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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
181

The ecology and taxonomy of meiofauna at Papanui Inlet, with particular emphasis on nematodes

Leduc, Daniel, n/a January 2008 (has links)
Meiofauna are an ecologically significant component of marine benthic communities worldwide. Nematodes, in particular, are arguably the most abundant metazoans on Earth and often form highly diverse communities in marine sediments. The study of meiofauna, however, often lags behind that of macrofauna, probably due to the small size of meiofaunal organisms and the paucity of suitably-trained taxonomists or para-taxonomists. Our understanding of basic ecological questions, such as the role of meiofauna in the energetics of benthic communities, as well as the nature and extent of possible relationships between meiofauna and macrofauna in detritus-based communities, is still limited. The present study aimed to address these questions in the context of intertidal seagrass (Zostera muelleri) meadows and adjoining unvegetated sediments in Papanui Inlet, Otago Peninsula. The near absence of taxonomical and ecological studies on free-living marine nematode species in New Zealand also prompted the description of several new species and as well as a comparison of species assemblages from the study sites. Meiofaunal abundance (range: 1325-4979 ind. 10cm�) in the top 5cm of sediments was not significantly different inside and outside the seagrass meadow. Meiofaunal biomass and production estimates were small relative to macrofauna (approx. 1 and 5% of macrofaunal values, respectively), with little variation in both meiofaunal and macrofaunal values between vegetated and unvegetated habitats. Analysis of the isotopic and fatty acid composition of primary producers, sediment organic matter, and consumers at the study sites suggest that a significant proportion of secondary productivity in seagrass meadows is fuelled by macrophyte detritus. These data suggest that secondary productivity in the seagrass meadow was limited by the low palatability of macrophyte detritus compared with microalgal food sources, resulting in lower trophic transfer efficiency in vegetated sediments. These results contrast with previous findings showing a large contribution of meiofauna to the secondary productivity of vegetated sediments, as well as greater secondary productivity inside than outside seagrass meadows. The nature of the sediments (coarse particle size with low organic matter content) is likely to have led to low meiofauna biomass whilst favouring large suspension feeders. The low availability of high quality food sources (i.e. seston, benthic microalgae, and epiphytes) in vegetated sediments may have contributed to the lower than expected secondary productivity inside the seagrass meadow. Most of the dominant nematode species found at the study sites were new to science, and 6 new species were described. Significant differences were found in the nematode assemblages between sites and sediment depths. There was a trend of greater nematode diversity and abundance in vegetated sediments, but this was restricted to the uppermost 2cm of sediments. The effect of seagrass on nematode assemblages is likely to be mediated by the effect of blades on sediment characteristics and the presence of roots. The present study suggests that the presence of Zostera muelleri results in greater biodiversity of sheltered soft-shore communities on a local scale. The addition of ��C-labelled macroalgal detritus (Enteromorpha) to microcosms in a feeding experiment resulted in minimal labelling of harpacticoid copepods and nematodes. Lack of change in the fatty acid composition of the latter also suggests limited assimilation of detritus during the experiment. It is likely that consumers choose benthic microalgae over detritus when both food sources are available in the field. High content of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in nematodes from the field suggests, for the first time, that they are a high quality food source to higher trophic levels. A feeding experiment investigating the effect of bacterivorous nematodes on detritus assimilation rates by amphipods did not support the hypothesis that nematodes increase the trophic transfer efficiency between detritus and macrofaunal detritivores. It is unclear whether amphipods preferentially fed on detritus or whether nematodes escaped predation by burrowing deeper in the sediment. Data obtained in the present study, however, shows that marine bacterivorous nematodes can biosynthesise/accumulate HUFAs in high concentrations despite their low concentrations in their diet. Nematodes could, therefore, provide an important source of these essential nutrients to bulk deposit feeders living in otherwise HUFA-poor sediments.
182

Antipodean Gothic Cinema: A Study of the (postmodern) Gothic in Australian and New Zealand Film since the 1970s

Ashton, Romana, darkroom@optus.com.au January 2006 (has links)
Although various film critics and academics have located the Gothic in Antipodean cinema, there has been no in-depth study of the Gothic and its ideological entanglements with postmodernism within this cinema. This study is divided into two parts and locates the (postmodern) Gothic in twelve Australian/New Zealand films ranging from Ted Kotcheff’s Wake in Fright (1971) to Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures (1994). Part one theorizes the Gothic as a subversive cultural mode that foreshadows postmodernism in terms of its antithetical relationship with Enlightenment ideals. Interconnections are made between proto-postmodern aspects of early Gothic literature and the appropriation and intensification of these aspects in what has been dubbed the postmodern Gothic. The dissertation then argues that the Antipodes was/is constructed through Euro-centric discourse(s) as a Gothic/(proto)-postmodern space or place, this construction manifest in, and becoming intertwined with the postmodern in post 1970s Antipodean cinema. In part two, a cross-section of Australian/New Zealand films is organized into cinematic sub-genres in line with their similar thematic preoccupations and settings, all films argued as reflecting a marked postmodern Gothic sensibility. In its conclusion, the study finds that “Antipodean Gothic cinema”, particularly since the 1970s, can be strongly characterized by its combining of Gothic/postmodernist modes of representation, this convergence constitutive of a postmodernized version of the Gothic which is heavily influenced by Euro-centric constructions of the Antipodes in Gothic/(proto)-postmodern related terms.
183

Partitioning of plate boundary deformation in South Westland, New Zealand : controls from reactivated structures

Campbell, Heather, n/a January 2005 (has links)
The Australian-Pacific plate boundary is an uncomplicated structure along most of its length in the South Island, New Zealand. In South Westland, south of the Arawata River, however, several terranes converge onto the Alpine fault. Inherent anisotropies arising from the position of pre-existing fault structures, lithological contacts and rheological heterogeneities within these give rise to an atypically diffuse and complex zone, the overall geometry of which resembles a regional scale transpressive flower structure. The flower structure is a broad deformation zone 60 km in length extending approximately 7 km from the Alpine fault to its eastern limit, the Dun Mountain Ophiolite Belt. Integral parts of the structure are the Hollyford Fault System and the Livingstone Fault System. The area is characterised by an array of left-stepping, subparallel faults with an average 060� strike linked by 020� striking structures. All fault traces offset Quaternary features. Fractions of the total interplate slip are partitioned across the reactivated structures. Additionally, kinematic indicators reveal partitioning of strike-slip and oblique/dip-slip deformation across the related secondary fault zones. The behaviour of the plate boundary zone in South Westland is fundamentally controlled by reactivation of the Hollyford Fault System and the Livingstone Fault System which partition slip away from the Alpine fault. As a consequence, the eastward transferral of slip onto the curved geometry of the converging fault systems has ultimately created a left-stepping contractional regime, the equivalent of a restraining bend in the plate boundary zone. The competent Dun Mountain Ophiolite Belt controls the geometry and evolution of the reactivated structures. It also acts as an indenter and imposes additional boundary conditions adding to the shortening component in the region and the onset of complex transpressional strain patterns. The geometry and kinematics of the flower structure in the upper crust is mimicked in the ductile mid to lower crust. Upper greenschist facies mylonites reveal a complex fold pattern developed in response to contemporaneous non-coaxial and coaxial deformation. The folding formed during a continuation of deformation associated with mylonitisation at depths within the fault system. The fact that strain localisation and transpressive strain patterns in the brittle crust continue into the ductile zones suggests there is a feedback relationship between the two regimes. The reactivation of pre-existing structures and the influence of rheological factors are considered as first order factors controlling strain partitioning in the plate boundary zone. Recognition of local strain partitioning is important for assessing slip rates and earthquake recurrence. Similarly, the faults extend down below the seismogenic zone so that interaction of the different structures with each other may produce changes in fault behaviour which affects earthquake nucleation. Although the Alpine fault is a major structure in the South Island of New Zealand with over 400 km of dextral movement, the reactivated structures still exert a degree of control locally on the structure and kinematics of the plate boundary zone. Reactivation of inherent fault structures has important implications for the initiation of plate boundary faults and the alteration of the plate boundary geometry with evolving deformation.
184

Refining an entrepreneurial orientation and its impact on driving markets behaviours

Zortea, Elisabeth, n/a January 2006 (has links)
Firms adopting an entrepreneurial orientation (EO) can be described as firms that take risks, are proactive in pursuing opportunities, compete aggressively with their industry rivals, launch products that change market boundaries and market behaviour, and grant employees autonomy to facilitate the generation of such radical innovation. Although an EO has been widely investigated in entrepreneurship research, only a few attempts have been undertaken to refine and broaden the EO construct since its development in the early 1980s. The two characteristics competitive aggressiveness and autonomy have only recently been added to an EO. This thesis argues that more components should be incorporated to achieve a more comprehensive EO construct: opportunity recognition, growth commitment and organisational learning. The current thesis suggests that an EO, as it is currently acknowledged in the literature, is in need of further refinement. More specifically, a detailed examination of the construct reveals several inconsistencies such as equivocal EO definitions (actual entrepreneurial behaviours and practices vs. propensities to act entrepreneurially), ambiguous EO components and poorly operationalised scales. Furthermore, the psychometric properties of an EO have not been clearly specified (unidimensional vs. multidimensional, formative vs. reflexive). Due to these discrepancies, this thesis calls for a clearer and more comprehensive discussion of an EO along with a more valid EO scale. One of the consequences of an EO as presented in this thesis is that of driving markets. A firm�s ability to drive markets is considered a vital means with which to achieve firm success and long-term survival. Firms that drive markets engage in radical innovation, shape the needs of current and future customers, and change the market structure they are operating in. Unfortunately, however, firms often focus too closely on current customers and their needs, competitors and market conditions - that is, are market-driven. Instead of altering the composition of a market and/or the behaviours of market players, market-driven firms work within the confines of their markets, promoting incremental innovation rather than radical innovation. Despite the importance of driving markets behaviours for firm success, there is little theoretical and empirical evidence to support how driving markets behaviours can be achieved. In order to address this gap, this thesis calls upon an EO as one possible antecedent of driving markets behaviours. Thus, following the development of an improved EO construct, this thesis then moves to establish a theoretical framework that describes an EO and its impact on driving markets/market-driven behaviours. To help establish an EO�s predictive validity, the framework is further enriched by adding a market orientation (MO), thereby comparing and contrasting both an EO and a MO in relation to driving markets and market-driven behaviours The data used for this research is based upon a study of 836 New Zealand firms. Confirmatory factor analysis is used to test for unidimensionality and to set up stable measurement models for all constructs in question. Structural equation modeling is then applied to examine an EO�s psychometric properties and the relationship between an EO, a MO and driving markets/market-driven behaviours. The findings indicate that an EO is a multidimensional and formative construct, yet with only four contributing dimensions (R&D, proactiveness, autonomy, and growth commitment). It is further shown that an EO has a very strong direct impact on driving markets behaviours and also influences such behaviours considerably more than a MO. The same can be said about an EO�s effect on market-driven behaviours. A MO�s direct impact on driving markets/market-driven behaviours is somewhat diminished by the suppressive negative effects of the responsiveness dimension of the MO construct, particularly on driving markets behaviours. Subsequent analysis shows that unlike an EO, a MO does not lead to driving markets behaviours, but rather to market-driven behaviours. In contrast, an EO is found to represent a more balanced approach, since it triggers both driving markets and market-driven behaviours.
185

Te mana Maori : Te tatari i nga korero parau

Hokowhitu, Brendan J., n/a January 2002 (has links)
This thesis has three primary objectives: to deconstruct the genealogical representation of Maori as a physical, unintelligent and savage people, to examine the role that education, and particularly physical education has played in perpetuating these representations by channelling Maori into physical curriculum areas, and to provide a functional kaupapa Maori philosophy of health and physical education. Postmodern theory underpins this theses because it encourages the search for multiple truths. In the colonial context, specifically, it provides an ideal tool by which to deconstruct the supposedly objective and preordained single truths of the colonisers. As I demonstrate, these single truths proved to be politically motivated and false. I also employ a Foucauldian understanding of European history to describe how European bourgeois nationalism and normalisation mutated into biopower, where the normalised Self was able to control, limit, describe and kill the Other. Travellers, missionaries and settlers transposed biopower from Europe to colonial New Zealand. Later, descriptions of the Other - or rather the juxtapositioning of the Self next to depictions of the primitive/anti Other - by anthropologists and historians aided this process. For the benefit of enlightened liberals, colonisation in New Zealand required a specific rhetoric to recast ruthless aspects of the process as mere anomalies on the road to Utopia. The modernist Western world validated colonisation under the guises of humanism and progress: the savage, primitive, pre-philosophical Maori provided the perfect contrast against the civilised, mature, philosophical Self. This genealogical representation formed the basis for Pakeha and Maori relations - and continues to do so. Representations of Maori as intrinsically unintelligent and physical, framed politically motivated educational policy. Initially, racist educational directives channelled Maori into physical vocations to provide labour for untamed rural New Zealand. In the 1960�s and �70�s, racially biased intelligence test were employed to debiltate Maori students by streaming them into non-academic classes. Later, the so-called empowering rhetoric of the neo-colonial era informed curricula by promoting diluted and sanitised versions of tikanga Maori such as Taha Maori, its physical education offshoot Te Reo Kori, and the current New Zealand Health and Physical Education Curriculum. Promoted under the liberal banner of biculturalism, these initiatives primarily benefited Pakeha and further misrepresented Maori culture as simplistic and irrelevent to contemporary society. Deconstructing grand narratives encourages researchers to construct knowledge outside such totalising truths. Thus, the theoretical approach and historical disseminations outlined above provide the foundations for part two of this thesis, which is a contribution towards Maori knowledge. Employing an interpretivist, indepth interviewing and collaborative narrative epistemology, I constructed korero with kaumatua and pakeke. These focus on health and physical education from a Maori position. Subsequent discussion examines certain aspects of each korero, to form a functional Maori philosophy of physical activity delineated by hauora, a Maori notion of holistic health. The discussion also outlines a number of issues surrounding the incorporation of tikanga Maori into mainstream education.
186

The organic complexation of iron in seawaters around New Zealand

Tian, Feng, n/a January 2006 (has links)
This project aimed to characterise the organic speciation of iron in various oceanic waters associated with the New Zealand marine environment, and to examine the possible production of natural organic Fe-binding ligands by the Southern Ocean phytoplankton Phaeocystis antarctica. The location of New Zealand at the edge of the Southern Ocean provides a natural laboratory for studying ocean processes in a variety of oceanic conditions. A time series of a surface transect across the Otago Continental Shelf was undertaken between April 2002 and January 2005 to measure the organic complexation of iron, hydrographic parameters and macronutrient concentrations. The study area contains three distinct water masses: 1) neritic water; 2) the Southland Current, derived from the Subtropical Surface Water (STW); 3) Subantarctic Surface Water (SASW). Hydrological measurements outlined the positions of the three water masses as being fixed within predictable boundaries. Variations in nutrient concentrations in the study area indicated that SASW is the predominant source of nitrate and phosphate to the shelf. Dissolved iron concentrations dropped sharply seaward from several nanomolar to sub-nanomolar levels. The dissolved iron was fully complexed with strong organic ligands in all three water masses, and the ligand concentrations also showed a slightly seaward decreasing trend. Trends in dissolved iron and the iron-binding ligand concentrations related to season were only obvious in neritic waters. Concentration maxima occurred during late spring and summer months, and concentration minima occurred in the middle of each year (winter months). Dissolved iron concentration was low (~0.1 nM) in SASW year round. Data from the present study are in support of that the SASW as a whole is classified as a high nitrate low chlorophyll (HNLC) water body and has an iron-limited phytoplankton population. East of the New Zealand landmass, the Subtropical Convergence (STC) is topographically locked to the Chatham Rise. This is a dynamic region of enhanced primary production (Bradford-Grieve et al., 1997), which separates macronutrient-depleted STW from macronutrient-replete SASW. Dissolved iron concentrations were low (~0.1-0.2 nM) in SASW, while elevated dissolved iron concentrations were observed at the north flank of the Chatham Rise. The iron data imply that the regional currents may be an important vehicle for transporting the elevated iron across the front. Total dissolved iron-binding ligand concentrations were consistently higher (~0.5 nM) in the STW and STC waters than in SASW. The discrepancy in the ligand concentrations between STW and SASW may reflect a different contribution to the ligand pool from the local planktonic community. The organic complexation of iron in the oligotrophic subtropical water columns in the Tasman Sea was also studied and comparison of waters to the north and south of the Tasman front were reported. The iron speciation data imply the potential biological origin for the iron-binding ligands, and the difference in ligand concentrations across the Tasman Front may represent slight differences in algal biomass. A limited investigation to examine the production of natural organic iron-binding ligands by the Southern Ocean phytoplankton Phaeocystis antarctica was undertaken in laboratory culture experiments. Release of nanomolar levels of a strong iron-binding ligand was detected by cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) even under relatively high iron concentrations (> 1nM). The estimated iron binding strength for the ligands was similar to those observed in the open ocean. Moreover, the kinetic data suggested the presence of another weaker ligand class, which had a higher Fe concentration (>2 nM) and was not detectable by the CSV ligand titration technique. Our field observations and culture experiment results suggest that the Fe-binding ligands are biologically produced. It appears algae engineer their environment to make Fe more available/accessible for longer by producing these ligands. Therefore, the organic speciation of Fe plays a very important role in the sustained nutrition of ocean primary productivity and must be accounted for in geochemical modelling.
187

Abused children in New Zealand/Aotearoa : presentation and investigation

McKenzie, Kay Helen, n/a January 2005 (has links)
The overarching goal of the present research was to identify the interface between research and practice in the area of child-abuse investigation. The specific aims of the research were to explore how abused children present to investigators, to identify the characteristics of the children�s disclosures and the role of disclosure in the investigation, to establish the factors that influenced child-abuse investigators� decisions to interview children, and to make comparisons between sexually- and physically-abused children. Three hundred substantiated cases of child abuse (150 sexual-abuse and 150 physical-abuse investigations) investigated by the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services of New Zealand, prior to July 2001, were analysed. Children were most often physically-abused by their biological parents, and mothers were marginally more often the abusers than were fathers. The most common indicators of physical abuse were children�s disclosures and physical injuries. Risk factors for physical abuse included living in two-parent households and being of Maori or Pacific Island ethnicity. Gender or age provided no protection from physical abuse. The families of the physically-abused children were characterised by family violence, substance abuse, neglect, and poor mental health. Adverse family circumstances restrained children from telling others about their physical abuse. Physically-abused children aged more than 7 were found to present with a range of problem behaviours and fears. Child-abuse investigators often tolerated physical assaults on children, particularly by mothers. Moreover, child-abuse investigators did not routinely interview physically-abused children or treat the abuse as a criminal matter, especially if there were complicating family dynamics. Sexually-abused children were usually victimised by unrelated, known males, less often by male relatives, and infrequently by strangers, fathers, or step-fathers. One-third of the sexual abusers were aged less than 17, and over 40% of the young offenders were aged less than 12. As with adult sexual offenders, the child and teenage sexual offenders were predominantly male. Child-abuse investigators usually did not refer the young sexual offenders to the authorities for follow-up. Risk factors for sexual abuse included being female and living with a single parent. Social workers often did not meet with sexually-abused children, but instead usually referred them for a forensic interview. Social workers may not have explored issues related to the sexually-abused children�s behaviour or their families in the manner that they did for the physically-abused children. In both physical- and sexual-abuse cases, social workers were more likely to take action if children had made clear disclosures of abuse. However, despite disclosure being an important factor in decision-making, child-abuse investigators still did not meet with or interview every child, particularly preschool children and physically-abused children. The majority of factors that influenced child-abuse investigators� decisions to interview children were related to practice issues, in sexual-abuse cases, or tolerance of parental violence towards children, in physical-abuse cases. Preschool children, whether physically- or sexually-abused, did not present differently from 5- or 6-year-olds in their behaviour or style of disclosure. However, compared to older children, child-abuse investigators were unlikely to interview preschoolers. To conclude the thesis, I will highlight lessons to be learned from the present study and will make recommendations for child-abuse investigators, any professionals working with children and families, and the government of New Zealand.
188

The privilege against self-incrimination in civil proceedings between private parties in Australia and New Zealand : is derivative use immunity the answer?

Cotton, John, n/a January 2007 (has links)
This thesis addresses the problem of the privilege against self-incrimination ("the privilege") in civil proceedings between private parties in Australia and New Zealand. This problem has been recognised by judges, law reform bodies and legislators in both countries for twenty years. However, the legislative response has been inadequate. The privilege is easily confused with other related concepts, particularly the right to silence in criminal proceedings. The reasons for the privilege in civil proceedings are not necessarily the same as for the right to silence. Care is therefore taken to define the terminology and scope of the thesis. It sets out the modern law on the privilege in civil proceedings between private parties. It describes how the privilege causes particular problems in those proceedings. It surveys the literature, finding that most of it concerns the right to silence. The thesis draws heavily on the history of the privilege. It argues that, although witness privilege came from the common law, the privilege in interlocutory civil proceedings had its origins in the discretionary remedies devised by the courts of equity. They were sensitive to abuse of their remedies. For the same reason, modern prosecutors should not be encouraged to rely excessively upon evidence acquired through compulsory powers. Derivative use immunity is one of several substitutes suggested for the privilege. The thesis looks at the various substitutes. It concludes that derivative use immunity is the only satisfactory substitute for the privilege in civil proceedings. Derivative use immunity originated in the United States. The thesis looks closely at the American experience. The history and scope of the Fifth Amendment are discussed in detail, particularly the supposed removal of its protection from documents. This will show that the removal of the privilege from documents is not as simple as law reform bodies in Australia and New Zealand suggest. Exaggerated claims have been made by Australian prosecutors about the problems caused by derivative use immunity. The claims are examined in the light of American case-law. This shows that an impossible burden is not imposed on prosecutors. The same point emerges when the thesis examines the operation of derivative use immunity under Australian certification procedures since 1995. Particular procedural and legislative difficulties need to be addressed, particularly when derivative use immunity replaces the privilege in interlocutory proceedings. However, certification by the court has an important advantage. The court�s exercise of its discretion provides the flexibility which automatic statutory immunity lacks. The question in the title is therefore answered in the affirmative. Derivative use immunity under a statutory certification procedure can provide the answer. Cooperation between the Commonwealth and States may be needed to overcome constitutional difficulties, but most other problems can be overcome if derivative use immunity is given a sound statutory basis.
189

Weeds, people and contested places : selected themes from the history of New Zealanders and their weeds 1770-1940

Clayton, Neil, n/a January 2007 (has links)
This study examines three basic questions. Why did so many familiar floral species with which agricultural people have more or less successfully contested places for some 10,000 years apparently become highly problematic in New Zealand? How did those in whom the developing contest aroused considerable anxiety try to solve the problems they saw emerging? And what were the outcomes of their chosen courses of action? This study is organised around three main themes, science, the law and agricultural practices. Within each theme I take into consideration the ways New Zealanders used particular aspects of these broad disciplines to try to identify, understand and solve the problems they perceived to have been caused by their weedy biota. I also consider the extent to which recourse to these means has helped or hindered the ends they sought. The methodology adopted for this study is a variation of an 'organisational approach', advocated by the German environmental historian Frank Uekoetter. It focuses on the ways responses to perceived environmental problems are organised within a society. From my use of Uekoetter�s model I conclude that, despite a number of setbacks during the mid to late 19th century, by 1939 New Zealanders had developed highly dynamic processes within their weed science, extending into the wider farming community, by which they could feel their way with some confidence into a future where they might better manage the contest with their weeds, if not actually eradicate them.
190

Aspects of the population biology of the southern arrow squid, Nototodarus sloanii, in southern New Zealand

McKinnon, Jean Fiona, n/a January 2007 (has links)
Nototodarus sloanii is an important component of the Southern Ocean fauna, and the basis of a large commercial fishery. Despite this, much is unknown about the biology of this species. This study examines some aspects of the biology of N. sloanii. Stomach contents analysis identified no significant differences in diet between male and female squid. Sixteen putative species, including 12 identifiable teleosts, 2 crustaceans, and 2 cephalopods were identified in the diet of this species. The euphausid, Nyctiphanes australis was the most important prey item, Lanternfish, Lampanyctodes hectoris, and Pearlside, Maurolicus muelleri, were of secondary importance. Squid were aged using counts of statolith micro-increments and back-calculation from the date of capture showed that hatching occurred between August and February, with a peak in the austral winter/spring and another smaller peak in the austral summer. Growth rate for male squid differed depending on whether squid were hatched in the winter/spring or summer. Growth rates were more variable in the winter/spring-hatched individuals, and they attained larger size than summer-hatched squid. This was not the case for female squid. Mean age for immature winter/spring-hatched squid was significantly higher than for summer-hatched squid, although there was no significant difference in mean mantle length or body mass. No significant differences between mean age, mantle length, or body mass for same-gender mature squid, regardless of hatch season, were apparent. However, mature female squid hatched in the winter/spring season were significantly longer (ML) than mature male squid hatched in winter/spring. No squid was found to be older than 211 days. All squid had started to mature by 91-120 days old and all were fully mature at 180 days. Validation experiments run on juvenile squid using calcein markers were inconclusive, however the increments in the statoliths were very similar to those found in other validated species of ommastrephid squid, thus for the purposes of this study they were assumed to be of daily periodicity. Gladius increments identify a gender difference in growth rate, with female squid having a shorter initial slow growth phase than male squid. Gonadosomatic indices (GSIs) were calculated for male and female squid. These were low (7.12%�0.3% for females and 1.9%�0.2% for males) suggesting that these squid are intermittent spawners. This is further supported by a histological examination, which found germinal cells of different stages present in the same gonad. Lack of mature individuals in this study means that these results are suggestive rather than definitive; more examination of the reproductive process of this squid is required. Histological examination was also used to validate the Lipinski maturity scale for use with this species, while some misidentification occurred the scale is useful to place squid into the broad categories of immature, maturing, or mature. New maturity scales were created for N. sloanii utilising these broad categories. Finer-scale identification is not possible using this scale, as maturation appears to be a continuous process. Morphometric measurements were taken from both hard and soft tissues and were analysed using non-metric multidimensional scaling and analysis of similarity. Divisions were only apparent in the hard structure measurements. They did not appear to be age, dietary or reproductive differences.

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