title: Evidence for suppressed mid-Holocene northeastern Australian monsoon variability from coral luminescence

authors: Lough, J.M.

abstract: Summer monsoon rainfall in northeastern (NE) Australia exhibits substantial interannual variability resulting in highly variable river flows. The occurrence and magnitude of these seasonal river flows are reliably recorded in modern inshore corals as luminescent lines. Here we present reconstructed annual river flows for two ~120 year mid-Holocene windows based on luminescence measurements from five cores obtained from three separate coral colonies. We were able to cross-date the luminescence signatures in four cores from two of the colonies, providing confidence in the derived reconstruction. Present-day NE Australian rainfall and river flow are sensitive to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability, with La Niña (El Niño) events typically associated with wetter (drier) monsoon seasons. Thus, our replicated and annually resolved coral records provide valuable insights into the northern Australian summer monsoon and ENSO variability at a key period (6 ka) when greenhouse gas levels and ice sheet cover were comparable to the preindustrial period but orbital forcing was different. Average modern and mid-Holocene growth characteristics were very similar, suggesting that sea surface temperatures off NE Australia at 6 kyr were also close to present values. The reconstructed river flow record suggests, however, that the mid-Holocene Australian summer monsoon was weaker, less variable from year to year (possibly indicative of reduced ENSO variability), and characterized by more within-season flood pulses than present. In contrast to today, the delivery of moisture appears to have been dominated by eastward propagating convective coupled waves associated with the Madden-Julian Oscillation.

text: Evidence for suppressed mid-Holocene northeastern Australian monsoon variability from coral luminescence Summer monsoon rainfall in northeastern (NE) Australia exhibits substantial interannual variability resulting in highly variable river flows. The occurrence and magnitude of these seasonal river flows are reliably recorded in modern inshore corals as luminescent lines. Here we present reconstructed annual river flows for two ~120 year mid-Holocene windows based on luminescence measurements from five cores obtained from three separate coral colonies. We were able to cross-date the luminescence signatures in four cores from two of the colonies, providing confidence in the derived reconstruction. Present-day NE Australian rainfall and river flow are sensitive to El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability, with La Niña (El Niño) events typically associated with wetter (drier) monsoon seasons. Thus, our replicated and annually resolved coral records provide valuable insights into the northern Australian summer monsoon and ENSO variability at a key period (6 ka) when greenhouse gas levels and ice sheet cover were comparable to the preindustrial period but orbital forcing was different. Average modern and mid-Holocene growth characteristics were very similar, suggesting that sea surface temperatures off NE Australia at 6 kyr were also close to present values. The reconstructed river flow record suggests, however, that the mid-Holocene Australian summer monsoon was weaker, less variable from year to year (possibly indicative of reduced ENSO variability), and characterized by more within-season flood pulses than present. In contrast to today, the delivery of moisture appears to have been dominated by eastward propagating convective coupled waves associated with the Madden-Julian Oscillation.

year: 2014

title: Change Agents: The Promise of Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development

authors: Houppermans, Daniel Peter

subjects: social

abstract: This thesis explores the role of private sector social entrepreneurship in sustainable development in New Zealand. A review of literature reveals sustainable development to be a diverse, complex, and challenging concept, encompassing issues from rhetorical ambiguity to the accelerating deterioration and uncertainty in natural and social systems. While business is commonly seen to exacerbate many of the challenges associated with sustainable development, this research suggests that business, as it is utilised by social entrepreneurs to spur positive change, may be a powerful tool for achieving sustainability. Three cases of private sector social entrepreneurship in New Zealand are documented by this research, drawn from the coffee roasting, still bottled water, and film and media industries. The cases are used to elucidate the relationships that exist between the two phenomena within the thematic areas of conceptualisations of sustainable development, motivations and business, and change. The entrepreneurs in this research each demonstrate qualities consistent with assertions in the literature in that they desire to affect change, they are innovative, and that their pursuits are characterised by the creation of new value. These entrepreneurs expectedly contrast with many of their industry counterparts in their recognition of opportunities amidst threat or tragedy, their desires to benefit society in some way, and in their use of business to affect positive change. However, this research also offers new knowledge regarding the role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable development through explicating the ways in which the entrepreneurs each conceptualise sustainable development. Furthermore the entrepreneurs unanimously observe that achieving sustainable development necessitates both incremental and fundamental approaches to change. Also of emergent significance are the roles adopted by the entrepreneurs in education and in raising awareness towards catalysing changes in the ways we live, think and behave. Taken together, as agents of change, social entrepreneurs present much hope and promise in realising a more sustainable world.

text: Change Agents: The Promise of Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development This thesis explores the role of private sector social entrepreneurship in sustainable development in New Zealand. A review of literature reveals sustainable development to be a diverse, complex, and challenging concept, encompassing issues from rhetorical ambiguity to the accelerating deterioration and uncertainty in natural and social systems. While business is commonly seen to exacerbate many of the challenges associated with sustainable development, this research suggests that business, as it is utilised by social entrepreneurs to spur positive change, may be a powerful tool for achieving sustainability. Three cases of private sector social entrepreneurship in New Zealand are documented by this research, drawn from the coffee roasting, still bottled water, and film and media industries. The cases are used to elucidate the relationships that exist between the two phenomena within the thematic areas of conceptualisations of sustainable development, motivations and business, and change. The entrepreneurs in this research each demonstrate qualities consistent with assertions in the literature in that they desire to affect change, they are innovative, and that their pursuits are characterised by the creation of new value. These entrepreneurs expectedly contrast with many of their industry counterparts in their recognition of opportunities amidst threat or tragedy, their desires to benefit society in some way, and in their use of business to affect positive change. However, this research also offers new knowledge regarding the role of social entrepreneurship in sustainable development through explicating the ways in which the entrepreneurs each conceptualise sustainable development. Furthermore the entrepreneurs unanimously observe that achieving sustainable development necessitates both incremental and fundamental approaches to change. Also of emergent significance are the roles adopted by the entrepreneurs in education and in raising awareness towards catalysing changes in the ways we live, think and behave. Taken together, as agents of change, social entrepreneurs present much hope and promise in realising a more sustainable world.

year: 2010

title: Maori women and research: Researching ourselves

authors: Te Awekotuku, Ngahuia

subjects: Maori

abstract: This was the closing keynote address at the Student Symposium organized by the Maori &
Psychology Research Unit at the University of Waikato, Hamilton in August 1999. Most of the
people attending were Maori, and female, and I spoke to, for, and about us. The speech was
transcribed from an oral address with transparencies, and has been revised here for this
publication.

text: Maori women and research: Researching ourselves This was the closing keynote address at the Student Symposium organized by the Maori &
Psychology Research Unit at the University of Waikato, Hamilton in August 1999. Most of the
people attending were Maori, and female, and I spoke to, for, and about us. The speech was
transcribed from an oral address with transparencies, and has been revised here for this
publication.

year: 1999