The diving behaviour of green turtles undertaking oceanic migration to and from Ascension Island: dive durations, dive profiles and depth distribution

Satellite telemetry was used to record the submergence duration of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as they migrated from Ascension Island to Brazil (N=12 individuals) while time/depth recorders (TDRs) were used to examine the depth distribution and dive profiles of individuals returning to Ascension Island to nest after experimental displacement (N=5 individuals). Satellite telemetry revealed that most submergences were short (<5 min) but that some submergences were longer (>20 min), particularly at night. TDRs revealed that much of the time was spent conducting short (2–4 min), shallow (approximately 0.9–1.5 m) dives, consistent with predictions for optimisation of near-surface travelling, while long (typically 20–30 min), deep (typically 10–20 m) dives had a distinctive profile found in other marine reptiles. These results suggest that green turtles crossing the Atlantic do not behave invariantly, but instead alternate between periods of travelling just beneath the surface and diving deeper. These deep dives may have evolved to reduce silhouetting against the surface, which would make turtles more susceptible to visual predators such as large sharks.

Sir Walter Scott in the western district, 1836-1851

A survey of 30 early settlement squatters in Victoria, using their letters, diaries and memoirs to compile a regional history of colonial readers. The resulting reader-responses support the emerging interpretations of Affective Reading, rather than more conventional strategies of literary criticism (New Historicism and Discourse Analysis).

Controlled field studies on soil aquifer treatment in a constructed coastal sandfill

A controlled artificial recharge experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of soil aquifer treatment during percolation of secondary and tertiary (ultrafiltered) treated wastewater through the shallow vadoze zone of a newly constructed coastal sandfill. The sandfill is a reclaimed land constructed from marine sand dredged from the seabed. To obtain 1-D flow, a stainless steel column was driven to a depth of 2.5 m, penetrating the phreatic surface. Wastewater was percolated through the column under fully-saturated and unsaturated conditions. Infiltration rates, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and ultra-violet absorption (UVA) were monitored. The wastewaters were recharged at similar infiltration rates of approximately 5.5 m/day and 3.5 m/day under fully-saturated and unsaturated conditions, respectively. In both cases, clogging occurred 40 days after the start of recharge, under saturated conditions. For secondary treated wastewater, DOC concentration (mg/l) reduced by 28% and 13% under unsaturated and saturated conditions, respectively. The corresponding UVA reduction was 19.4% and 14.1%. Similar reductions in DOC were observed for the tertiary treated wastewater; however, the reduction in UVA was higher; 28% and 22% under unsaturated and saturated conditions, respectively. On an mass removal (mg/m(2) DOC) basis, DOC reduction appeared to be more significant under unsaturated conditions. This is attributed to the presence of interstitial oxygen.

Game of Tropes: the Orientalist tradition in the Works of G.R.R. Martin

George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels (and their television adaption, Game of Thrones) have become arguably the most well known fantasy epic of the last decade. However, the world of A Song of Ice and Fire conforms to many of the same Orientalist tropes that have dominated Western literature since the popularisation of the 'Arabian fantasy' in the 18th and 19th centuries and its subsequent perpetuation in film and television. Derivative imaginings of the real world Middle East are commonly reflected in non-Earthly fantasy worlds and Martin's work incorporates this standard vision of the Eastern Other. Owing to its popularity, the A Song of Ice and Fire series represents a significant reinforcement of Orientalist stereotypes and proves that fantasy locations have significant power to cement these ideas in the popular imagination. Moreover, the negative portyal of the East in these works supports Said's argument that the Orient is an invention of the West, and that our depiction of the Other is a means of framing our own cultural superiority.