of government through a range of supportive strategies, research, and guidelines.  Despite these efforts, utility cycling levels in New Zealand have remained persistently low.  This thesis examines the apparent disparity between policy intent and policy result, using a discourse analytical approach. It examines how cycling is positioned in contemporary New Zealand transport policy documents, and explores whose priorities are shaping transport policy with what implications for utility cycling.  
This study uses a critical discourse analysis (CDA) approach to analyse the land transport documents from across the institutions of government.  The CDA approach, grounded in the work of van Dijk and Fairclough, draws on ideas from the interpretive tradition of discourse analysis, inspired by Foucault’s concepts of knowledge and power.  This approach reveals the position of utility cycling by exposing the framing, dominant discourses, and discursive strategies that privilege certain transport objectives and activities over others.
The findings show transport is promoted almost exclusively by central government as an activity to facilitate economic growth and efficiency, despite its potential (and actual) impacts on health and well-being, social justice, and environmental sustainability.  The discursive practices of the government privilege private motor vehicle use, helping to both legitimate and maintain that privilege at all levels of government, while positioning utility cycling as a marginalised mode of transport.  
This thesis contributes to scholarship on utility cycling and land transport policy in New Zealand by identifying how the discursive strategies of government control the position of utility cycling in New Zealand.  This study underscores the need for a central government-led, long-term strategic vision for a genuinely integrated, multi-modal transport system, in order for the benefits of utility cycling to be fully maximised.

year: 2014

title: ‘Doctoring’ our own: Confessions of a Māori doctoral supervisor

authors: Hohepa, Margie Kahukura

subjects: Māori doctoral student

abstract: There is very little literature, empirically based or otherwise, on the supervision of Māori doctoral students (Fitzgerald, 2005; Pope, 2008; Kidman, 2007; Smith, 2007). There is even less relating to Māori supervisors working with Māori doctoral students (Kidinan, 2007), let alone Māori supervisors working with non- Māori students. While the relatively large corpus of literature on doctoral supervision may be of some assistance to Māori supervisors, there is also a dearth of studies that focus on the pedagogical aspects. Research undertaken by Elizabeth McKinley and her co-researchers (McKinley, Grant, Middleton, Irwin & Williams, 2009) will now help to fill the literature gap on the teaching and learning process of supervision as it pertains to Māori.

text: ‘Doctoring’ our own: Confessions of a Māori doctoral supervisor There is very little literature, empirically based or otherwise, on the supervision of Māori doctoral students (Fitzgerald, 2005; Pope, 2008; Kidman, 2007; Smith, 2007). There is even less relating to Māori supervisors working with Māori doctoral students (Kidinan, 2007), let alone Māori supervisors working with non- Māori students. While the relatively large corpus of literature on doctoral supervision may be of some assistance to Māori supervisors, there is also a dearth of studies that focus on the pedagogical aspects. Research undertaken by Elizabeth McKinley and her co-researchers (McKinley, Grant, Middleton, Irwin & Williams, 2009) will now help to fill the literature gap on the teaching and learning process of supervision as it pertains to Māori.

year: 2010