A5081279086- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Tree-ring climate responses
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Climate variability and models
- Peatlands and Wetlands Ecology
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Polar Research and Ecology
- Plant and animal studies
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Plant Diversity and Evolution
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies
- Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics
- Geological formations and processes
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- Science and Climate Studies
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research
2016-2025
University of Auckland
2015-2024
Australian National University
2023
The University of Adelaide
2023
The University of Melbourne
2023
GNS Science
2018
Cadre Research
2008-2015
University of Leicester
2011-2012
Science Oxford
2005
University of Canterbury
1991-1997
The pristine island ecosystems of East Polynesia were among the last places on Earth settled by prehistoric people, and their colonization triggered a devastating transformation. Overhunting contributed to widespread faunal extinctions decline marine megafauna, fires destroyed lowland forests, introduction omnivorous Pacific rat (Rattus exulans) led new wave predation biota. Polynesian islands preserve exceptionally detailed records initial impacts highly vulnerable ecosystems, but nearly...
The 15 archipelagos of East Polynesia, including New Zealand, Hawaii, and Rapa Nui, were the last habitable places on earth colonized by prehistoric humans. timing pattern this colonization event has been poorly resolved, with chronologies varying >1000 y, precluding understanding cultural change ecological impacts these pristine ecosystems. In a meta-analysis 1,434 radiocarbon dates from region, reliable short-lived samples reveal that Polynesia occurred in two distinct phases: earliest...
Humans have altered natural patterns of fire for millennia, but the impact human-set fires is thought to been slight in wet closed-canopy forests. In South Island New Zealand, Polynesians (Māori), who arrived 700-800 calibrated years (cal y) ago, and then Europeans, settled ∼150 cal y used as a tool forest clearance, structure environmental consequences these are poorly understood. High-resolution charcoal pollen records from 16 lakes were analyzed reconstruct vegetation history last 1,000...
A comprehensive database of paleoclimate records is needed to place recent warming into the longer-term context natural climate variability. We present a global compilation quality-controlled, published, temperature-sensitive proxy extending back 12,000 years through Holocene. Data were compiled from 679 sites where time series cover at least 4000 years, are resolved sub-millennial scale (median spacing 400 or finer) and have one age control point every 3000 with cut-off values slackened in...
Islands are among the last regions on Earth settled and transformed by human activities, they provide replicated model systems for analysis of how people affect ecological functions. By analyzing 27 representative fossil pollen sequences encompassing past 5000 years from islands globally, we quantified rates vegetation compositional change before after arrival. After arrival, turnover accelerate a median factor 11, with faster colonized in 1500 than those earlier. This global anthropogenic...
SUMMARY Extinctions have altered island ecosystems throughout the late Quaternary. Here, we review main historic drivers of extinctions on islands, patterns in extinction chronologies between and potential for restoring through reintroducing extirpated species. While some been caused by climatic environmental change, most anthropogenic impacts. We propose a general model to describe these extinctions. Hunting, habitat loss introduction invasive predators accompanied prehistoric settlement...
Abstract Aim The increased incidence of large fires around much the world in recent decades raises questions about human and non‐human drivers fire likelihood activity future. purpose this paper is to outline a conceptual framework for examining where human‐set feedbacks are likely be most pronounced temperate forests world‐wide establish test methodology evaluating using palaeoecological records. Location T asmania, north‐western USA , southern S outh A merica N ew Z ealand. Methods We...
Anthropogenic activity is now recognised as having profoundly and permanently altered the Earth system, suggesting we have entered a human-dominated geological epoch, 'Anthropocene'. To formally define onset of Anthropocene, synchronous global signature within geological-forming materials required. Here report series precisely-dated tree-ring records from Campbell Island (Southern Ocean) that capture peak atmospheric radiocarbon (14C) resulting Northern Hemisphere-dominated thermonuclear...
Reversing the field Do terrestrial geomagnetic reversals have an effect on Earth's climate? Cooper et al. created a precisely dated radiocarbon record around time of Laschamps reversal about 41,000 years ago from rings New Zealand swamp kauri trees. This reveals substantial increase in carbon-14 content atmosphere culminating during period weakening magnetic strength preceding polarity switch. The authors modeled consequences this event and concluded that minimum caused changes atmospheric...
The 1850 BP Taupo eruption covered c. 30 000 km 2 of the central North Island with airfall deposits and 20 ignimbrite. This paper reviews pollen charcoal analyses lake peat sediment cores from sites at various distances directions vent to establish effects this on surrounding forests. Forests within range ignimbrite were destroyed, forests located up 170 east suffered variable degrees damage ashfall. Stands Pteridium esculentum other seral taxa flourished immediately after eruption. Fires...
In most parts of the world where people have colonized and modified their landscapes for several millennia or more, it is often difficult to discriminate anthropogenic burning from natural fire regimes that are linked climate regimes. New Zealand provides a unique setting identifying human influence on occurrence because was settled recently ( c. AD 1280) at time when climates considered be similar today. Late-Holocene pollen charcoal records provide striking evidence initial Polynesian...
Abstract At the time of M āori settlement, ca. 750 years ago, N ew Z ealand's ecosystems experienced catastrophic change, including introduction fire to ignition‐limited and resulting widespread loss forest. While high‐resolution sediment‐charcoal analyses suggest this forest was rapid, populations were small transient during Initial Burning Period there is evidence for activity in places where little archaeological human presence. These observations beg question ‘how did manage transform...
WE PERFORM THE FIRST MULTIDISCIPLINARY STUDY OF PARASITES FROM AN EXTINCT MEGAFAUNAL CLADE USING COPROLITES NEW ZEALAND MOA (AVES: Dinornithiformes). Ancient DNA and microscopic analyses of 84 coprolites deposited by four moa species (South Island giant moa, Dinornis robustus; little bush Anomalopteryx didiformis; heavy-footed Pachyornis elephantopus; upland Megalapteryx didinus) reveal an array gastrointestinal parasites including coccidians (Cryptosporidium members the suborder...