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Background: Vector-borne diseases cause morbidity and mortality globally. However, some areas are more impacted than others, especially with climate change. Controlling vectors remains the primary means to prevent these diseases, but new, more effective tools are needed. The World Health Organization (WHO) prioritized evaluating novel control methods, such as sterile insect technique (SIT) for control of Aedes-borne diseases. In response, a multiagency partnership between the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), WHO, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supported the operational implementation and evaluation of SIT against Aedes aegypti and arboviral diseases in the Pacific through a consortium of regional partners (PAC-SIT Consortium). Main text: A workshop was held from 2 to 6 May 2023, during which PAC-SIT country participants, researchers, and stakeholders in SIT, scientific advisory committee members, and organizational partners came together to review the principles and components of SIT, share experiences, visit field sites and the SIT facility, and officially launch the PAC-SIT project. Working in groups focused on entomology, epidemiology, and community engagement, participants addressed challenges, priorities, and needs for SIT implementation. Conclusions: The PAC-SIT workshop brought together researchers and stakeholders engaged in evaluating SIT for arboviral diseases in the Pacific region and globally. This training workshop highlighted that many countries are actively engaged in building operational capacities and phased testing of SIT. The workshop identified a key need for robust larger-scale studies tied with epidemiological endpoints to provide evidence for the scalability and impact on mosquito-borne diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Māori are over-represented in Aotearoa New Zealand morbidity and mortality statistics. Other populations with high health needs include Pacific peoples and those living with material deprivation. General practice has evolved into seven models of primary care: Traditional, Corporate, Health Care Home, Māori, Pacific, Trusts / Non-governmental organisations (Trust/NGOs) and District Health Board / Primary Care Organisations (DHB/PHO). We describe nurse work in relation to these models of care, populations with high health need and patient health outcomes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study (at 30 September 2018) of data from national datasets and practices at patient level. Six primary outcome measures were selected because they could be improved by primary care: polypharmacy (≥ 65 years), glucose control testing in adults with diabetes, immunisations (at 6 months), ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations (0–14, 45–64 years) and emergency department attendances. Analysis adjusted for patient and practice characteristics. Results: Nurse clinical time, and combined nurse, nurse practitioner and general practitioner clinical time, were substantially higher in Trust/NGO, Māori, and Pacific practices than in other models. Increased patient clinical complexity was associated with more clinical input and higher scores on all outcome measures. The highest rates of preventative care by nurses (cervical screening, cardiovascular risk assessment, depression screening, glucose control testing) were in Māori, Trust/NGO and Pacific practices. There was an eightfold difference, across models of care, in percentage of depression screening undertaken by nurses and a fivefold difference in cervical screening and glucose control testing. The highest rates of nurse consultations afterhours and with unenrolled patients, improving access, were in PHO/DHB, Pacific, Trust/NGO and Māori practices. Work not attributed to nurses in the practice records meant nurse work was underestimated to an unknown degree. Conclusions: Transferring work to nurses in Traditional, Health Care Home, and Corporate practices, would release general practitioner clinical time for other work. Worse patient health outcomes were associated with higher patient need and higher clinical input. It is plausible that there is insufficient clinical input to meet the degree of patient need. More practitioner clinical time is required, especially in practices with high volumes of complex patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal hazards threaten properties, infrastructure, and cultural sites around Aotearoa New Zealand's (hereafter Aotearoa) coastline and sea-level rise (SLR) will escalate this problem. At present it is unclear how archaeological sites will be affected by future coastal erosion and inundation. In this paper we combine national-scale archaeological and environmental datasets to provide a first-pass overview of archaeological heritage at risk in Aotearoa. Two key national-scale datasets are utilized: (1) coastal sensitivity index (CSI) developed by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; and (2) ArchSite, Aotearoa's archaeological site database. The integrated datasets produce insights into the sensitivity of coastal archaeology to SLR and associated hazards, which are vital to planning for the loss of coastal archaeological sites. More than half (∼55%) of recorded coastal archaeological sites around Aotearoa are midden (n = 4938) and about 25% (n = 2271) are earthworks. In total, ca. 12% (9054) of all known archaeological sites are within 1000 m of soft shore shorelines. Of this total, only about 3% (302) of sites are burials, but the loss of these 302 burial sites would have very high cultural impact. Coastal erosion is a particularly important threat to archaeology as it would permanently remove sites, whereas the risk of site removal by coastal flooding inundation is lower. Our results show that about 22% (1954) of coastal archaeological sites are located on landforms that are sensitive to SLR-driven erosion: 29% (2660) of archaeological sites are located on foredune barrier beaches, 23% (2059) on foredune barrier plains, 14% (1283) on beaches, and 9% (808) on beach ridge barriers. This work draws attention to the scale of coastal archaeology in Aotearoa that needs adequate documentation, preservation, and potentially protection in the face of SLR. Robust coastal erosion and inundation datasets are needed to more deeply understand potential SLR-driven impacts on coastal archaeology and provide a scientific foundation for considering future adaptation options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a feminist reflection of our experience teaching and learning feminisms with Pacific Islanders. We take as a starting point that feminism itself is encased in emotion. In the Pacific, some antagonise the term "feminism" as a foreign imposition and a "threat" to Pacific cultures. To others, feminism instils hope in the context of egalitarian aspirations framed within a development discourse. Some cautiously engage with feminist values, others embrace the notion passionately, generating multiple Pacific feminisms. Indirectly but instinctively, our approach to the teaching of feminism in this context has been to embark with students on a journey of experience and idea sharing and view it as an emotional journey. Acknowledging our positionalities, with their commonalities and differences, we examine the sentiments towards feminism embedded in postcolonial dynamics, as they manifest in our classrooms, and consider strategies for decolonial pedagogies of feminism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Zealand's potential involvement in AUKUS poses a generational foreign policy decision, engaging competing commitments to Pacific and Anglosphere-centred security. This discussion paper identifies implications for New Zealand's regional engagement, and its previous independent, nuclear-free, and Pacific-led policy approaches. It suggests that the Blue Pacific narrative and Indo-Pacific Strategy are irreconcilable and that AUKUS involvement would undermine support for Pacific priorities of climate, development, and disarmament. We should not underplay what is at stake. New Zealand risks losing the Pacific to the Anglosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arguably no two neighbours are as deeply intermeshed as Australia and New Zealand. Both have a mutually reinforcing and non-discretionary stake in the Pacific’s prosperity and security—the region of greatest strategic intersection and overlapping national interests. Although strategically aligned, New Zealand is not a ‘mini-Australia’. Australia is an Indo-Pacific middle power with equities to balance with its US ally and regional partners like Japan, Indonesia, and India. New Zealand is a small state with a Pacific identity. Despite asymmetries, New Zealand offers strategic value to Australia through Pasifika demographics, niche capabilities, and by adding another voice to shared objectives. Due to scale and culture differences, New Zealand can credibly and authentically engage with Pacific partners in a different way from Australia. The ANZUS military alliance remains the backbone of the strategic relationship. However, as the inaugural Australia-New Zealand Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministerial meeting (ANZMIN) in February 2024 affirmed, increasingly all ‘tools of statecraft’ need to be applied to the compounding challenges ahead. Further, both countries should leverage their comparative advantages as part of collective efforts. A modernised understanding of the alliance might start by re-examining each country’s geopolitical mindset and the respective strategic value each provides the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic status of butterfly rays within the genus Gymnura remains a subject of ongoing debate among researchers. Some authors recognize up to five valid species for the Americas, while others considered several to be synonyms, which has posed a persistent challenge. We aimed to shed light on this complexity by employing molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI). Genetic sequences were obtained from fresh muscle tissue collected in the marine ecoregions corresponding to the type locality from all the nominal butterfly ray species distributed along the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Our results unveiled compelling findings; all the species delimitation models used consistently identified seven MOTUs for the American continent and an extra G. altavela MOTU restricted to Africa. In addition, our results and models exceeded the worldwide accepted interspecific threshold of 2.0%. Remarkably, our results support the taxonomic reinstatement of Gymnura afuerae (Hildebrand, 1946) as a valid species, with a range expanding into the ETP in the Southern Hemisphere. Similarly, our data support the recent suggestion of resurrecting Gymnura valenciennii (Duméril, 1865) as a valid species in the western Atlantic. These findings urge a reassessment of the conservation status and a comprehensive taxonomic revision of American butterfly rays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study explores perspectives of on-pack alcohol warning labels, and how they might influence alcohol purchase and/or consumption behavior to inform culturally appropriate label design for effective behavior change. Methods New Zealand participants ≥18 years, who reported having purchased and consumed alcoholic beverages in the last month were recruited via a market research panel and grouped into 10 focus groups (n  = 53) by ethnicity (general population, Māori, and Pacific peoples), age group, and level of alcohol consumption. Participants were shown six potential alcohol health warning labels, with design informed by relevant literature, label framework, and stakeholder feedback. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed via qualitative (directed) content analysis. Results Effective alcohol labels should be prominent, featuring large red and/or black text with a red border, combining text with visuals, and words like "WARNING" in capitals. Labels should contrast with bottle color, be easily understood, and avoid excessive text and confusing imagery. Participants preferred specific health outcomes, such as heart disease and cancer, increasing message urgency and relevance. Anticipated behavior change included reduced drinking and increased awareness of harms, but some may attempt to mitigate warnings by covering or removing labels. Contextual factors, including consistent design and targeted labels for different beverages and populations, are crucial. There was a strong emphasis on collective health impacts, particularly among Māori and Pacific participants. Conclusions Our findings indicate that implementing alcohol warning labels, combined with comprehensive strategies like retail and social marketing campaigns, could effectively inform and influence the behavior of New Zealand's varied drinkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapidly expanding area of marine space in the Pacific is being assessed under a process known as Marine Spatial Planning (MSP). Through the political process, MSP brings together an assemblage of national governments, private organizations and local communities to define how marine spaces should be governed. MSP results in numerous new marine spatial categories that delimit an area according to the respective principals and rules decided upon. The authors of this article argue that traditional powers to make and enforce decisions concerning the governance of marine spaces have been weakened through the political process of MSP in the Pacific. The responses that emerged from conducting qualitative semi‐structured interviews with participants in Fiji and the Cook Islands indicate that indigenous marine authority is being undermined through manipulation of the MSP process. The findings further revealed an underlying recognition that the MSP process has proven to be incapable of equitably weighing indigenous Pacific Islanders' interests in relation to the economic, environmental and security interests of external ocean stakeholders. The authors further argue that external ocean stakeholders can successfully pursue their own objectives through the MSP process in ways that bypass indigenous authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pacific Island Countries and Territories are highly exposed to natural disasters, intensified by increases in frequency and force of extreme weather events. Pacific societies, like in Vanuatu, have been shaped in many ways by such natural disasters; reflected in customary practices and social fabric of rural coastal communities. When a natural disaster occurs, government attention justifiably focuses on channelling and coordinating international humanitarian aid to fill gaps in capacity and resourcing national recovery efforts. However, central to disaster recovery, particularly in the immediate aftermath of disruption, are the ways that local people support each other (within and between communities). Disconnects between national and local recovery efforts are common and stand to inhibit effective responses. This study aims to understand horizontal, self-organised community-to-community support systems and communities’ post-disaster engagement with external aid. It draws from two different datasets: i) the observations collected through the emergency relief work led by the National Disaster Management Office in Vanuatu shortly after the 2023 twin tropical cyclones Judy and Kevin hit the country, as well as ii) the loss and damage survey led by the Vanuatu Fisheries Department to estimate the level of damage these cyclones caused in various regions of Vanuatu. Through this process, we highlight the social systems that enable community-to-community support, as well as potential opportunities for external-aid to support communities in a more efficient manner. Results reveal that community-to-community support is critical in the first weeks post-disaster. Recognizing the roles that different support networks play at different stages of disaster response is critical not only to improving people's and institutions' ability to bounce back from particular disruptions, but also in broader efforts to strengthen community resilience in the face of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are considered to hold promise for addressing the pressing and multi-faceted challenges of climate resilience. Addressing this contemporary agenda, this research paper explores the potential value of NbS in urban contexts based on the experience of implementing four NbS pilots to address climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction in an informal settlement in Honiara, Solomon Islands. The project, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), employed an inclusive co-production approach, with the project team engaging closely with community members and local stakeholders throughout the planning, design and implementation stages. Findings reinforce the importance of long-term engagement and trust-building with members of the community and also underscore the value of empowering local partners in project design and implementation in Pacific Island Nations. The paper details the local processes that were involved and highlights the key insights and lessons learned from the proof-of-concept project which can usefully inform the scaling up of NbS initiatives to achieve multiple benefits in other similar urban contexts in the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of whether New Zealand should participate in AUKUS or not has emerged as a significant debate in popular political discourses in 2024. Thus far, clear pro-AUKUS and anti-AUKUS camps have developed. The pro-AUKUS camp emphasises the growing threat of China in the Indo-Pacific and New Zealand’s lacking technological capabilities that have it exposed if a conflict emerges. The anti-AUKUS camp emphasises New Zealand’s embedded independent foreign policy and staunch anti-nuclear stance which makes participating in AUKUS an ethically untenable option. However, neither side has considered the deeper, ontological questions on the table and how this affects New Zealand’s main foreign policy concern: the Pacific. New Zealand’s recent engagement with the Pacific and its experimentation with a Māori foreign policy led it to being a champion of the Blue Pacific narrative, an ontologically distinct approach that challenges the geopolitically-focussed Indo-Pacific concept. Yet, in the wake of New Zealand's flirtation with AUKUS, the Blue Pacific has been largely ignored in debates. Ultimately, the debate about AUKUS misses the big picture as it, so far, limits the focus on the true existential threat to New Zealand and the Pacific which is not China’s rise but rather climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sense-making processes shape the messages and impacts of qualitative research. Using qualitative data analysis methods embedded within a Pacific-Indigenous research paradigm decolonises research. This article discusses the Pacific-Indigenous data analysis processes of talanoa and fa'afaletui employed within a study of Pacific elder care in Aotearoa New Zealand, conducted by scholars of Pacific/Moana heritage. While research literature has primarily identified talanoa and fa'afaletui as data collection methods, we discuss our use of talanoa and fa'afaletui as methods of analysis. Talanoa and fa'afaletui were engaged as collective processes of orality weaving understanding from the researchers' lived experiences and navigating across languages. Enhancing authenticity and actionability are identified as benefits of talanoa and fa'afaletui collective data analysis. Considerations for implementing these methods are language, logistics and location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formal education in Nauru can only be fully understood in the light of the external influences, mostly Australian in origin, acting upon it as a small island state in the Central Pacific. Australia's influence began in the early 1900s as a leading stakeholder in Nauru's lucrative phosphate reserves. In the last few decades Nauru's dramatic economic decline has meant it has come into the orbit of Australia's official development assistance (ODA) to the Pacific region. However, Australia has ties to Nauru that go beyond mere economic and development assistance, for example, the country is a crucial site in Australia's own immigration policy and the offshore processing of asylum seekers bound for Australia. Geopolitically, Nauru is also important to Australia as one of a decreasing number of Taiwan‐loyal Pacific nations in the face of China's increasing assertiveness in the region. The nature of the relationship with Nauru has meant that for many decades Australia has provided an almost exclusive conduit of educational ideas, values, beliefs and practices flowing into the country to uniquely shape formal education provision. The purpose of this article is twofold. Firstly, via a synthesis of research literature and debate, it critiques the long‐running, primarily, Australia‐facing relationship Nauru has in terms of the educational assistance it receives, including the Nauru Education Program, a significant Australian development assistance initiative about to commence through to 2030. Secondly, with a basis in the advocacy literature of the Rethinking Pacific Education Initiative, the article highlights the possibility of a much more Pacific regionally facing Nauru over the next few decades as a result of relatively recent regional instrumentalities such as the Pacific Island Forum's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acanthocephalans in the polymorphid genus Bolbosoma Porta, 1908 utilize marine mammals and seabirds as the definitive host, and marine fish as the paratenic host. As in many other groups of acanthocephalans, morphology-based species identification at the cystacanth stage of Bolbosoma is challenging; at present, DNA barcoding is the most reliable approach for larval identification. However, sequence data currently available for Bolbosoma are scarce. In this study, we report the morphology and DNA sequence information (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 18S rRNA genes) of Bolbosoma cystacanths from six marine fish species collected in Japan.

Abstract Background Māori are over-represented in Aotearoa New Zealand morbidity and mortality statistics. Other populations with high health needs include Pacific peoples and those living with material deprivation. General practice has evolved into seven models of primary care: Traditional, Corporate, Health Care Home, Māori, Pacific, Trusts / Non-governmental organisations (Trust/NGOs) and District Health Board / Primary Care Organisations (DHB/PHO). We describe nurse work in relation to these models of care, populations with high health need and patient health outcomes. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study (at 30 September 2018) of data from national datasets and practices at patient level. Six primary outcome measures were selected because they could be improved by primary care: polypharmacy (≥ 65 years), glucose control testing in adults with diabetes, immunisations (at 6 months), ambulatory sensitive hospitalisations (0–14, 45–64 years) and emergency department attendances. Analysis adjusted for patient and practice characteristics. Results Nurse clinical time, and combined nurse, nurse practitioner and general practitioner clinical time, were substantially higher in Trust/NGO, Māori, and Pacific practices than in other models. Increased patient clinical complexity was associated with more clinical input and higher scores on all outcome measures. The highest rates of preventative care by nurses (cervical screening, cardiovascular risk assessment, depression screening, glucose control testing) were in Māori, Trust/NGO and Pacific practices. There was an eightfold difference, across models of care, in percentage of depression screening undertaken by nurses and a fivefold difference in cervical screening and glucose control testing. The highest rates of nurse consultations afterhours and with unenrolled patients, improving access, were in PHO/DHB, Pacific, Trust/NGO and Māori practices. Work not attributed to nurses in the practice records meant nurse work was underestimated to an unknown degree. Conclusions Transferring work to nurses in Traditional, Health Care Home, and Corporate practices, would release general practitioner clinical time for other work. Worse patient health outcomes were associated with higher patient need and higher clinical input. It is plausible that there is insufficient clinical input to meet the degree of patient need. More practitioner clinical time is required, especially in practices with high volumes of complex patients.

Traditionally, sleep science is grounded in biology, physiology, and medicine. But socio-cultural considerations provide a crucial lens into sleep health. Exploring the sociology of sleep in Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ) could broaden our understandings and better represent sleep-related practices among our diverse communities. This scoping review represents the pre-existing literature concerning sleep as a social or cultural practice in AoNZ. The initial search (via Discover and Scopus) search yielded 2,442 results. Of these results, 113 manuscripts were characterised of interest, but only 20 were directly related and included in the review. This literature was presented in relation to Meadows’ (2005) modes of ‘sleep embodiment’ including sleep practice norms, the pragmatics of sleep and social roles, individual experiences and feelings related to sleep, and the visceral need for sleep. The findings highlight the progress of sleep literature in AoNZ. This covers diverse sleep practices, perspectives and experiences of sleep and sleeping, as well as the broader socio-cultural factors and unique AoNZ context that influence sleep. However, gaps in the field of local sleep research are also identified. Findings lay the foundation for further research in AoNZ to explore sleep-related discourses and practices that will ultimately broaden existing perspectives.

Coconut production in the Pacific Islands is threatened by coconut rhinoceros beetle (CRB). Distinctive feeding damage caused by adults is often the first indicator of CRB activity in a new location. Multiple approaches to damage assessment have been used, reflecting observers' experience. The lack of standardisation makes it difficult to compare CRB impacts on coconut palms over time. We examine damage assessment from three perspectives: participants, power and purpose. Participants applied binary, 3-point and 5-point damage scales consecutively to photographs of damaged palms. Participant responses were more accurate using the binary scale compared with the 5-point scale. Experience with CRB improved accuracy, but this did not wholly compensate for the effect of scale complexity. Calculations of statistical power determined minimum sample sizes to detect a 20% change in palm damage was 50 palms for the binary scale, 150 palms for the 3-point scale and > 200 palms for the 5-point scale, when the change in damage was spread across damage categories. More complex damage scales did not increase the likelihood of detecting significant changes in palm damage. With real-world examples, including detecting new outbreaks and managing established populations, recommendations were developed to standardise damage assessment for CRB on coconut palms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant protection is increasingly problematic in a climate-challenged world where the need for food security is increasingly urgent. Plant Health Clinics (PHCs) are an effective way of improving the capability of extension services to assist farmers to manage plant problems, by delivering personalised advice. They are also recognised as an important element in the building of the region's plant health system, with links to biosecurity and research. Based on a medical model, the advice is provided by extension officers trained as 'plant health doctors', at a clinic accessible to farmers. Indications are that in the Pacific, farmers are very supportive of the PHC approach. In this paper, we consider the background and need for PHCs and the training of plant health doctors. We then discuss the important role of three of the region's universities – Fiji National University (FNU), Solomon Islands National University (SINU), and the University of Goroka (UoG) in PNG which now provide PHC education to students of agriculture and beyond to sustain the programme once donor funding ceases. Overall, the experience of including PHCs offers authentic learning for students, as well as opening a wide range of research opportunities to investigate and support the programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pacific countries of Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu account for less than 2% of the world's cacao dry bean production. To capitalise on the rapidly expanding origin craft cocoa market, understanding the genetic attributes of Theobroma cacao in the Pacific is essential. A six-year ACIAR-funded project collected 1647 dried leaf samples from research stations and smallholder farms to identify the population ancestry of T. cacao in the partner countries. Using SNP marker profiling, the study identified germplasm high in Amelonado, which represents the majority of material throughout the Pacific. However, the study also identified samples high in the remaining nine genetic groups, including Criollo, Nanay, IMC (Iquitos), Guiana, Parinari (Marañón), Nacional, Ucayali (Contamana), LCT EEN (Curaray), and Purus, which were distributed throughout the Pacific. The results, if utilised in local selection trials, could reposition growers in the Pacific countries, allowing them to supply the growing origin craft cocoa market, with genetically unique beans. Cocoa genetics was one aspect of a project incorporating production and postharvest research to refocus the commodity based cocoa industry to a supplier of high-quality beans of unique Pacific cocoa origin to the rapidly expanding craft 'bean to bar' cocoa industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea-level rise (SLR) is one of the greatest future threats to mangrove forests. Mangroves have kept up with or paced past SLR by maintaining their forest floor elevation relative to sea level through root growth, sedimentation, and peat development. Monitoring surface elevation change (SEC) or accretion rates allows us to understand mangrove response to SLR and prioritizes resilient ecosystems for conservation or vulnerable ecosystems for restoration. We compared three methods to measure SEC and accretion in mangrove forests: 210Pb, surface elevation tables (SETs), and a terrestrial light detection and ranging system (compact biomass LiDAR—CBL). Lead-210 accretion rates were not significantly different than SET SEC rates and differences between the two methods (− 2 to 2 mm/year) were within the error of our measurements. Lead-210 only measures accretion in the upper meter of sediment and cannot capture deeper subsurface processes (e.g., subsidence, compaction) that SETs can. The lack of differences suggests the following: (1) surface processes in the active root zone are influencing forest floor elevation more than subsurface processes, (2) subsurface processes were not large enough to effect elevation, or (3) the SETs were not installed deep enough to capture subsurface processes. CBL SEC rates did not differ significantly from SET SEC rates. The larger spatial scale of the CBL scans resulted in significantly different SEC rates from some of the plots. This was due to the CBL measuring areas missed by the SET. The greater number of points measured by CBL (~ 30,000 vs 36) increased precision and lowered standard error. The traditional SET/rSET method is currently 3–10 × cheaper than the 210Pb or CBL method, respectively, and can accurately track changes in forest floor elevation. Costs of the use of LiDAR are likely to decrease in the future with the advent of newer and more cost-effective technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The taxonomic status of butterfly rays within the genus Gymnura remains a subject of ongoing debate among researchers. Some authors recognize up to five valid species for the Americas, while others considered several to be synonyms, which has posed a persistent challenge. We aimed to shed light on this complexity by employing molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase I (COI). Genetic sequences were obtained from fresh muscle tissue collected in the marine ecoregions corresponding to the type locality from all the nominal butterfly ray species distributed along the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Our results unveiled compelling findings; all the species delimitation models used consistently identified seven MOTUs for the American continent and an extra G. altavela MOTU restricted to Africa. In addition, our results and models exceeded the worldwide accepted interspecific threshold of 2.0%. Remarkably, our results support the taxonomic reinstatement of Gymnura afuerae (Hildebrand, 1946) as a valid species, with a range expanding into the ETP in the Southern Hemisphere. Similarly, our data support the recent suggestion of resurrecting Gymnura valenciennii (Duméril, 1865) as a valid species in the western Atlantic. These findings urge a reassessment of the conservation status and a comprehensive taxonomic revision of American butterfly rays.

Abstract Hikitia te Ora (Certificate in Health Sciences) is a 1 year Indigenous bridging foundation programme at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme aims to increase Māori and Pacific health workforce representation. This qualitative study applied a Kaupapa Māori positioning to elucidate the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the programme. Data were collected through two workshops and seven focus groups with a total of 67 participants who were students of Hikitia te Ora from past and present cohorts, or their family members. Using a general inductive thematic analysis, the primary themes identified were that programme successes encompassed whanaungatanga (process of establishing relationships), academic and pastoral support, programme structure and the teaching content. Challenges included social cliques and divisive social groupings, timetabling of courses and high workloads. The three areas that emerged for further development include extending Pacific content, increasing the number of students in the programme, and maintaining a programme-specific study space for students. Implementing the findings from this study into Hikitia te Ora is expected to improve educational outcomes for Māori and Pacific students and may have the potential to benefit other bridging foundation courses aiming to promote Indigenous health workforce development.

Con su poesía, las poetas afrocolombianas revelan la relación entre el ser humano y su entorno, demuestran la interconexión e interdependencia entre los seres vivos y no vivos, y exponen cómo la protección y el cuidado del medioambiente son claves para la huma-nidad. En este artículo se analiza la producción poética de las autoras Sonia Nadhezda Truque y María Elcina Valencia Córdoba, quienes reflejan sus vivencias y perspectivas res-pecto al entorno, al ser afectadas por la violencia, el desplazamiento y las condiciones de raza, género y clase. La poesía de estas mujeres del Pacífico presenta una ética e inter-conexión con sus territorios, lo que evidencia una significativa conexión con lo terrenal y lo natural (tal como la filosofía africana ambiental). Se concluye que en su poesía se encuentran aspectos de la teoría african-ecocriticism y ecowomanism, como resultado de sus experiencias como activistas ambientales, mujeres y miembros de la diáspora africana. Afro-Colombian women poets, by their poetry, reveal the relationship of human beings with their environment They present the interconnection and interdependence of all living and non-living beings, and show how the protection and care of the environment are key aspects for humanity. In this paper, I analyze the poetry works of Sonia Nadhezda Truque and María Elcina Valencia Córdoba whose poems reflect their experiences and views on the environment affected by violence, displacement, and the conditions of race, gender, and class. I contend that both poets demonstrate an ethic and interconnection with their territories, evidencing their cosmovision of the self and their connection with the earth and nature, as reflected in the African environmental philosophy. I argue that within their poetry, there are aspects of African-ecocriticism and ecowomanism theories due to their experience as environmental activists, women, and members of the African Diaspora.

Research on obesity and its implications for health and well‐being has been a global focus. However, this examination has often overlooked the unique perspective of intracultural Pasifika communities. In New Zealand, Pacific Islanders are one such community. For Pasifika diaspora communities, obesity is a common precursor to poor health outcomes. As a result, my research has honed in on the social, cultural, and economic factors contributing to obesity in these cohorts. The practical implications of this study underscore the urgent need for culturally sensitive intervention programs that respect and work within the cultural norms of these communities aimed at alleviating this condition. This emphasis on cultural sensitivity is crucial for understanding and addressing the issue. My research delves into the emic perceptions of what “Big” entails, particularly within intracultural Pasifika communities. I explore contemporary conceptions and their implications for health and well‐being. I argue that Pasifika churches, as socio‐cultural villages, have the potential to transform into safe, healthy spaces for their people. This transformation could significantly reduce the prevalence of an obesogenic environment and contribute to improved mental and physical health for the population. This optimistic perspective, which highlights the potential for positive change, guides my exploration of a relevant recommendation for the issue at hand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benthic δ18O stacks are the benchmarks by which paleoceanographic data are stratigraphically aligned and compared. However, a recent study found that between 1.8 and 1.9 million years ago (Ma) several Ceara Rise records differed substantially from the widely used LR04 global stack. Here, we use new Bayesian stacking software to construct regional stacks and demonstrate a geographical divergence in benthic δ18O features from 1.8 to 1.9 Ma. The pattern of isotopic stage features observed in the Ceara Rise is widespread throughout the Atlantic and differs notably from Pacific records. We propose that this regional difference in isotopic stages may be the result of relatively strong precession forcing and weaker obliquity forcing between 1.8 and 1.9 Ma. In accordance with the Antiphase Hypothesis, our results highlight a period of apparent sensitivity to regional precession forcing that is masked during most of the 41‐Kyr world due to the amplitude modulation of obliquity forcing. Plain Language Summary: To determine the age of deep‐sea sediments, often the oxygen isotope ratios of microfossils are measured and compared to a previously compiled global benchmark. Recently, one of the most widely used oxygen isotope benchmarks has been challenged based on a comparison with several Atlantic records. In this study we assess several lines of evidence including utilizing newly available data and software. We confirm the challenge to the global oxygen isotope benchmark and find that it is more widespread than originally realized. Particularly, we find that oxygen isotope records display different patterns between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans from 1.8 to 1.9 million years ago (Ma). We propose that this difference is the result of the opposing seasonal solar radiation anomalies received by the northern and southern hemispheres, which exhibited particularly large amplitudes during this time. Our study adds supporting evidence to a hypothesis that explains the dominant frequency of oxygen isotopic cycles from 1.2 to 2.6 Ma. Key Points: New Atlantic and Pacific benthic δ18O stacks show different patterns between 1.8 and 1.9 MaThe Atlantic‐Pacific difference in this portion of the 41‐Kyr world may be caused by regional sensitivity to relatively strong precessionRegional benthic δ18O stacks are preferable to global stacks for stratigraphic alignment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossing the early modern Pacific Ocean presented many challenges. This chapter seeks to provide some insights into the food provisions, diseases, and medical supplies found on board galleons. I will also discuss some aspects of transcultural medical knowledge transfer and introduce some results of our ongoing ERC AdG project TRANSPACIFIC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The defining feature of the nuclear-free movement in New Zealand was people power: a groundswell of popular support which achieved a major change in government policy and became a turning point in our national identity. Creative expression was crucial to building visibility for the cause. By looking at the textiles produced at this time, we can both read the history of the movement and understand how New Zealanders saw ourselves and our place in the Pacific. Banners, fabric prints, and t-shirts used conventional protest messaging like peace signs and caricatures of key political figures. But it is the imagery chosen to support these messages which echoes a wider conversation in New Zealand's identity as a Pacific nation. In the 1980s and 1990s, an emerging "Pasifika" movement in craft and fashion adopted Pacific Island imagery to create a unique New Zealand style. Anti-nuclear textile designs formed a part of this, drawing upon the romanticized image of palm-tree-fringed islands, a natural paradise in which grotesque mushroom clouds had no place. This article considers how anti-nuclear textiles are a visible creative record of New Zealand's changing self-identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmon lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (family Caligidae), are ectoparasites that have negatively impacted the salmon aquaculture industry and vulnerable wild salmon populations. Researchers have studied salmon lice to better understand their biology to develop effective control strategies. In this study, we updated the chromosome-level reference genome assembly of the Pacific subspecies of L. salmonis using Hi-C data. The previous version placed contigs/scaffolds using an Atlantic salmon louse genetic map. By utilizing Hi-C data from Pacific salmon lice, we were able to properly assign locations to contigs/scaffolds previously unplaced or misplaced. This resulted in a more accurate genome assembly and a more comprehensive characterization of the sex chromosome unique to females (W). We found evidence that the same ZW-ZZ mechanism is common in both Atlantic and Pacific subspecies of salmon lice using PCR assays. The W chromosome was approximately 800 kb in size, which is ∼30 times smaller than the Z chromosome (24 Mb). The W chromosome contained 61 annotated genes, including 32 protein-coding genes, 27 long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) genes, and 2 pseudogenes. Among these 61 genes, 39 genes shared homology to genes found on other chromosomes, while 20 were unique to the W chromosome. Two genes of interest on the W chromosome, prohibitin-2 and kinase suppressor of ras-2, were previously identified as potential sex-linked markers in the salmon louse. However, we prioritized the 20 unique genes on the W chromosome as sex-determining candidates. This information furthers our understanding of the biology of this ectoparasite and may help in the development of more effective management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the multifaceted learning experiences University of the South Pacific (USP) journalism students gain from practical training. It is the latest in a series of papers on applied learning and teaching at USP journalism. Applied training methods take into account the challenges of the Pacific news reporting terrain in which USP journalism graduates will operate once they start work. The article reiterates that the best way to condition future journalists for their work environment is to expose them to the elements. The article uses USP student journalists' coverage of the 2018 and 2022 Fiji elections as background case studies of practical experience and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1) and version 2 (CESM2)'s abilities to simulate the impacts of Atlantic multidecadal variability (AMV) and Pacific multidecadal variability (PMV) on South American precipitation and temperature have not been assessed, and how the AMV and PMV modulate each other's influences on South American climate is not well understood. Here we use observations, reanalyses, and CESM1 and CESM2 simulations from 1920 to 2015 to study those problems. The models can reproduce the observed precipitation and temperature responses to AMV well, but can only roughly reproduce such responses to PMV. The precipitation response over the South Atlantic convergence zone (SACZ) is better simulated by CESM2 compared to CESM1, which is associated with an improved horizontal moisture flux over this region. However, the models cannot accurately simulate the observed differences between the influences of Pacific interannual and multidecadal variability on South American precipitation and temperature. The impacts of AMV and PMV on South American precipitation are modulated by the other mode via changes in horizontal moisture flux over the SACZ and River Plate basin in summer, as well as changes in vertical motion over the equatorial regions in winter. Similarly, the impacts of AMV and PMV on South American temperature are also modulated by the other mode. Over water‐limited regions, such as northeastern Brazil and southern Argentina, the precipitation and temperature responses are anti‐correlated, possibly via surface evaporation. Plain Language Summary: How the Community Earth System Model version 1 and version 2 simulate the influences of Atlantic and Pacific multidecadal sea surface temperature variations on South American climate has not previously been examined, and how the Atlantic and Pacific multidecadal variability (AMV and PMV) modulates the effects from the other basin on South American precipitation and temperature is unclear. In this study, we analyze historical observations and model simulations during 1920–2015 to investigate those problems. The general patterns of the precipitation and temperature responses to AMV are well simulated by both versions of the model, but the patterns of the responses to PMV are only roughly reproduced by the models. The precipitation response over the South American monsoon region is better represented in the model's version 2 than in version 1. The Atlantic and Pacific variability modulates each other's impacts on South American precipitation and temperature. The variations in the patterns of precipitation response are related to changes in horizontal moisture transport over subtropical regions in summer and vertical motion over equatorial regions in winter. The precipitation and temperature responses are anti‐correlated over relatively dry regions, such as northeastern Brazil and southern Argentina, possibly through surface evaporation. Key Points: The Community Earth System Model version 2 improves monsoon rainfall response to Pacific and Atlantic variability compared to version 1Precipitation anomaly patterns over South America are related to anomalous subtropical moisture flux and equatorial vertical motionOver water‐limited regions, anomalies in temperature and precipitation are anti‐correlated, possibly due to surface evaporative cooling [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hikitia te Ora (Certificate in Health Sciences) is a 1 year Indigenous bridging foundation programme at the University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. The programme aims to increase Māori and Pacific health workforce representation. This qualitative study applied a Kaupapa Māori positioning to elucidate the strengths, challenges, and opportunities of the programme. Data were collected through two workshops and seven focus groups with a total of 67 participants who were students of Hikitia te Ora from past and present cohorts, or their family members. Using a general inductive thematic analysis, the primary themes identified were that programme successes encompassed whanaungatanga (process of establishing relationships), academic and pastoral support, programme structure and the teaching content. Challenges included social cliques and divisive social groupings, timetabling of courses and high workloads. The three areas that emerged for further development include extending Pacific content, increasing the number of students in the programme, and maintaining a programme-specific study space for students. Implementing the findings from this study into Hikitia te Ora is expected to improve educational outcomes for Māori and Pacific students and may have the potential to benefit other bridging foundation courses aiming to promote Indigenous health workforce development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I argue the instrumental, paternalistic strategic culture often adopted in Australian foreign policy circles is counter-productive, preventing Australia from having productive and sustainable relationships with Pacific states. If Australian officials want to follow through on rhetorical commitments to enhance Australia's relationships in the Pacific, Australia must actively recognise the agency Pacific states have and place itself within this community of actors. Australia often positions itself as part of the 'Pacific family,' but to be a collaborative member of this family it must go beyond headline commitments and fundamentally reconsider the evolving agency of small Pacific states and how this shapes Australia's interactions with them. We can understand this through the lens of normative communities. Revisiting constructivist International Relations theory, I reexamine who is included and excluded in the communities of actors that norms apply to. This has particularly significant implications around norms of climate change action and mitigation. Australia has historically tried to water down agreements and slow-role actions in this space. The ongoing bid to host COP31 perhaps offers an opportunity to both show leadership on climate-related issues and to reconfigure assumptions around Pacific agency and address the effects this has on Australia's relationships in the Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we use a strengths-based approach to explore the ways that walking and cycling are practised and promoted in Māngere and Ōtara, two ethnically diverse, lower-income suburbs of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Using practice theory and positioning our research within a growing body of work on marginalised mobility cultures and the 'human infrastructure' of active transport, we find that family-centred, inclusive events; holistic promotion models; and strong volunteering and skills sharing networks are foundations of active mobility in South Auckland. Amongst the barriers to participation that were reported in our study, threats to safety stand out: They include road safety, concerns about personal security and stray dogs. Dealing with these threats requires advanced skills or 'competences' to sustain walking and cycling – particularly amongst women. We highlight the ways that infrastructural investment and community funding processes may help to overcome barriers and enable these communities to 'roll together'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a written version of the Inaugural Brij Lal Memorial Lecture delivered for the Pacific History Association (PHA) conference at Warrnambool on 4 November 2023. It is in memory of Brij V. Lal, who died on 25 December 2021. In November 2009 he, and later his wife Padma Narsey Lal, were banished by Fiji's military regime from their birthplace. This address considers the troubled questions of belonging and banishment in Oceania. The first section explores this in relation to Brij's life, as well as other examples of political exile. The second part considers how other Oceanians might not quite belong because of the circumstances of their parentage or gender, or through the different mental and embodied spaces they inhabited. The lecture concludes by posing questions about how the present is invested in the past, and what the future holds for Oceanians who may be forced, chosen, or persuaded to leave their islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ascidians are marine filter-feeder chordates. Botrylloides ascidians possess diverse biological properties such as whole-body regeneration (WBR), hibernation/aestivation, blastogenesis, metamorphosis, and natural chimerism. However, the absence of distinctive morphological features often makes identification difficult. Botrylloides diegensis is an ascidian that has been misidentified in previous studies and is recorded in GenBank as Botrylloides leachii owing to the high morphological similarity between the sister species. More available sequences and strategies for identification would help resolve some of the confusion surrounding its ambiguous nature. We collected several Botrylloides samples from seven locations in Aotearoa New Zealand (Dunedin, Christchurch, Picton, Nelson, Whangateau, New Plymouth, and Invercargill) and barcoded the species based on Cytochrome Oxidase I, Histone 3, 18S, and 28S ribosomal RNA markers. Network and Bayesian trees confirmed the presence of three Botrylloides species: B. diegensis, Botrylloides jacksonianum, and Botrylloides affinis anceps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is much still to be learned regarding the outcomes of transnational parenting for young people in labour-sending countries. In particular, a significant knowledge gap exists regarding young people's perspectives on transnational parenting at the time of the parent's absence outside of Central America or Asia. Thus, the purpose of this study is to increase understanding of young people's experience in the under-researched Pacific Islands region by examining: How does a parent's international labour migration impact young people left-behind in Tonga's work, leisure, education and aspirations? A theoretical framework utilising social remittances theory was adopted. Utilising a quick, ethnographic approach, 179 secondary school students participated. This 2017 study included interviews, time diaries, short surveys, focus groups and fieldwork observations to facilitate participant-led accounts of young people's experience of transnational parenting in Tonga. This study provides an important empirical contribution regarding young people in Tonga's experience of transnational parenting. These findings demonstrate that, as a consequence of labour migration schemes that disregard family accompaniment, young people in Tonga are paying a high price, a triple loss, as their right to family is diminished, they are unable to prioritise their education, and migration goals are elevated, all of which inhibit their potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radium‐226(226Ra) and barium (Ba) exhibit similar chemical behaviors and distributions in the marine environment, serving as valuable tracers of water masses, ocean mixing, and productivity. Despite their similar distributions, these elements originate from distinct sources and undergo disparate biogeochemical cycles, which might complicate the use of these tracers. In this study, we investigate these processes by analyzing a full‐depth ocean section of 226Ra activities (T1/2 = 1,600 years) and barium concentrations obtained from samples collected along the US GEOTRACES GP15 Pacific Meridional Transect during September–November 2018, spanning from Alaska to Tahiti. We find that surface waters possess low levels of 226Ra and Ba due to export of sinking particulates, surpassing inputs from the continental margins. In contrast, deep waters have higher 226Ra activities and Ba concentrations due to inputs from particle regeneration and sedimentary sources, with 226Ra inputs primarily resulting from the decay of 230Th in sediments. Further, dissolved 226Ra and Ba exhibit a strong correlation along the GP15 section. To elucidate the drivers of the correlation, we used a water mass analysis, enabling us to quantify the influence of water mass mixing relative to non‐conservative processes. While a significant fraction of each element's distribution can be explained by conservative mixing, a considerable fraction cannot. The balance is driven using non‐conservative processes, such as sedimentary, rivers, or hydrothermal inputs, uptake and export by particles, and particle remineralization. Our study demonstrates the utility of 226Ra and Ba as valuable biogeochemical tracers for understanding ocean processes, while shedding light on conservative and myriad non‐conservative processes that shape their respective distributions. Key Points: Water mass analysis shows significant shallow deficits and deep excesses of dissolved 226Ra and Ba in the Pacific Ocean along the GP15Shallow deficits seem driven by BaSO4 precipitation, deep excesses reflect benthic inputs that are more significant for 226Ra than for BaBudgets suggest that regional barium fluxes nearly balance, and the Pacific is likely a significant source of radium‐226 to the global ocean [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on food system framework development has increased substantially in recent years to better understand how we can best transform food systems. However, these frameworks generally take a one-size-fits-all approach, with food system indicators lacking relevance in many countries and territories. This research, centred on the Solomon Islands as a case study, employed a participatory approach involving stakeholders to identify context-specific indicators across three food systems pathways. These pathways, reflecting context-specific goals and a collective vision, encompassed strengthening and connecting rural food systems, enhancing the national policy environment, and advocating for food environments supporting healthy food accessibility, affordability, and convenience. The research identified a range of contextspecific indicators and evaluated their alignment with existing data sources. Results underscored the need for data collection and analysis efforts to inform evidence-based decision-making. The study also emphasised the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders to ensure a comprehensive and representative set of indicators, aligning with regional and global efforts to advance food system resilience and sustainability. This research lays the foundation for future endeavours to enhance food system monitoring and assessment, acknowledging nuances and complexities specific to the Solomon Islands and similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change in the Pacific and worldwide have prompted researchers and practitioners to find ways to define, assess and support community resilience. This paper presents a community resilience framework to help meet this challenge. While traditional framings of resilience in scholarship are often based on deficit models that focus on vulnerability and gaps, this framework draws on strengths‐based principles and systems thinking approaches to support a holistic and integrated perspective of community resilience. Pacific community resilience literature underpins the framework, which values and prioritises diverse community insights to support locally defined pathways towards adaptation and resilience building. We offer examples of future application of the framework in a range of contexts such as research, programme design, strategic policy, programme implementation or evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flat wasp genus Sierola Cameron, 1881 is reviewed from Norfolk and Phillip Islands for the first time. Six new species are described: S. bounitessp. nov., S. dysmicasp. nov., S. idaesp. nov., S. incomitatasp. nov., S. longisetaesp. nov., and S. phillipensissp. nov. The fauna is surprisingly large for such small islands, but consistent with high diversity of the genus found elsewhere in the Pacific. The low collecting effort and small number of specimens for most of the species suggests that more remain to be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to obtain an analysis of Indonesia's partnership with Pacific countries and the prospect of Papua becoming a Hub or liaison between Indonesia and Pacific countries. Indonesia's national interest may also make Papua one of the strategic locations to become a gateway in the cooperation scheme that will be built within the framework of the Pacific Elevation introduced by Indonesia in 2019 in New Zealand for Indonesian overseas politics to Pacific countries. From here the concept of "Pacific elevation" can simply be interpreted as Indonesia's ongoing efforts to improve and further strengthen friendships and partnerships with its various partners in the Pacific region. This research uses a qualitative research method in which it finds data based on secondary data through literature and literature studies of both print and electronic media including data via the internet. The data collected is then processed using data triangulation analysis techniques, namely collecting, verifying and finding the truth in the data to be presented. The output of this research is the importance of Indonesia building partnership relationships with south Pacific countries in order to achieve Indonesia's national goals so that harmonious relations are built in the region and economic, social and cultural activities, especially Melanesian culture, can be well established with these countries. On the ot her hand, this new era of Indonesia's partnership with the Pacific allows Papua to become a gateway for economic, social and cultural activities with South Pacific countries so that the spirit of Pacific Elevation is expected to minimize issues related to an independent Papua that will disrupt Indonesia's domestic stability and also in the international environment or international forums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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