New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse region in the world. There are over 1000 languages found there, reflecting a complex history of migration and interaction. The Upper Sepik is one of New Guinea’s most linguistically heterogeneous areas but because the area has not been marked by the significant population movement and intense and far-reaching exchange systems apparent for some parts of New Guinea, this diversity may be more indicative of processes that maintain rather than lead to linguistic diversity. Accordingly, the region may offer great potential for those investigating population histories. With this potential in mind ethnographers went into the Upper Sepik during the 1960s and 1970s with the intention of making representative material culture collections for the language groups found there. These collections combine to be, arguably, one of the most fine-grained material culture datasets that exist for New Guinea. This thesis describes the manner in which these collections were documented and used to create a dataset to test for relationships between material culture and language. It begins with an overview of the study area including descriptions of the geography, environments, subsistence systems, settlement structures and social patterns, including an appraisal of marriage exchange, ritual, trade and warfare and how these may have facilitated or inhibited the spread of culture. This appraisal leads to an assertion that the sociality and mobility of men and women are affected differentially by such mechanisms, and that material culture belonging to men and women may differentially reflect population histories and the social processes that underpin the evolution of linguistic diversity. The thesis then describes a round of analytical procedures used to test for relationships between language and attributes belonging to string bags and arrows which are respectively and exclusively produced by women and men. Associations between languages, measured in terms of their material culture similarity, are then compared to those determined according to their linguistic family relationship and their relative positions in geographical space. The analysis also tests whether differences in the way that women and men socialise and move through space influence the way in which material culture patterns through space. The thesis concludes that attributes of classes of material culture are distributed differently for objects made by men compared to those made by women, that distance seems to be a stronger factor than language, and that environmental factors are also relevant. This study foreshadows ongoing research involving the dataset. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, 2009

New Guinea is the most linguistically diverse region in the world. There are over 1000 languages found there, reflecting a complex history of migration and interaction. The Upper Sepik is one of New Guinea’s most linguistically heterogeneous areas but because the area has not been marked by the significant population movement and intense and far-reaching exchange systems apparent for some parts of New Guinea, this diversity may be more indicative of processes that maintain rather than lead to linguistic diversity. Accordingly, the region may offer great potential for those investigating population histories. With this potential in mind ethnographers went into the Upper Sepik during the 1960s and 1970s with the intention of making representative material culture collections for the language groups found there. These collections combine to be, arguably, one of the most fine-grained material culture datasets that exist for New Guinea. This thesis describes the manner in which these collections were documented and used to create a dataset to test for relationships between material culture and language. It begins with an overview of the study area including descriptions of the geography, environments, subsistence systems, settlement structures and social patterns, including an appraisal of marriage exchange, ritual, trade and warfare and how these may have facilitated or inhibited the spread of culture. This appraisal leads to an assertion that the sociality and mobility of men and women are affected differentially by such mechanisms, and that material culture belonging to men and women may differentially reflect population histories and the social processes that underpin the evolution of linguistic diversity. The thesis then describes a round of analytical procedures used to test for relationships between language and attributes belonging to string bags and arrows which are respectively and exclusively produced by women and men. Associations between languages, measured in terms of their material culture similarity, are then compared to those determined according to their linguistic family relationship and their relative positions in geographical space. The analysis also tests whether differences in the way that women and men socialise and move through space influence the way in which material culture patterns through space. The thesis concludes that attributes of classes of material culture are distributed differently for objects made by men compared to those made by women, that distance seems to be a stronger factor than language, and that environmental factors are also relevant. This study foreshadows ongoing research involving the dataset. / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, 2009

The Koulekoun Gold project is the most important prospect of Avocet Mining plc. It is one of the projects within the TriK-block in Guinea (West Africa) for which an exploration permit has been granted. The Koulekoun deposit is located within the Siguiri basin of Birimian age in the Eastern Guinea region; where most Guinea’s gold mines are situated. The present study involves the investigation of structural elements (S₀, S₁, S₂, intrusive contacts, faults and veins) from selected drill cores from drill sections that intersect the Koulekoun orebody in four parts of the deposit; characterizes the principal orientations of measured structures and determines their relationships using stereonet; in order to predict important intersections to focus on in exploration programs within the TriK-block and suggests a possible structural model of the Koulekoun deposit. Raw data used for the present research was collected from half-core samples due to the absence of surface outcrop from which direct measurements could have been made. Measured data were interpreted using stereographic projection. Often no preferred orientations of structural elements exist in the area, suggesting a complex structural situation, particularly with regard to hydrothermal vein attitudes. Thus, it has been illustrated from structural data analysis and S₀ data 3d interpolation of the four sub-structural domains (North-East, North-West, Central and South) that NE-SW structures (S₂, intrusive contact, fault and vein) have controlled the occurrency of gold mineralization in the Koulekoun deposit area. Geometrical relationships between structure main cluster orientation from stereonet analysis show the majority of S₀ moderately E-dipping; intrusive contacts dip at moderate angle to the SE in all zones, except in the North-East zone where they are sub-vertical and SE-dipping. Fault planes show variable orientation of NE-SW, NW-SE and E-W, and steeply SE-dipping. Vein planes correspond to fault systems and show high variability in their orientation with numerous orders of vein direction in each domain. The cross-cutting relationships suggest two principal generations of faults: the NE-SW fault (F1) and the NW-SE fault (F2). These two fault systems and their associated vein intersection areas preferably define the ore shoot zones within the Koulekoun deposit. The proposed structural model of the Koulekoun deposit suggests the intersection and interference of major NW-SE and minor NE-SW structures. The interference of folds formed basin-dome structures with oval shape geometries striking NW-SE and that dominantly occur in North-East, North-West and Central zones. The South Zone is characterized by NE-SW gently plunging and moderately inclined folds with NW-SE striking axial surface. Gold mineralization occurs at the edges of basin-dome structures in North-East, North-West and Central zones. Mineralized porphyry intrusions are likely located within the axial surface of the South zone folds and extend toward the Central zone. The proposed model is compliant with the earlier model of the Koulekoun deposit presented by Tenova (2013); Fahey et al. (2013) describing the Koulekoun deposit as an auriferous NE-SW trending fault zone, intersecting a major NW-striking and steeply E-dipping porphyry units. The model also fits within the regional structural context suggested by Lahondere et al. (1999a) related to the E-W vein structures attributed to NW-SE fractures and to the conjugated fault of NE-SW direction. Comparatively to the three industrial gold deposits (Siguiri, Lero, Kiniero) being currently mined in the Siguiri Basin, and defined as mesothermal vein and lode mineralization hosted in Birimian meta-sedimentary rocks (Lalande, 2005), the Koulekoun gold deposit appears to be a porphyry hosted orogenic disseminated style mineralization system (Fahey et al., 2013). Although, similarities between the Koulekoun gold deposit and these three industrial deposits (Siguiri, Lero, Kiniero) constitute of the intensive extends of the weathering profile and at some stages, by the existence of numerous ring-shaped and curved lineaments enhanced by drag folding (Lero deposit for instance). It is therefore recommended that targets selection around the Koulekoun deposit and within the TriK-block for further exploration programs be concentrated along NW-SE structures, in objective to determine possible intersection zones with NE-SW structures.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Equatorial Guinea has, since the mid-1990s, been an oil-rich state. With the highest GDP per capita it should be a continental leader in terms of development. Instead, it ranks in one of the worst positions on the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Human Development Index (HDI). This study employs the theory of neopatrimonialism to explain why such a discrepancy in these development indicators is evident. As a result of examining the post-independence regimes in Equatorial Guinea through the theoretical lens of neo-patrimonialism it is possible to conclude that the country is afflicted by a governance curse, rather than the more narrowly defined ‘resource curse’ that has become the central explanation of the situation in the country since the discovery of oil favoured by the existing literature on the subject. Instead, this study highlights the fact that the neo-patrimonial nature of the regime in Equatorial Guinea has developed steadily over the years since independence was granted by Spain in 1968, and indeed, the seeds of this system were in fact evident during Spanish colonial control. Whilst the existing literature has focused on the role of oil in explaining the dire state that Equatorial Guinea finds itself in, this study argues that there are other central factors that need to be examined. These include: the Spanish colonial legacy that led the way for such a system to take root; the role of the first post-independence president, Macías Nguema (1968-1979) and; the regime of Obiang Nguema (1979- present). By looking at these factors in addition to the role of oil it is possible to conclude that the neo-patrimonial system in place in Equatorial Guinea has much deeper roots than the existing literature acknowledges. It is vital to examine these deeper roots in order to discover an understanding of and effective solution to the current situation. Moreover, through examining the central features and operations of the ‘predatory’ neo-patrimonial regime in Equatorial Guinea, most notably the profligate spending and evident capital flight, it is possible to acknowledge the international nature of the problem: a factor that has heretofore been neglected in the literature. A greater focus on this issue is necessary in order to understand why the regime is sustained and what prospects there can be for future regime change. The outcomes of the study suggest that a ‘predatory’ neo-patrimonial regime is the central explanation for how the political sphere operates in Equatorial Guinea. This means that there can be no distinction made between the central features of the state and the personal property of those that rule it. It is a classic, modern-day example of ‘L’État c’est moi’. As such, the Nguema family have since independence treated the state resources as their own private property to do with as they wish. This means that there has been no attention paid to the development of Equatorial Guinea as it is not in the interests of the ruling elites to do so. Instead, they utilise state resources for their own self-enrichment. Such behaviour accounts for why despite having the highest GDP per capita on the African continent, Equatorial Guinea has such a low rank in the UNDP Human Development Index. It can therefore be concluded that Equatorial Guinea is affected by a governance curse that has decimated the state since independence, rather than the popularised theory of a ‘resource curse’ which has been used in explanations since the discovery of oil in the mid-1990s. iii / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ekwatoriaal-Guinee is reeds sedert die middel negentigerjare ’n olieryke staat. Met die hoogste BBP per capita behoort dit die leier op die vasteland te wees wat ontwikkeling betref. Dit beklee egter een van die laagste plekke op die menslike ontwikkelingsindeks (HDI) van die Verenigde Nasies se Ontwikkelingsprogram (UNDP). In hierdie studie is die teorie van neopatrimonialisme gebruik in ’n poging om die teenstrydigheid in hierdie ontwikkelingsaanwysers te verklaar. Op grond van ’n ondersoek van die regimes na onafhanklikheid in Ekwatoriaal- Guinee deur die teoretiese lens van neopatrimonialisme kan die gevolgtrekking gemaak word dat die land onder ’n regeringsvloek gebuk gaan, eerder as die eng gedefinieerde ‘hulpbronvloek’ wat die vernaamste verklaring geword het vir die situasie in die land sedert die ontdekking van olie, soos in die huidige literatuur oor die onderwerp aangevoer word. Hierdie studie beklemtoon hierteenoor die feit dat die neopatrimoniale aard van die regime in Ekwatoriaal-Guinee met verloop van tyd ontwikkel het sedert Spanje die land in 1968 onafhanklik verklaar het. Die sade van hierdie stelsel was inderwaarheid reeds sigbaar tydens Spaanse koloniale beheer. Waar die bestaande literatuur fokus op die rol van olie in die verklaring van die nypende toestand waarin Ekwatoriaal-Guinee verkeer, word in hierdie studie aangevoer dat ander kernfaktore ook ondersoek moet word. Dit sluit in die Spaanse koloniale erfenis wat die weg gebaan het vir die groei van so ’n stelsel; die rol van die eerste president na onafhanklikwording, Macias Nguema (1968–1979); en die regime van Obiang Nguema (1979 – tans). Deur hierdie faktore tesame met die rol van olie in oorweging te bring, kan die gevolgtrekking gemaak word dat die neopatrimoniale stelsel in Ekwatoriaal-Guinee veel dieper wortels het as wat in die bestaande literatuur erken word. Die ondersoek van hierdie dieper wortels is noodsaaklik ten einde begrip van en doeltreffende oplossings vir die huidige situasie te verkry. Deur die ondersoek van die kernfaktore en -bedrywighede van die ‘roofsugtige’ neopatrimoniale regime in Ekwatoriaal-Guinee, vernaamlik die roekelose verkwistinge en sigbare kapitaaluitvloei, is dit moontlik om die internasionale aard van die probleem te identifiseer – ’n faktor wat tot op hede in die literatuur nagelaat is. Groter fokus op hierdie kwessie is nodig ten einde te begryp waarom die regime volgehou word en watter vooruitsigte daar is vir toekomstige regimeverandering. Die uitkomste van hierdie studie doen aan die hand dat ’n ‘roofsugtige’ neopatrimoniale regime inderwaarheid die vernaamste verklaring is vir die werking van die politieke sfeer in Ekwatoriaal-Guinee. Dit beteken dat geen onderskeid getref kan word tussen die kerneienskappe van die staat en die persoonlike eiendom van diegene in bewind nie. Dit is ’n klassieke, hedendaagse voorbeeld van ‘L’Etat c’est moi’. As sodanig hanteer die Nguema-familie sedert onafhanklikwording die staat se hulpbronne as hul eie private eiendom wat hulle na willekeur aanwend. Dit beteken dat geen aandag gegee word aan die ontwikkeling van Ekwatoriaal-Guinee nie, aangesien dit nie in die belange van die heersende elite is om dit te doen nie, en hulle staatshulpbronne vir selfverryking gebruik. Sodanige gedrag verklaar die land se lae posisie op die UNDP se HDI. Die gevolgtrekking kan dus gemaak word dat Ekwatoriaal-Guinee onder ’n staatsvloek ly, wat die staat sedert onafhanklikwording afmaai, eerder as die gewilde teorie van ’n ‘hulpbronvloek’.

Thesis (MA )--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Understanding a risk is the first step in managing and mitigating it. Maritime insecurity has been an integrated risk for investors in the Gulf of Guinea for many years. But what do investors know about the nature of maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, besides a general risk rating? This thesis conceptualises and maps the maritime political risks in the Gulf of Guinea in order to give investors a better understanding of the nature of maritime political risk for the offshore oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Guinea. This conceptualisation is based on identifying the actors and actions of maritime security, i.e. people create maritime insecurity and identifying the people behind maritime insecurity provides valuable information for management and mitigation strategies. These actors create maritime insecurity by using a variety of actions, i.e. identifying these actions tells the investor more about the nature of maritime insecurity. However, there are also actors that contribute to maritime security and these actors use a set of actions to make maritime security a reality. In summary, this thesis creates a maritime political risk tool where one axis consists of actors contributing positively and/or negatively to maritime security and another axis that consists of actions these actors employ. This is done by providing the reader with a strong understanding of the theory behind political risk and conceptualising relevant concepts. The thesis contextualises maritime security, the offshore oil and gas industry and general political risks in the Gulf of Guinea. On this foundation, the maritime political risk tool is created by extrapolating information from four political risk companies: Aon, Control Risk, Bergen Risk Solution and Risk Intelligence. The maritime political risk actors and actions are also identified. The maritime political risk tool is applied to the case of the Gulf of Guinea. The conclusion is that conceptualising and mapping maritime political risk can improve management and mitigation strategies. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verstaan van ‘n risiko is die eerste stap in die bestuur en beheer daarvan. Maritieme onveiligheid is al vir jare 'n geïntegreerde risiko vir beleggers in die Golf van Guinee, maar wat weet beleggers werklik oor die aard van die gebied van maritieme onveiligheid in die Golf van Guinee, behalwe vir ʼn risikogradering? Hierdie tesis konseptualiseer die maritieme politieke risiko's in die Golf van Guinee om vir beleggers 'n beter begrip van die aard van maritieme politieke risiko's in die aflandige olie- en gasindustrie in die Golf van Guinee te gee. Hierdie konseptualisering is gebaseer op die identifisering van die akteurs en die aksies betrokke by maritieme veiligheid, d.w.s. maritieme onveiligheid word geskep deur mense. Die identifisering van die mense wat maritieme onveiligheid skep, bied waardevolle inligting tot bestuurs- en beheerstrategieë aan. Die akteurs van maritieme onveiligheid skep onsekerheid deur die gebruik van 'n verskeidenheid van aksies, dit wil sê die identifisering van hierdie aksies gee die belegger meer inligting oor die aard van maritieme onveiligheid. Daar is egter ook akteurs wat bydra tot die gebied van maritieme veiligheid. Dié akteurs gebruik 'n reeks van aksies om veiligheid op see 'n werklikheid te maak. Om op te som, skep hierdie tesis 'n maritieme politiese risiko instrument waar die een as uit akteurs bestaan wat 'n positiewe en / of negatiewe bydra tot maritieme veiligheid maak, en die ander as bestaan uit die gebeure wat hierdie akteurs in diens kan neem. Dit word gedoen deur die leser met 'n sterk begrip van politieke risiko teorie te voorsien, asook om relevante konsepte duidelik te konseptualiseer. Dié tesis kontekstualiseer maritieme veiligheid, die aflandige olie- en gasindustrie en politieke risiko soortgelyk met betrekking tot die Golf van Guinee. Op hierdie fondament word die maritieme politieke risiko instrument geskep deur die ekstrapolering van inligting uit vier politieke risiko maatskappye: Aon, Control Risk, Bergen Risk Solution en Risk Intelligence. Die maritieme politieke risiko akteurs en aksies word ookgeïdentifiseer. Verder word die maritieme politieke risiko-instrument toegepas op die geval van die Golf van Guinee. Die gevolgtrekking wat bereik word, is dat die konseptualisering en die kartering van akteurs en aksies, maritieme politieke risiko, bestuur- en versagtingstrategieë kan verbeter.

Declines in breeding populations of most migrants across much of the Palearctic have been linked to environmental conditions in their African non-breeding grounds. Studying winter distribution dynamics for these species is necessary to understand how factors in these areas may influence their overall population dynamics. This thesis explored in detail the distribution ecology of migrants in the Guinea savannah, the region from where wintering migrants currently show the greatest breeding population declines. In particular, I investigated some prevailing but hitherto little tested ecological hypothesis concerning impacts of geographical, vegetation and anthropogenic characteristics on the densities and winter distribution of migrants in Africa. Migrant distribution seemed to fit a pattern where decisions leading to winter habitat choice and association were hierarchical and jointly influenced by factors extrinsic and intrinsic to the habitats at large and finer scales respectively. Migrants were distributed in reasonable densities across a wide range of habitats. There was also evidence for an independent effect of latitude on densities and distribution, even after controlling for habitat characteristics. There was no evidence of large changes in latitudinal density patterns within a given winter season and site density patterns were generally consistent over the study duration. Migrants and taxonomically-related/ecologically similar Afrotropical residents showed similarities in habitat requirements and utilization, although migrants utilized habitats over a wider latitudinal range. Some migrants tended to show correspondence in site occurrence between consecutive winters but less so within a given winter season and there was an overall low transferability of habitat models for Palearctic migrants between sites in Nigeria. Collectively, the results describe distribution mechanisms typical for ecologically flexible species that can best be described as habitat generalists. As generalists, migrants are expected to show some resilience, especially in dealing with local and small scale changes on their wintering grounds such that these are unlikely to be the primary limiting factor in their population dynamics. However, the scale of ongoing habitat change across much of Africa is perhaps contributing to overcome the resilience engendered by their generalism. Conservation efforts for these mainly generalists species may therefore aim to preserve habitat on a large scale, perhaps through the promotion of sustainable land use practices.

Bibliography: leaves 359-381.

Vol. [2] comprises 6 reprints of published monographs in box folder; but numbered within the publications submitted listing (90 items), and within the 3 categories identified; at the beginning of vol. 1. Includes bibliographical references. [1]. Publications: The biology of frogs ; Systematics and nomenclature ; The fossil record of frogs -- [2]. Monographs Comprises 90 contributions to the biology and systematics of frogs, with particular emphasis upon those concerning the fauna of Australia and New Guinea. Provides an understanding of the state of knowledge when the author commenced his studies; permitting the extent of his work, an the nature of its significance, to be evaluated.

The past stability of vegetation patterns in the Markham Valley (6°30’S, 146°30’E), a lowland grassland area of Papua New Guinea, is investigated by pollen analysis of lake deposits and related palaeoecological techniques.¶ The predominantly organic sediments of Lake Wanum (alt. 35 m) span the last 9600 years. A 14C chronology supports the calculation of annual pollen deposition, sediment accumulation, and carbonised particle influx rates. At Yanamugi lake (alt. 170 m), 14C assays of the calcareous muds are influenced by variable ‘hard- water error’. A tentative chronology is based on palaeomagnetic and tephra correlations.¶ Pollen trapping reveals very high contemporary annual deposition rates within forest, but low values over the central lake area. Surface pollen assemblages from different habitats indicate the localised nature of pollen dispersal, although a relatively ‘long-distance component’ from higher altitudes is also recognised.¶ Analysis of floristic data from the herbaceous swamp vegetation of Lake Wanum suggests the existence of two free floating root-mat associations and two or three rooted associations. Water depth appears the primary control on their distribution.¶ Holocene swamp communities analogous with extant associations may be identified in the palynological record of Lake Wanum. Swamp marginal conditions prevail from 9500 BP until 8200 BP when permanent shallow water becomes established. Rooted vegetation associations then predominate until about 5000 BP. Floating vegetation associations first become important at this time, and subsequently (3000 BP to 2000 BP) come to dominate the site. A general trend towards increased water depth is indicated throughout the sequence.¶ Increased representation of dry-land non-forest pollen occurs from 8550 BP, and grassland taxa become more frequent from about 5350 BP. Synchronous trends in carbonised particle influx identify fire as a probable agent of vegetation change.¶ Little change in dry-land vegetation is recorded in the pollen sequence from Yanamugi, although recent encroachment by swamp vegetation occurs. The large proportion of ‘montane’ pollen and spore taxa in the earlier sediments is attributed to variable fluvial influx. ¶ Conditions at Lake Wanum until 8200 BP may reflect the early Holocene aridity widespread in equatorial areas, although the indirect hydrologic effects of rising sea level cannot be discounted. Human impact appears the main determinant of dry-land vegetation change during much of the Holocene.

Vol. [2] comprises 6 reprints of published monographs in box folder; but numbered within the publications submitted listing (90 items), and within the 3 categories identified; at the beginning of vol. 1. / Includes bibliographical references. / 2 v. (various pagings) : / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Comprises 90 contributions to the biology and systematics of frogs, with particular emphasis upon those concerning the fauna of Australia and New Guinea. Provides an understanding of the state of knowledge when the author commenced his studies; permitting the extent of his work, an the nature of its significance, to be evaluated. / Thesis (D.Sc.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Environmental Biology, 2002