Books with Audiovisuals

The Edge of the Forest: Land, Childhood and Change in a New Guinea Protoagriculturd Society. E. Richard Sorenson.
Growing up as a Fore. E. Richard Sorenson.     

Human polyomavirus JC variants in Papua New Guinea and Guam reflect ancient population settlement and viral evolution

The peopling of the Pacific was a complex sequence of events that is best reconstructed by reconciling insights from various disciplines. Here we analyze the human polyomavirus JC (JCV) in Highlanders of Papua New Guinea (PNG), in Austronesian-speaking Tolai people on the island of New Britain, and in nearby non-Austronesian-speaking Baining people. We also characterize JCV from the Chamorro of Guam, a Micronesian population. All JCV strains from PNG and Guam fall within the broad Asian group previously defined in the VP1 gene as Type 2 or Type 7, but the PNG strains were distinct from both genotypes. Among the Chamorro JCV samples, 8 strains (Guam-1) were like the Type 7 strains found in Southeast Asia, while nine strains (Guam-2) were distinct from both the mainland strains and most PNG strains. We identified three JCV variants within Papua New Guinea (PNG-1, PNG-2 and PNG-3), but none of the Southeast Asian (Type 7) strains. PNG-1 strains were present in all three populations (Highlanders and the Baining and Tolai of New Britain), but PNG-2 strains were restricted to the Highlanders. Their relative lack of DNA sequence variation suggests that they arose comparatively recently. The single PNG-3 strain, identified in an Austronesian-speaking Tolai individual, was closely related to the Chamorro variants (Guam-2), consistent with a common Austronesian ancestor. In PNG-2 variants a complex regulatory region mutation inserts a duplication into a nearby deletion, a change reminiscent of those seen in the brains of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy patients. This is the first instance of a complex JCV rearrangement circulating in a human population.     

Phylogeographic analysis of the green python,Morelia viridis,reveals cryptic diversity

Green pythons, which are regionally variable in colour patterns, are found throughout the lowland rainforest of New Guinea and adjacent far northeastern Australia. The species is popular in commercial trade and management of this trade and its impacts on natural populations could be assisted by molecular identification tools. We used mitochondrial nucleotide sequences and a limited allozyme data to test whether significantly differentiated populations occur within the species range. Phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA sequences revealed hierarchal phylogeographic structure both within New Guinea and between New Guinea and Australia. Strongly supported reciprocally monophyletic mitochondrial lineages, northern and southern, were found either side of the central mountain range that runs nearly the length of New Guinea. Limited allozyme data suggest that population differentiation is reflected in the nuclear as well as the mitochondrial genome. A previous morphological analysis did not find any phenotypic concordance with the pattern of differentiation observed in the molecular data. The southern mitochondrial lineage includes all of the Australian haplotypes, which form a single lineage, nested among the southern New Guinean haplotypes.     

Effect of forest fragmentation on bird species richness in Papua New Guinea

Tropical forests worldwide are being fragmented at a rapid rate, causing a tremendous loss of biodiversity. Determining the impacts of forest disturbance and fragmentation on tropical biotas is therefore a central goal of conservation biology. We focused on bird communities in the interior (>100 m from forest edge) of forest fragments (300, 600, and 1200 ha) in the lowlands of Papua New Guinea and compared them with those in continuous forest. We surveyed bird communities using point counts, mist‐netting, and random walks, and measured habitat and microclimate characteristics at each site. We also surveyed leaf‐dwelling arthropods, butterflies, and ants, and obtained diet samples from birds to examine food availability and food preferences. We recorded significantly fewer bird species per point in the 300‐ha forest fragment than in other study sites. Overall, we recorded 80, 84, and 88 species, respectively, in forest fragments, and 102 in continuous forest. Frugivores (especially large frugivores) and insectivores had lower species richness in forest fragments than continuous forest. Our results did not support the food scarcity hypothesis, that is, the decline of insectivorous birds in forest fragments is caused by an impoverished invertebrate prey base. We also found no significant differences among forest fragments and continuous forest in microclimates of forest interiors. Rather, we found that microhabitats preferred by sensitive birds (i.e., 30% of species with the strongest preferences for continuous forest) were less common in forest fragments (19%–31% of points) than in continuous forest (86% of points). Our results suggest that changes in microhabitats may make forest fragments unsuitable for sensitive species. However, limited dispersal capabilities could also make some species of birds less likely to disperse and occupy fragments. In addition, impoverished food resources, size of the forest fragment, or hunting pressure could contribute to the absence of large frugivorous birds in forest fragments. The forest fragments in our study, preserved as village‐based protected areas, were not large enough to sustain the bird communities found in continuous forest. However, because these fragments still contained numerous bird species, preservation of such areas can be an important component of management strategies to conserve rainforests and birds in Papua New Guinea.     

Genetic variants of soluble malate dehydrogenase in new guinea populations

Summary 10 cases of an S-MDH variant have been detected in New Guinea. 3 cases were found among 199 samples from the Fore linguistic group and 6 cases among 9 related members of a family from the Agarabi linguistic group, both groups being located in the Eastern Highlands. 1 case was found in 24 samples from the Sepik district. The new variant has been given the trivial name S-MDH New Guinea-1.     

Hunting in lowland,tropical rain forest: Towards a model of non-agricultural subsistence

It has recently been argued that hunter-gatherers do not, did not, and could not live in tropical rain forest without some access to agricultural produce. This opinion challenges models of past non-agricultural subsistence patterns that are based in analogies derived from modern rain forest dwelling groups. In this paper, the socio-ecological bases of the hunting system of the Kubo people of lowland Papua New Guinea are described. It is argued that this system lacks necessary dependence upon the agricultural system with which it co-occurs and, in fact, can be connected with a system of carbohydrate procurement that is not agricultural. The hypothesized connection provides the basis of a model of non-agricultural subsistence in lowland tropical rain forest.     

Genetic structure and heterozygosity in the kuru region,Eastern Highlands of New Guinea

Genetic structure of 20 of the 37 linguistic groups in the Eastern Highlands of New Guinea including the kuru region is analyzed using information on blood groups and serum protein polymorphisms. The average individual is heterozygous at 28.6% of loci and the average number of alleles per locus is 1.234. Coefficients of kinship for linguistic groups range from 0.005 for the sweet potato cultivating North Fore to 0.075 for the isolated Pawaians whose dietary staple is sago and who depend more on hunting and gathering. As one selects linguistic groups with smaller and smaller population size and increasing isolation, one finds that kinship coefficients rise as much as tenfold, but there is no concomitant loss of heterozygosity or trend toward fixation of alleles. Genetic relationships established by genetic distance trees and by principal components analysis are comparable and are consistent with other anthropological observations.     

Genotypic characterization of Salmonella typhi by amplified fragment length polymorphism fingerprinting provides increased discrimination as compared to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and ribotyping

Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) is a recently developed, PCR-based high resolution fingerprinting method that is able to generate complex banding patterns which can be used to delineate intraspecific genetic relationships among bacteria. In the present study, AFLP was evaluated for its usefulness in the molecular typing of Salmonella typhi in comparison to ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Six S. typhi isolates from diverse geographic areas (Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Chile, Papua New Guinea and Switzerland) gave unique, heterogeneous profiles when typed by AFLP, a result which was consistent with ribotyping and PFGE analysis. In a further study of selected S. typhi isolates from Papua New Guinea which caused fatal and non-fatal disease previously shown to be clonally related by PFGE, AFLP discriminated between these isolates but did not indicate a linkage between genotype with virulence. We conclude that AFLP (discriminatory index=0.88) has a higher discriminatory power for strain differentiation among S. typhi than ribotyping (DI=0.63) and PFGE (DI=0.74).     

Review. The epidemiology of kuru: monitoring the epidemic from its peak to its end

Kuru is a fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy restricted to the Fore people and their neighbours in a remote region of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea. When first investigated in 1957 it was found to be present in epidemic proportions, with approximately 1000 deaths in the first 5 years, 1957-1961. The changing epidemiological patterns and other significant findings such as the transmissibility of kuru are described in their historical progression. Monitoring the progress of the epidemic has been carried out by epidemiological surveillance in the field for 50 years. From its peak, the number of deaths from kuru declined to 2 in the last 5 years, indicating that the epidemic is approaching its end. The mode of transmission of the prion agent of kuru was the local mortuary practice of transumption. The prohibition of this practice in the 1950s led to the decline in the epidemic, which has been prolonged into the present century by incubation periods that may exceed 50 years. Currently, the epidemiological surveillance is being maintained and further studies on human genetics and the past mortuary practices are being conducted in the kuru-affected region and in communities beyond it.     

Mitochondrial DNA variability of West New Guinea populations.

This paper reports human mitochondrial DNA variability in West New Guinea (the least known, western side of the island of New Guinea), not yet described from a molecular perspective. The study was carried out on 202 subjects from 12 ethnic groups, belonging to six different Papuan language families, representative of both mountain and coastal plain areas. Mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region 1 (HVS 1) and the presence of the 9-bp deletion (intergenic region COII-tRNA(Lys)) were investigated. HVS 1 sequencing identified 73 polymorphic sites defining 89 haplotypes; the 9-bp deletion, which is considered a marker of Austronesian migration in the Pacific, was found to be absent in the whole West New Guinea study sample. Statistical analysis applied to the resulting haplotypes reveal high heterogeneity and an intersecting distribution of genetic variability in these populations, despite their cultural and geographic diversity. The results of subsequent phylogenetic approaches subdivide mtDNA diversity in West New Guinea into three main clusters (groups I-III), defined by sets of polymorphisms which are also shared by some individuals from Papua New Guinea. Comparisons with worldwide HVS 1 sequences stored in the MitBASE database show the absence of these patterns outside Oceania and a few Indonesian subjects, who also lack the 9-bp deletion. This finding, which is consistent with the effects of genetic drift and prolonged isolation of West New Guinea populations, lead us to regard these patterns as New Guinea population markers, which may harbor the genetic memory of the earliest human migrations to the island.     

Forest Conversion and Degradation in Papua New Guinea 1972–2002

Quantifying forest change in the tropics is important because of the role these forests play in the conservation of biodiversity and the global carbon cycle. One of the world's largest remaining areas of tropical forest is located in Papua New Guinea. Here we show that change in its extent and condition has occurred to a greater extent than previously recorded. We assessed deforestation and forest degradation in Papua New Guinea by comparing a land-cover map from 1972 with a land-cover map created from nationwide high-resolution satellite imagery recorded since 2002. In 2002 there were 28,251,967 ha of tropical rain forest. Between 1972 and 2002, a net 15 percent of Papua New Guinea's tropical forests were cleared and 8.8 percent were degraded through logging. The drivers of forest change have been concentrated within the accessible forest estate where a net 36 percent were degraded or deforested through both forestry and nonforestry processes. Since 1972, 13 percent of upper montane forests have also been lost. We estimate that over the period 1990–2002, overall rates of change generally increased and varied between 0.8 and 1.8 percent/yr, while rates in commercially accessible forest have been far higher—having varied between 1.1 and 3.4 percent/yr. These rates are far higher than those reported by the FAO over the same period. We conclude that rapid and substantial forest change has occurred in Papua New Guinea, with the major drivers being logging in the lowland forests and subsistence agriculture throughout the country with comparatively minor contributions from forest fires, plantation establishment, and mining.     

Helminth communities of pademelons, Thylogale stigmatica and T. thetis from eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea

Gastrointestinal helminths were collected from pademelons of the genus Thylogale (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) in eastern Australia and Papua New Guinea. Examined were 12 Thylogale stigmatica stigmatica and 13 T. s. wilcoxi, the latter subdivided into eight specimens from the northern limit of their distribution and five from southern areas, all from eastern Queensland, Australia, one T. s. oriomo from Papua New Guinea and ten T. thetis from southeastern Queensland and northern New South Wales, Australia. Six species of cestodes and 40 species of nematodes were found. The helminth community of T. s. stigmatica was similar to that found in northern specimens of T. s. wilcoxi, while differences from the helminth community present in southern T. s. wilcoxi could be accounted for by parasites acquired from sympatric T. thetis. Thylogale thetis harboured a community of helminths distinct from but related to that in T. stigmatica. The evidence suggests that all subspecies of T. stigmatica examined share a common helminth community, but that in areas of sympatry, T. stigmatica and T. thetis share some of their parasites.     

The dermatoglyphics of the Elema people from the Gulf district of Papua New Guinea

The present report deals with the digital and palmar dermatoglyphics of the Elema peoples from the Gulf District of Papua New Guinea. The samples involved 91 males and 134 females from the areas of Iokea, Sepoe and Karama. The Elema dermatoglyphics, compared to those of other peoples in New Guinea, were found to have a high pattern intensity index and frequency of whorls, and the highest frequency of ulnar type C line, complete simian creases and patterns in the IV interdigital areas of the palms. On the other hand, their 11/7 ratio of the D line, the main line index, and the frequencies of patterns in the hypothenar, thenar/I and II interdigital areas were lower than most other groups on the island; they also have the lowest R/U ratio. All dermatoglyphic features considered, the frequencies in the Elema group were for the most part found to be near the extremes of the range of the dermatoglyphic frequency distributions in New Guinea populations. The dermatoglyphic distributions of New Guinea as a whole are discussed in terms of those of the other Australasian populations with comments on the dermatoglyphic comparisons between the Australasians and the other major human groups, Amerindians, Orientals, Asian Indians, Caucasians and Negroes.     

Beta diversity of frogs in the forests of New Guinea, Amazonia and Europe: contrasting tropical and temperate communities

Aim To test the hypothesis that animal communities within environmentally relatively uniform lowland forests are characterized by low beta diversity, both in tropical and in temperate areas. Location Lowland forests in the basins of the Sepik and Ramu rivers in New Guinea, the Amazon river in Bolivia, and the Elbe and Dyje rivers in the Czech Republic. Methods A network of 5–6 study sites spanning distances from 20–80 to 300–500 km in each study area was systematically surveyed for all frogs, using visual detection and call tracking. The community data were analysed for alpha and beta diversity. Results Local (alpha) diversity of frog communities was similar in the two tropical areas, New Guinea (mean ± SE of 22 ± 1.4 species per site) and Amazonia (24 ± 1.7 species), but was significantly lower in Europe (8 ± 0.8 species). In Amazonia, 36 of the total of 70 species were recorded from single sites. In contrast, widespread species dominated in Europe, whereas New Guinea exhibited an intermediate pattern with both local and widespread species well represented. The rate of species accumulation across different sites was lowest in Europe, intermediate in New Guinea and highest in Amazonia. The regional species diversity, expressed as the combined number of species from five study sites, was 1.5 times higher than the local species diversity at a single site in Europe, 2.0 times higher in New Guinea and 2.7 times higher in Amazonia. The proportion of species shared between communities decreased with geographic distance in New Guinea and Europe, but not in Amazonia. Main conclusions Frog communities in the lowland tropical rain forests of New Guinea and Amazonia had similar numbers of species, but differed in their beta diversity. More species in Amazonia had restricted distributions than in New Guinea. Both tropical areas had markedly higher alpha and beta diversity than the temperate area in Europe.     

Revision of the termite family Rhinotermitidae (Isoptera) in New Guinea

Recently, we completed a revision of the Termitidae from New Guinea and neighboring islands, recording a total of 45 species. Here, we revise a second family, the Rhinotermitidae, to progress towards a full picture of the termite diversity in New Guinea. Altogether, 6 genera and 15 species are recorded, among which two species, Coptotermes gambrinus and Parrhinotermes barbatus, are new to science. The genus Heterotermes is reported from New Guinea for the first time, with two species restricted to the southern part of the island. We also provide the first New Guinea records for six species of the genera Coptotermes and Schedorhinotermes. We briefly describe soldiers and imagoes of each species and provide a key based on soldier characters. Finally, we discuss the taxonomic and biogeographical implication of our results. A replacement name, Schedolimulus minutides Bourguignon, is proposed for the termitophilous staphylinid Schedolimulus minutus Bourguignon, to solve a question of secondary homonymy.     

Growth and development of the Kaiapit children of the Markham Valley, New Guinea

The growth and development of Markham Valley children was studied by examining over 800 children of known age, ranging from birth to maturity. Although growth in height and weight is slower than that of European children, it is faster than that so far recorded for some New Guinea populations. This is associated with the tallest adult stature reported to date for New Guinea and supports the previous finding that adult height in a New Guinea society is proportional to the growth rate of children in that society. Skin fold thickness values for age are lower than both New Guinea Highland and European children, despite reasonable availability of food. Menarche occurs at a mean age of 15.6 years, which is much earlier than some other New Guinea figures. Dental eruption times, in keeping with other New Guinea and African figures, are earlier than those of Europeans. Parent/child correlations for height and weight do not differ significantly from those obtained for European children, suggesting that environmental factors have a minimal effect in frustrating the fulfilment of genetic growth potential.     

An alien in an archipelago: Spathodea campanulata and the geographic variability of its moth (Lepidoptera) communities in the New Guinea and Bismarck Islands

Aim This analysis of moth (Lepidoptera) communities colonizing an alien tree invading secondary rain forest vegetation in Melanesia examines the predictability of insect herbivorous communities across distances of tens to thousands of km and the effect of dispersal barriers on community composition in the tropics. Location Six secondary rain forest sites were studied within four equidistant yet distinct geographic areas of the New Guinea mainland and the Bismarck Archipelago, including two watershed areas (Madang and Sepik) on mainland New Guinea and the adjacent large island of New Britain and small island of Unea. Methods The analysis is based on feeding records obtained by quantitative sampling and rearing of caterpillars from the alien host Spathodea campanulata (Bignoniaceae). It examines the variation in Lepidoptera community composition at six study sites distributed on three adjacent islands ranging in size from 30 to 865,000 km². Results Spathodea campanulata was colonized by 54 folivorous species of Lepidoptera. Most of them were generalists, feeding on > 1 native plant family. However, the three most abundant species representing 83% of all individuals (Acherontia lachesis, Hyblaea puera complex and Psilogramma menephron) were relatively host specific, feeding predominantly on a single native family that is not the Bignoniaceae. Most of the 23 species analysed in detail had a wide geographic distribution, including 13 species spanning the entire 1000‐km study transect. While the Lepidoptera in two New Guinea areas 280 km apart were similar to each other, there was a discontinuity in species composition between New Guinea and the smaller islands. However, no negative effect of small islands on species richness was detected. Main conclusions Spathodea campanulata was rapidly colonized by folivorous Lepidoptera communities with species richness and dominance structure indistinguishable from the assemblages feeding on native hosts, despite its phylogenetic isolation from the native vegetation. Although most species were generalists, the highest population densities were reached by relatively specialized species, similar to the communities on native hosts. The species turnover across distances from 10 to 1000 km was relatively low as most of the species had wide geographic ranges.     

Diazepam improves aspects of social behaviour and neuron activation in NMDA receptor‐deficient mice

NR1 knockdown (NR1KD) mice are genetically modified to express low levels of the NR1 subunit of N‐methyl‐d ‐aspartate (NMDA) receptors, and show deficits in affiliative social behaviour. In this study, we determined which brain regions were selectively activated in response to social stimulation and asked whether differences in neuronal activation could be observed in mice with reduced sociability. Furthermore, we aimed to determine whether brain activation patterns correlated with the amelioration of social deficits through pharmacological intervention. The cingulate cortex, lateral septal nuclei, hypothalamus, thalamus and amygdala showed an increase in c‐Fos immunoreactivity that was selective for exposure to social stimuli. NR1KD mice displayed a reduction in social behaviour and a reduction in c‐Fos immunoreactivity in the cingulate cortex and septal nuclei. Acute clozapine did not significantly alter sociability; however, diazepam treatment did increase sociability and neuronal activation in the lateral septal region. This study has identified the lateral septal region as a neural substrate of social behaviour and the GABA system as a potential therapeutic target for social dysfunction.     

Rare quadruple malaria infection in Irian Jaya Indonesia.

We report an exceptional finding from a blood slide collected in a remote area in the western half of New Guinea Island (Irian Jaya Province, Indonesia). One adolescent patient was found patently coinfected with all 4 known human malaria species, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium ovale. Diagnostic erythrocytic stages of all 4 species were clearly seen in the peripheral blood. A nested polymerase chain reaction, using species-specific primer pairs to detect DNA, helped substantiate this finding. Previous reports from Africa, Thailand, and New Guinea have detected all 4 species in a population but not simultaneously in an individual with a patent, microscopically detectable infection. We believe this quadruple infection represents the first reported natural case of all 4 human malaria parasites observed concurrently in the peripheral blood from a single Giemsa-stained slide.     

Smart moves: effects of relative brain size on establishment success of invasive amphibians and reptiles

Brain size relative to body size varies considerably among animals, but the ecological consequences of that variation remain poorly understood. Plausibly, larger brains confer increased behavioural flexibility, and an ability to respond to novel challenges. In keeping with that hypothesis, successful invasive species of birds and mammals that flourish after translocation to a new area tend to have larger brains than do unsuccessful invaders. We found the same pattern in ectothermic terrestrial vertebrates. Brain size relative to body size was larger in species of amphibians and reptiles reported to be successful invaders, compared to species that failed to thrive after translocation to new sites. This pattern was found in six of seven global biogeographic realms; the exception (where relatively larger brains did not facilitate invasion success) was Australasia. Establishment success was also higher in amphibian and reptile families with larger relative brain sizes. Future work could usefully explore whether invasion success is differentially associated with enlargement of specific parts of the brain (as predicted by the functional role of the forebrain in promoting behavioural flexibility), or with a general size increase (suggesting that invasion success is facilitated by enhanced perceptual and motor skills, as well as cognitive ability).