In this thesis, 9 Indo-Aryan languages which have previously been classified as Shina languages were analyzed. A cognate analysis of basic vocabulary was conducted, in order to explore the relatedness of the languages. Furthermore, a selection of phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical features was analyzed, in order to explore areal patterns among the languages. The data mainly consisted of first-hand data, which has been collected for the project ”Language contact and relatedness in the Hindu Kush region”, but even previous descriptions of the languages were used. The results primarily confirmed hypotheses about the relatedness of the Shina languages, and showed interesting areal patterns.The data also suggested that the Shina languages share many typical features with other Hindu Kush Indo-Aryan languages, such as SOV word order, the use of postpositions, sex based grammatical gender, and moderately complex to complex syllable structures. Other features, such as aspiration, retroflexion, and case alignment in noun phrases showed more variation and could certainly be relevant for future studies on these languages. / I den här uppsatsen har 9 indoariska språk som tidigare har klassificerats som shinaspråk analyserats. För att undersöka hur språken är besläktade med varandra har en kognatanalys av det grundläggande ordförrådet genomförts. Dessutom har ett urval fonologiska, morfologiska, syntaktiska, och lexikaladrag analyserats, i syfte att undersöka areala mönster hos språken. Datan för undersökningen bestod huvudsakligen av förstahandsdata, som har samlats in för projektet “Språkkontakt och släktskap i Hindukushregionen”, men även tidigare beskrivningar av språken har används. Resultaten bekräftade mestadels hypoteser om hur shinaspråken är besläktade med varandra, och visade intressanta areala mönster. Det visade sig att shinaspråken delar många drag med andra indoariska språk i Hindukushregionen, såsom SOV ordföljd, användning av postpositioner, grammatisk genus baserat på biologisk kön, och medelkomplexa till komplexa stavelsestrukturer. Andra drag, exempelvis aspiration, retroflexion,och kasuskongruens i nominalfraser, visade större variation och skulle kunna vara relevanta för framtida studier av dessa språk. / Language Contact and Relatedness in the Hindu Kush Region, Swedish Research Council (VR 421-2014-631)

This thesis examines the twenty-first-century intercultural performance of Shakespeare in Kerala, India. The thesis highlights Shakespeare’s function in invigorating local performing arts traditions that navigate tensions between paradigms of former feudalism, post-Independence democracy and capitalist globalisation. Throughout, individual artistic perspectives in interview illustrate local productions of \(Macbeth\) for indigenous Keralan performing art forms, ranging from the two-thousand-year old kutiyattam to contemporary postmodern Malayalam-language drama. My introduction contextualises these hybrid productions in their global, national, and local historiography, exploring intersections of the sacred, supernatural, and secular; postmodernism and rasa theory; intercultural Shakespeares and Keralan performing arts; and Shakespearean works with Indian literary and theatrical traditions from the colonial to the postmillennial era. Chapter One highlights cultural translation, focusing on kutiyattam artist Margi Madhu’s 2011 \(Macbeth\); Chapter Two discusses cultural collaboration, studying kathakali artist Ettumanoor P. Kannan’s \(Macbeth\) \(Cholliyattam\), 2013; Chapter Three considers cultural fusion, profiling Abhinaya Theatre’s experimental local-language production of \(Macbeth\), 2011. In closing, the thesis underscores the importance of giving a voice to Keralan theatre artists on Shakespeare, recognising the hitherto critically unexamined potential for the meeting point of two great dramatic cultural traditions as a forum, underpinned by residual colonial and Communist legacies, for intercultural discourse.

In this thesis, I investigate a decades-old problem found in the stop system of Proto-Indo-European (PIE). More specifically, I will be investigating the paucity of */b/ in the forms reconstructed for the ancient, hypothetical language. As cross-linguistic evidence and phonological theory alone have fallen short of providing a satisfactory answer, herein will I employ modern empirical methods of linguistic investigation, namely laboratory phonology experiments and computational database analysis. Following Byrd 2015, I advocate for an examination of synchronic phenomena and behavior as a method for investigating diachronic change. In Chapter 1, I present an overview of the various proposed phonological systems of PIE and some of the explanations previously given for the enigmatic rarity of PIE */b/. Chapter 2 presents a detailed account of three lab phonology experiments I conducted in order to investigate perceptual confusability as a motivator of asymmetric merger within a system of stop consonants. Chapter 3 presents the preliminary form and findings of a computational database of reconstructed forms in PIE that I created and have named the Database of Etymological Reconstructions Beginnning in Proto-Indo-European (DERBiPIE). The final chapter, Chapter 4, offers a summary of the work presented herein and conclusions that may be drawn, offering suggestions for continued work on the topic and others like it.

The seaport of Bombay is often referred to as India's "Gothic City." Reminders of British colonial rule are seen throughout South Bombay in its Victorian architecture and sculpture. In the heart of Bombay lies the Victoria Terminus, a towering, hybrid railway station blending gothic and vernacular architectures. Built at the height of the British Empire, the terminus is evidence of the rapid modernization of Bombay through the philanthropy of the Parsis. This religious and ethnic minority became quick allies to the British Raj; their generous donations funded the construction of the "Gothic City." The British viewed the Parsis as their peers, not the colonized. However, Parsi-funded architectural ornament reveals that they saw themselves on equal footing with Bombay's indigenous populations. The Parsis sought to integrate Indian and British art, design, and culture. Through their arts patronage they created an artistic heritage unique to Bombay, as seen in the architectural crown of Bombay, the Victoria Terminus.The Parsi philanthropist, Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy was the most influential in Bombay's modern art world. He was chosen with other Indian elites to serve on the selection committee for the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London. He selected India's finest works to demonstrate India's rich tradition of the decorative arts. In turn, these works were viewed within the Indian Pavilion by the Victorian public and design reformer Owen Jones. Jones used many of the objects at the India Pavilion in his design book, The Grammar of Ornament. This book went on to inspire the eclectic architectural ornament of Victorian Britain and eventually Bombay. Jeejeebhoy sold the majority of the works from the exhibition to the Victorian and Albert Museum and the Department of Sciences and Art in South Kensington. The objects were studied by design students in South Kensington who were later hired by Jeejeebhoy to be instructors at the Bombay School of Art. This school taught academic European art alongside traditional Indian design forthe purpose of creating public art works. Thus, the Parsis were important cultural mediators who funded British and Indian craftsmen to create symbols of "progress," such as the Victoria Terminus, for a modern India.

This thesis seeks to explore the factors that limit the freedom of choice and access of the Indian community to tertiary level education in Malaysia. Issues of ethnic minorities are of concern for all multi-cultural societies. In Malaysia, it was the indentured labour system, introduced by the British colonial rulers who brought non-Malays into this previously mono-ethnic society. British colonisation has influenced the position of the Indian community in Malaysia in a number of ways, which are explored in this thesis. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the complexity of this plural society and its implications for one of its ethnic minority groups, particularly in terms of education. This sector has been examined as education is a fundamental component for socio-economic development and upward social mobility. Malaysia, a classic modern day plural society, has its own complexity in terms of issues of ethnic minorities. The findings of this thesis indicate four main factors limiting the freedom of choice and access to tertiary level education for the Indian community. These factors are the country’s education policies, the financial situation of Indo-Malaysians, the attitude and awareness of the students, and the community’s values. The findings are significant as it is believed that the advancement of the Indian community in Malaysia is currently obstructed through lack of access to tertiary level education. Before this situation can be improved it needs to be understood.

It is often hypothesised that marine species with mobile planktonic phases are capable of widespread dispersal and may therefore be genetically homogenous throughout their distribution. Studies that have demonstrated positive correlation between duration of plankton phase and levels of gene flow reinforce the prediction that life history characteristics of marine species determine the potential extent of genetic and demographic connectivity throughout their distributions. This prediction has however been challenged by studies that have employed genetic markers highly sensitive to both historical and contemporary demographic changes. Disparities between dispersal potential and measured levels of gene flow have been demonstrated both among historically disconnected ocean basins and within semi-enclosed areas of strong hydraulic connectivity. These studies and others highlight a need for greater focus on factors that may influence population structure and distribution for marine species. In this thesis, I have examined genetic structure within and among populations of an estuarine species of mud crab Scylla serrata (Forskal, 1775) using a number of genetic markers and methods. The species is widely distributed throughout mangrove and estuarine habitats of the Indo - West Pacific (IWP); it is generally assumed that life-history characteristics of S. serrata promote high levels of population admixture and gene flow throughout its distribution. Alternatively, factors that have promoted population genetic structure for a variety of IWP marine species may also have affected S. serrata populations. By investigating genetic structure at several spatial scales of sampling, I was able to address a variety of hypotheses concerning the species distribution, dispersal, and genetic structure. Episodic changes to marine habitat and conditions experienced within the IWP during the Pleistocene may have affected genetic structure for a broad variety of marine taxa. The relative strength of this hypothesis may be assayed by comparative genetic studies of widespread IWP taxa with high dispersal capacity. In order to ascertain levels of historical and contemporary gene flow for S. serrata, I investigated the phylogeographic distribution of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes sampled throughout the species range. Adults were sampled from three west Indian ocean locations (N=21), six west Pacific sites (N=68), and two sites from northern eastern Australia (N=35). Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and sequencing of 549 base pairs of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) coding gene identified 18 distinct haplotypes. Apart from that seen in northern Australia, haplotype diversity was low (h < 0.36) at each of the locations. Total nucleotide diversity in the entire sample (excluding northern Australian locations) was also low (p = 0.09). Haplotypes clustered into two clades separated by approximately 2% sequence divergence. One clade was widespread throughout the IWP (clade 1) whereas the other was strictly confined to northern Australia (clade 2). Genealogical assessment of sequenced haplotypes relative to their distributions suggested that a historical radiation of clade 1 S. serrata throughout the IWP occurred rapidly and recently (<1Myr bp) from a west Pacific origin. The evidence of fixed unique haplotypes at the majority of locations suggested that contemporary maternal gene flow between trans-oceanic sites was limited. Contrary to reports for other widespread species of IWP taxa, there was no evidence of lengthy periods of regional separation between Indian from Pacific Ocean populations. However, results may indicate a separation of northern Australian crabs from other locations before and during the IWP radiation. I speculated that this isolation might have resulted in the formation of a new species of Scylla. Additional sampling of mud crabs from the Australian coastline allowed an examination of the diversity and distribution of clade 1 and 2 haplotypes among recently formed shelf-connected coastal locations, and across a historical bio-geographic barrier. Over 300 individuals were sampled from multiple locations within coastal regions (western, northern and eastern) of Australia and analysed for mutational differences at the COI gene. Analysis of molecular variance partitioned by sampling scale (Among regions, within regions, and within all locations) indicated mitochondrial haplotypes were structured regionally (P < 0.001), which contrasted with evidence of genetic panmixia within regions. Regional genetic structure broadly correlated with hydrological circulation, supporting the contention that release and transport of propagules away from the estuary may allow genetic connectivity among widespread shelf-connected S. serrata populations. That similar patterns of maternal gene flow were absent among trans-oceanic populations may indicate that the spatial scale of effective dispersal for this species is generally limited to areas of coastal shelf. The two clades of haplotypes were geographically separated either side of the Torres Strait, a narrow sea channel connecting the northern and eastern regions of coastal Australia. This pattern of historical genetic separation was concordant with a number of other marine species across northern Australia, and might indicate a shared history of vicariance induced by eustasy. Alternatively, differences in diversity and distribution of the clades may be evidence of two independent expansions of clade 1 and 2 crab populations into Australian regions following post-glacial estuary formation. Overall, despite evidence of genetic panmixia within extensive sections of the Australian distribution, there was also evidence of significant barriers to maternal gene flow with both shallow and deep regional phylogeographic assortment of mtDNA haplotypes. The presence of these barriers indicated both historical and contemporary factors have imposed limits to effective dispersal by this species among coastal habitats. A subset of the Australian sample (8 locations, N = 188) was also examined for variation at five microsatellite loci developed specifically here for S. serrata. I examined variation among samples at each of the loci to: a) independently verify regional structure among crab populations previously detected using the mtDNA analysis; b) test for evidence of co-distributed non-interbreeding stocks of S. serrata within Australian waters by examining samples for segregation of alleles within microsatellite loci concordant with the two mtDNA clades. The frequency and distribution of alleles for each of the highly polymorphic microsatellites were homogenous at all levels of sample partitioning and contrasted sharply with the instances of both weak and strong regional phylogeographic assortment of mtDNA haplotypes. These contrasting results between different genomic markers were examined in relation to the species life history, and to differences in mutational rate and inheritance of the genetic markers. Several hypotheses may explain the disparity, however it is most likely that rampant homoplasy and high rates of mutation at the microsatellite in conjunction with large Ne at locations may be concerted to delay equilibrium between genetic drift and migration among populations at these highly polymorphic nuclear markers. There was also no evidence that alleles at microsatellite loci were co-segregated with mtDNA clades and therefore no evidence of segregated breeding between the clades of crabs. Whether or not this result was also driven by homoplasy at the microsatellites remains unknown. Recently established mud crab populations (~ 3-4 years old) observed in a number of southwest Australian estuaries are almost 1000 kilometres south of their previously recorded distribution on the Western Australian coast. Colonisation of the southwest region may have occurred either by a natural range expansion from northwest Australian mud crab populations or by means of translocation from any number of mud crab sources within the Indo - West Pacific. I used mtDNA analysis to verify the species and determine the potential source population(s) of the colonists, by comparing sampled genetic material from the southwest (N = 32) against that previously described for the genus. I also compared levels of diversity at mtDNA and two microsatellite loci between the colonist and suspected source population(s) to qualitatively determine if the southwest populations experienced reductions in genetic diversity as a result of the colonisation process. All colonist samples had S. serrata mtDNA COI sequences identical to one previously described as both prevalent and endemic to northwest Australia. High levels of genetic diversity among source and colonist populations at two microsatellite loci contrasted to the mitochondrial locus which displayed an absence of variation among colonists compared to moderately diverse source populations. I argued that the southwest was recently colonised by large numbers of S. serrata propagules derived from the northwest of Australia, possibly due to an enhanced recruitment event coinciding with the reported strengthening of the Leeuwin Current during 1999. Contrasting levels of diversity among nuclear and mitochondrial loci may be attributed to a difference in response by the two genomes to the colonisation process. I predict that such differences may be generally prevalent among plankton-dispersed species. Finally, I discuss aspects of the species distribution and biogeography obtained as a composite of the various results and ideas expressed in this thesis. I propose that S. serrata populations in the IWP may have experienced several cycles of extinction and population retraction from temperate areas followed by subsequent periods of colonisation and rapid coastal expansion in response to the effects of glacial episodes on coastal habitats in the IWP. I propose that persistence of this species as remnant populations of clade 1 and 2 crabs at equatorial locations during low sea level stands provided source populations for later expansions by the species into a variety of coastal areas throughout the IWP. Further analysis is required to determine if mtDNA clade 1 and 2 crabs are non-interbreeding species of mud crab.

Cette étude porte sur le schisme sino-soviétique et plus précisément de sa projection dans un conflit asiatique survenu en 1971, soit la troisième guerre indopakistanaise. D'abord en bon terme en vertu de leur alliance naturelle fondée sur une idéologie socialiste commune et une hostilité fondamentale envers l'impérialisme américain, les gouvernements chinois et soviétiques rencontreront des divergences qui se mueront en querelles puis en un conflit avéré. Le schisme sino-soviétique provoquera un bouleversement majeur de la dynamique géopolitique changeant ainsi les rapports de force sur la scène mondiale. Les contentieux territoriaux, la rivalité au tiers-monde et le désaccord idéologique entre les deux gouvernements provoqueront un conflit générateur de tensions extrêmes. C'est à l'intérieur de ce contexte que nous étudions un conflit sub-asiatique survenu en 1971, la troisième guerre indopakistanaise et la partition du Pakistan. L'année 1971 fut marquée en Asie du sud par des crises nationales et internationales. Il y eut en effet deux guerres de deux types différents, la guerre civile pakistanaise et la guerre interétatique indo-pakistanaise. L'Inde en livra une, le Pakistan deux. La conséquence principale de la guerre civile pakistanaise fut une catastrophe humanitaire marquée par des massacres sanglants et l'exode d'une partie de la population. La conséquence ultime de la guerre interétatique fut le démembrement du Pakistan et la création d'un nouvel État, le Bangladesh. Ces deux guerres redéfinirent les contours géopolitiques de l'Asie du sud moderne. Est-il possible que Pékin et Moscou aient utilisé le conflit indo-pakistanais pour se nuire mutuellement? Peut-être bien car cette tactique de guerre par procuration a été utilisée à la fin des années 1970. L'URSS a déjà eu recours à des bras armés comme ce fut le cas lors de l'intervention de Cuba, logistiquement organisée par l'URSS, en Éthiopie en 1977 lors de la révolte de l'Ogaden où les intérêts cubains s'effaçaient derrière ceux de l'URSS. Pour orienter notre recherche, nous formulons la question suivante: Dans le cadre du schisme sino-soviétique, estce que la Chine et l'URSS ont effectivement mené ce que des auteurs ont appelé proxy war lors du conflit indo-pakistanais de 1971? La prééminence des intérêts indiens dans le conflit ainsi que leur antériorité par rapport à ceux de l'URSS, et l'issue de la guerre sont les éléments clés qui nous incitent à formuler l'hypothèse: Le conflit indo-pakistanais en 1971 ne peut être considéré comme une guerre par procuration entre l'URSS et la Chine. Notre mémoire vise à démontrer comment et pourquoi il s'agit plutôt d'une très forte convergence des intérêts entre l'URSS et l'Inde, et entre la Chine et le Pakistan.

Coral reefs belong to the most diverse and the most threatened ecosystems on earth. Anthropogenic stressors and climate change have led to mortalities at levels unprecedented in modern times. The aims of this thesis are to investigate aspects of the corals’ ability to reproduce, disperse, adapt and survive. Papers I-III study reproduction in a common soft coral species, Sarcophyton elegans, with previously unknown reproductive modes. Paper IV investigates genetic distribution of coral-symbiont associations in Galaxea fascicularis focusing on adaptation to the environment along the coastline of Vietnam. Sarcophyton  elegans is a gonochoric broadcast spawner with a 1:1 sex ratio. Reproduction is strictly size dependent. Oogenesis takes 19-24 months, with a new cycle commencing every year. Spermatogenesis takes 10-12 months. The majority of gametes were released during the annual austral mass spawning event after full moon in November, but spawning also occur between August and February. The polyps at the outer edge of the colonies released their gametes first, followed by polyps situated closer to the center during subsequent months. Colonies upstream in the prevailing current spawn earlier than those downstream. The colonies were arranged in clusters of alternating males and females, which spawned simultaneously and were of the same genotype. Fission and buddying is a common mode to expand locally. Additionally, females undergoing fission divided into the most fecund size classes. The G. fascicularis and their associated symbionts were not genetically coupled to each other but to environmental factors. The host displayed an inshore-offshore zonation, with higher diversity offshore. The D1a symbiont exhibited an inshore- offshore zonation. In contrast; the 5 different C symbiont types showed a latitudinal distribution gradient, which shifted in dominance north to south. The study highlights the importance of protecting resilient coral and algal genotypes in stressed areas and the need to understand reproductive modes for coral conservation. / Các rạn san hô là một trong những hệ sinh thái có tính đa dạng và bị đe dọa cao nhất trên trái đất. Các áp lực từ con người và nhiệt độ nước biển tăng (SSTs) đã gây ra hiện tượng “tẩy trắng” gây chết san hô ở mức độ cao chưa từng thấy trong thời điểm hiện tại. Mục tiêu của nghiên cứu này là tìm hiểu khả năng của san hô trong thích nghi, phân tán và sống sót nhằm duy trì quần thể. Bài báo số II-III là những nghiên cứu đầu tiên về đặc điểm sinh sản của loài san hô mềm phổ biến, Sarcophyton elegan tại Australia. Bài báo số IV nghiên cứu về phân bố nguồn gen của tảo cộng sinh trong loài san hô Galaxea fascicularis, tập trung vào sự thích nghi với môi trường dọc theo vùng biển Việt Nam, khu vực bị ô nhiễm từ lục địa. Sarcophyton elegans được biết với đặc điểm sinh sản cả vô tính và hữu tính. Loài này là loài sinh sản bằng cách phân tán trứng, với tỷ lệ giới tính là 1:1 và sự sinh sản hữu tính bị khống chế nghiêm ngặt bởi kích cỡ của tập đoàn (Bài báo II, phần phương pháp của Bài báo I). Quá trình tạo trứng kéo dài từ 19 đến 24 tháng với chu kỳ sinh sản lặp lại hàng năm, và sự sinh tinh kéo dài từ 10 đến 12 tháng. Phần lớn giao tử được giải phóng trong một thời gian ngắn sau ngày trăng tròn của tháng 11, nhưng giao tử vẫn được giải phóng trong ngày trăng tròn của các tháng từ tháng 8 đến tháng 1 năm sau. Các polyp autozooid nằm phía ngoài của tập đoàn giải phóng giao tử trước, sau đó là các polyp nằm gần lõi trong các tháng tiếp theo. Các tập đoàn ngược lên trong dòng chảy thịnh hành đẻ trứng sớm hơn các tập đoàn xuôi dòng khoảng một tháng (Bài báo II). Các tập đoàn được sắp xếp thành từng đám từ 7 đến hàng trăm tập đoàn trong mỗi nhóm, bao gồm cả đực và cái. Các tập đoàn trong cùng một nhóm sinh sản cùng một thời điểm. (Bài báo II) và mỗi nhóm có cùng một kiểu di truyền (Bài báo III) có đầy đủ 13 (có thể là 22) kiểu di truyền  khác nhau. Sự phân đôi và kết đôi phụ thuộc hoàn toàn vào kích thước và có lẽ là phương thức mở rộng phổ biến nhất. Sự phân đôi phải mất 2 năm hoặc hơn mới hoàn thành. Thêm vào đó, con cái trải qua quá trình phân đôi thành kích cỡ có khả năng sinh sản cao nhất (Bài báo III). Có 6 nhóm haplotypes (mtDNA) của loài G. fascicularis và tảo cộng sinh Symbiodinium (ITS2 rDNA) không đóng cặp với nhau nhưng lại gắn với các yếu tố môi trường, có thể như kết quả của phương thức sinh sản của vật chủ (Bài báo IV). Vật chủ có sự phân vùng rõ rệt giữa gần bờ và xa bờ, với sự đa dạng cao hơn hẳn của các rạn xa bờ so với các rạn gần bờ, khu vực thường xuyên bị độ đục, ô nhiễm và lắng đọng trầm tích tác động. Tảo cộng sinh Symbiodinium D1a ITS2 điểm hình của sự phân vùng gần bờ và xa bờ. Ngược lại, 5 loại C khác lại có sự phân vùng theo vĩ tuyến, với sự tăng lên rõ rệt theo chiều Bắc-Nam, cùng với sự ổn định SST và sự tăng lên của các SST. Nghiên cứu này đã chỉ rõ tầm quan trọng trong bảo vệ các loài san hô và tảo biển bản địa tại các khu vực bị đe dọa (Bài báo IV) và sự cần thiết phải hiểu các phương thức sinh sản (Bài báo II-III) và các thông số môi trường trong việc xác định mức độ đa dạn sinh học và sự hấp thụ của sinh vật cộng sinh trong san hô cứng và san hô mềm. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.

The discipline of historical biogeography seeks to understand the contribution of earth history to the generation of biodiversity. Traditionally, the study of historical biogeography has been approached by examining the distribution of a biota at or above the species level. While this approach has provided important insights into the relationship between biological diversity and earth history, a significant amount of information recorded below the species level (intraspecific variation), regarding the biogeographical history of a region, may be lost. The application of phylogeography - which considers information recorded below the species level - goes some way to addressing this problem. Patterns of intraspecific molecular variation in wide-ranging taxa can be useful for inferring biogeography, and can also be used to test competing biogeographical hypotheses (often based on the dispersal-vicariance debate). Moreover, it is argued here that phylogeographical studies have recently begun to unite these two disparate views, in the recognition that both dispersal and vicariance have played fundamental roles in the generation of biodiversity. Freshwater dependent taxa are ideal model organisms for the current field of research, as they reflect well the underlying biogeographical history of a given region, due to limited dispersal abilities - their requirement for freshwater restricts them. To this end, this study documented the phylogeographical history of the giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) utilising both mitochondrial (COI & 16S) and nuclear (microsatellite) markers. Samples (n = ~1000) were obtained from across most of the natural distribution of M. rosenbergii [Southern and South East (SE) Asia, New Guinea, northern Australia]. Initial phylogenetic analyses identified two highly divergent forms of this species restricted to either side of Huxley's extension of Wallace's Line; a pattern consistent with ancient vicariance across the Makassar Strait. Subsequent analyses of molecular variation within the two major clades specifically tested a number of biogeographical hypotheses, including that: 1.) a major biogeographical transition zone between the Sundaic and Indochinese biotas, located just north of the Isthmus of Kra in SE Asia, results from Neogene marine transgressions that breached the Isthmus in two locations for prolonged periods of time; 2.) Australia's Lake Carpentaria [circa 80 000 - 8 500 before present (BP)] facilitated genetic interchange among freshwater organisms during the Late Pleistocene; 3.) sea-level fluctuations during the Pleistocene constrained evolutionary diversification of M. rosenbergii within the Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA); and 4.) New Guinea's Fly River changed course from its current easterly outflow to flow westwards into Lake Carpentaria during the Late Pleistocene. The results support hypotheses 1-3, but not 4. The potential for phylogeography to contribute significantly to the study of historical biogeography is also discussed.

ABSTRACT The zebra shark Stegostoma fasciatum is an oviparous, demersal carpet shark that forms temporary aggregations and is distributed within shallow, coastal, subtropical and tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific (IWP) region. The IWP region encompasses various densities of human habitation leading to differences in the levels of exploitation of chondrichthyan fishes, which are targeted for local consumption and export. This is reflected in the two current regional IUCN Red List classifications for zebra sharks of ‘Least Concern’ and ‘Vulnerable’. Despite the conservation concerns for zebra sharks in the vulnerable parts of their range, as well as importance within the ecotourism industry and collection for aquarium trade, little is known about this species in the wild. The aim of this thesis was to conduct the first intensive examination of population ecology in the zebra shark by: (i) investigating the population structure and environmental parameters associated with a relatively unexploited aggregation of zebra sharks in south-east Queensland, Australia; and (ii) investigating the genetic continuity between zebra shark populations in areas with differing levels of exploitation. To investigate the size and structure of the aggregation at the site The Group in south-east Queensland, photo-identification and mark-recapture methods were employed over a three year period (2003 - 2006). In total 327 individual zebra sharks were identified from 570 photographs. Numbered dart tags on 15 zebra sharks were used to confirm pigmentation patterns were unique and persistent in wild zebra sharks for up to 810 days. Pollock’s robust design resulted in an annual population estimate of 458 individuals (95% CI = 298 – 618). The mean number of zebra sharks observed on a single day was 8 (± 8 SE) and the maximum number of zebra sharks seen on a single day was 34. In total, 27% of the sharks were sighted in more than one summer aggregation period and males had greater re-capture probabilities than females. The aggregation consisted exclusively of large (>1800 mm total length) adults with an overall female sex bias of 3.8:1, though sex-ratios varied temporally. Passive acoustic telemetry techniques were employed to investigate the seasonality and residency of the sharks and the environmental parameters associated with their presence at the study site. Five VR2 acoustic receivers were deployed for a period of 21 months (December 2004 – August 2006) and recorded ten acoustically-tagged zebra sharks (seven females and three males). The sharks showed clear seasonality in their visitation patterns with greatest presence during the austral summer months of November through to February and no presence at all during the winter months from June through to October. However their presence did not coincide with peak water temperatures. Rather there appeared to be a critical minimum water temperature of approximately 22 ºC, above which zebra sharks would be present. The tagged zebra sharks displayed greater visitation during the calmest sea conditions. The sharks further displayed diel periodicity with greater during daylight hours, and may be using The Group as a resting site during the inactive diurnal period of the day. Complementing the ecological study on the aggregation, the population genetic structure of 180 zebra sharks from 13 locations throughout the IWP was investigated to test the concordance of IUCN zones with demographic units that have conservation value. A zebra shark specific microsatellite library was developed consisting of 14 polymorphic loci of which 13 were employed for the population genetic analysis along with mitochondrial ND4 sequence data. Mitochondrial and microsatellite data-sets from samples collected throughout northern Australia and south-east Asia concord with the regional IUCN classifications. However, evidence of genetic subdivision was found within these regions, including subdivision between locations connected by habitat suitable for migration. Further, parametric FST analyses and Bayesian clustering analyses indicated the primary genetic break within the IWP is not represented by the IUCN classifications but rather is congruent with the Indonesian throughflow current. This study has demonstrated that zebra sharks form a large, predictable, shallow coastal aggregation comprised entirely of mature adults as well as display high genetic subdivision in the Indo-West Pacific region with little to no recruitment into over-exploited populations from healthy populations. These findings indicate that, if zebra sharks form similar aggregations as that which occurs at The Group in regions of high fishing pressure then, without sufficient protection and management localised depletion and extirpation will eventuate for zebra shark populations in heavily-fished areas.