A global extinction event has been documented in protozoan foraminifera in the late Pliocene to Pleistocene. The timing of the extinction event varied depending on location, however for Ocean Drilling Project Site 1125, disappearances occurred between 2.5 and 0.57 Ma, with the major decline approximately 1.1 Ma. In order to determine if this event affected benthic organisms other than protozoans, this study was undertaken to determine how podocopid ostracods (Crustacea) recovered Ocean Drilling Program Site 1125 responded. The present study was hindered by the small number of valves recovered; the fact that a large proportion of taxa found were undescribed and new to science; and the current state of taxonomic scheme that is under significant revision. These factors meant that a comprehensive comparison could not be achieved. Despite this, counts of ostracod valves and assessments of diversity from this study reveal a significant increase in both parameters from approximately 900-600 ka. Three possible causes were investigated to account for this increase, sediment type and sample size; affects of taphonomy, mainly dissolution; or an actual biotic 'event'. Statistical analyses showed that although sample size did have some effect, it was not the sole reason for the increase in ostracod numbers. Dissolution had an expected affect on the percentage of juveniles but no correlations were found with other sample characteristics. Sedimentation rate was investigated but this also proved unrelated. Therefore, it is suggested that the increase in total ostracod valves and diversity which occurs between 900 and 600 ka was in fact a natural, biotic 'event'. This preliminary evidence suggests that an oceanographic event that has negatively impacted on the foraminifers has had the reverse affect on the ostracod assemblage, in the sense that both population size and diversity increase during that time.

This thesis examines the logistical support of the Australian Army???s operations in the South West Pacific from January 1943 to August 1945. It begins by examining the strategic context. Succeeding chapters then examine various topics, including doctrine, base development, problems of storage and tropic proofing, inland water transport, road construction, air supply, amphibious operations and the support of combat operations. In this thesis I argue that the Australian Army???s logistical acumen and ability steadily grew with each campaign, resulting in a highly effective military organisation that inflicted a series of crushing defeats on the Japanese.

This thesis examines the logistical support of the Australian Army???s operations in the South West Pacific from January 1943 to August 1945. It begins by examining the strategic context. Succeeding chapters then examine various topics, including doctrine, base development, problems of storage and tropic proofing, inland water transport, road construction, air supply, amphibious operations and the support of combat operations. In this thesis I argue that the Australian Army???s logistical acumen and ability steadily grew with each campaign, resulting in a highly effective military organisation that inflicted a series of crushing defeats on the Japanese.

A global extinction event has been documented in protozoan foraminifera in the late Pliocene to Pleistocene. The timing of the extinction event varied depending on location, however for Ocean Drilling Project Site 1125, disappearances occurred between 2.5 and 0.57 Ma, with the major decline approximately 1.1 Ma. In order to determine if this event affected benthic organisms other than protozoans, this study was undertaken to determine how podocopid ostracods (Crustacea) recovered Ocean Drilling Program Site 1125 responded. The present study was hindered by the small number of valves recovered; the fact that a large proportion of taxa found were undescribed and new to science; and the current state of taxonomic scheme that is under significant revision. These factors meant that a comprehensive comparison could not be achieved. Despite this, counts of ostracod valves and assessments of diversity from this study reveal a significant increase in both parameters from approximately 900-600 ka. Three possible causes were investigated to account for this increase, sediment type and sample size; affects of taphonomy, mainly dissolution; or an actual biotic 'event'. Statistical analyses showed that although sample size did have some effect, it was not the sole reason for the increase in ostracod numbers. Dissolution had an expected affect on the percentage of juveniles but no correlations were found with other sample characteristics. Sedimentation rate was investigated but this also proved unrelated. Therefore, it is suggested that the increase in total ostracod valves and diversity which occurs between 900 and 600 ka was in fact a natural, biotic 'event'. This preliminary evidence suggests that an oceanographic event that has negatively impacted on the foraminifers has had the reverse affect on the ostracod assemblage, in the sense that both population size and diversity increase during that time.

L’ophiolite de Nouvelle Calédonie présente une des plus grandes sections de manteau océanique obductées au monde, offrant une perspective unique pour l’étude des processus du manteau supérieur. Les roches du manteau appartiennent à une séquence ophiolitique “atypique”, dominée par des harzburgites réfractaires avec quelques lherzolites à spinelle et à plagioclase. À l'exception de quelques cumulats mafiques-ultramafiques, la partie crustale de l'ophiolite est totalement absente. Cette ophiolite a été étudiée depuis plusieurs décennies, toutefois sa nature ultra-appauvrie a rendu très difficile une caractérisation géochimique détaillée. La littérature scientifique ne regroupe que quelques données sur les éléments en trace et les données isotopiques sont totalement inexistantes. Dans ce travail de thèse, une étude géochimique exhaustive (éléments majeurs, en trace et isotopes Sr-Nd-Pb) des péridotites et des roches mafiques associées à l’ophiolite a été réalisée. Les péridotites sont des tectonites avec des textures porphyroclastiques. Les lherzolites à spinelle ont 7-8 vol.% de clinopyroxène riche en Na2O et Al2O3 (jusqu’à Na2O 0.5 wt.%; 6.5 wt.% Al2O3), teneur en Fo de l’olivine de 88.5 à 90.0 mol.%, bas valeurs du Cr# du spinelle (13-17), attestant la nature fertiles de ces roches. A l’inverse les harzburgites costituent des roches très réfractaires : ils ne contiennent pas de clinopyroxène primaire et les teneurs en Fo de l’olivine (90.9-92.9 mol.%), le Mg# de l’orthopyroxène et le Cr# du spinelle (39-71) sont élevés. Les spectres de concentrations en REE présentent des caractéristiques typiques de formation dans un environnement abyssal pour les lherzolites à spinelle, alors que les harzburgites ont des spectres en U typiques d’environnement d’avant-arc. Les compositions en REE des lherzolites à spinelle sont compatibles avec un bas degré de fusion fractionnée (8-9%) d'une source DMM, commençant dans le domaine de stabilité du grenat. Au contraire les concentrations en REE des harzburgites indiquent un haut degré de fusion d’une source DMM, en accord avec une fusion hydratée en environnement d’avant-arc. Les lherzolites à plagioclase présentent des microtextures d’imprégnation, des spinelles riches en Cr2O3 et TiO2 et un enrichissement progressif en REE, Ti, Y, Zr. Les modèles des éléments en trace indiquent que les lherzolites à plagioclase résultent des lherzolites à spinelle par séquestration des liquides MORB très appauvris au sein de la lithosphère océanique.Les roches intrusives sont des gabbronorites à olivine avec des compositions très appauvries (87.3≤Fo ol≤88.9 mol.%, 87.7≤Mg# Cpx≤92.2, An Pl=90-96 mol.%). Le haut Mg#, le bas teneur de TiO2 des pyroxènes, la composition en anorthite du plagioclase et le modèle des éléments en trace montrent que les magmas parents des gabbronorites sont des magmas primitifs, très appauvries, formés dans un environnement de subduction. / The New Caledonia ophiolite hosts one of the largest obducted mantle section in the world, hence providing a unique insight for the study of upper mantle processes. These mantle rocks belong to an “atypical” ophiolitic sequence, which is dominated by refractory harzburgites but it also includes minor spinel and plagioclase lherzolites. Upper crust is notably absent in the ophiolite, with the exception of some mafic-ultramafic cumulates cropping out in the southern part of the island. Although the New Caledonia ophiolite has been under investigation for decades, its ultra-depleted nature has made its characterization an analytical challenge, so that few trace element data are available, while isotopic data are completely missing. In this thesis a comprehensive geochemical study (major, trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes) of the peridotites and the associated intrusive mafic rocks from the New Caledonia ophiolite has been carried out. The peridotites are low-strain tectonites showing porphyroclastic textures. Spinel lherzolites are undepleted lithotypes, as attested by the presence of 7-8 vol.% of Na2O and Al2O3-rich clinopyroxene (up to 0.5 wt.% Na2O; 6.5 wt.% Al2O3), Fo content of olivine (88.5-90.0 mol.%) and low Cr# of spinel (13-17). Conversely, harzburgites display a refractory nature, proven by the remarkable absence of primary clinopyroxene, very high Fo content in olivine (90.9-92.9 mol.%), high Mg# in orthopyroxene (89.8-94.2) and Cr# in spinel (39-71). REE contents show abyssal-type patterns for spinel lherzolites, while harzburgites display U-shaped patterns, typical of fore-arc settings.Spinel lherzolites REE compositions are consistent with relatively low degree (8-9%) of fractional melting of a DMM source, starting in the garnet stability field. Conversely, REE models for harzburgites indicate high melting degrees (20-25%) of a DMM mantle source under spinel faies conditions, consistent with hydrous melting in forearc setting. Plagioclase lherzolites exhibit melt impregnation microtextures, Cr- and TiO2-enriched spinels and REE, Ti, Y, Zr progressive increase with respect to spinel lherzolites. Impregnation models indicate that plagioclase lherzolites may derive from spinel lherzolites by entrapment of highly depleted MORB melts in the shallow oceanic lithosphere. Mafic intrusives are olivine gabbronorites with a very refractory composition, as attested by high Fo content of olivine (87.3-88.9 mol.%), very high Mg# of clinopyroxene (87.7-92.2) and extreme anorthitic content of plagioclase (An = 90-96 mol.%). The high Mg#, low TiO2 concentrations in pyroxenes and the anorthitic composition of plagioclase point out an origin from ultra-depleted primitive magmas in a convergent setting. Geochemical trace element models show that the parental melts of gabbronorites are primitive magmas with striking depleted compositions, bearing only in part similarities with the primitive boninitic melts of Bonin Islands. The first Sr, Nd and Pb isotope data obtained for the New Caledonia ophiolite highlight the presence of DM mantle source variably modified by different processes.Nd-Sr-Pb isotopic ratios for the lherzolites (+6.98≤ƐNdi≤+10.97) indicate a DM source that suffered low-temperature hydrothermal reactions. Harzburgites are characterized by a wide variation of Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic values, extending from DM-type to EMII compositions (-0.82≤ƐNdi≤+17.55), suggesting that harzburgite source was strongly affected by subduction-related processes. Conversely, combined trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data for gabbronorites indicate a derivation from a source with composition similar to Indian-type mantle, but affected by fluid input in subduction environment.