The natural setting of Caution Bay: climate, landforms, biota, and environmental zones

In this chapter, we review the present and past environment of Caution Bay set in a broader geographical context, including both terrestrial and marine habitats. Our primary objective is to sketch the general canvas upon which the past 6,000 or so years of local human presence, as represented by the Caution Bay archaeological record, played out. A secondary objective is to document the range of contemporary landforms and explore the spatial distribution and ecological dynamics of the various plant and animal communities that still occupy the present landscape, or did so at the time when Europeans first arrived in the 1870s. Knowledge of the contemporary landscape and its resources represents the starting point for inferring continuities and changes in ways of life for the region's past inhabitants as these are tracked back from the present to the mid-Holocene, and ultimately for understanding the choices people made as they balanced various primary extractive and commercial activities to maintain cultural practices, adopt and develop new ones, survive and prosper. Relationships between people and locales at Caution Bay were, and continue to be, dynamic, with people playing a major role in shaping both the physical and biological landscape, just as the landscape and its resources have influenced the course of human history in this area

Moiapu 3: Settlement on Moiapu Hill at the very end of Lapita, Caution Bay hinterland

The Caution Bay archaeological project on the south coast of mainland Papua New Guinea has excavated 122 sites over a 9 km² area. Lapita ceramics appear at a number of sites at c. 2900 cal. BP. Here we present the results of excavations at Moiapu 3, a site that helps define the end of the dentate-stamped Lapita phase of this region. It is suggested that the decline and ultimate cessation of dentate stamping related to a loss of symbolism during a period of major socioeconomic readjustment and innovation

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe

Global variation in anastomosis and end colostomy formation following left-sided colorectal resection

Background End colostomy rates following colorectal resection vary across institutions in high-income settings, being influenced by patient, disease, surgeon and system factors. This study aimed to assess global variation in end colostomy rates after left-sided colorectal resection. Methods This study comprised an analysis of GlobalSurg-1 and -2 international, prospective, observational cohort studies (2014, 2016), including consecutive adult patients undergoing elective or emergency left-sided colorectal resection within discrete 2-week windows. Countries were grouped into high-, middle- and low-income tertiles according to the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI). Factors associated with colostomy formation versus primary anastomosis were explored using a multilevel, multivariable logistic regression model. Results In total, 1635 patients from 242 hospitals in 57 countries undergoing left-sided colorectal resection were included: 113 (6·9 per cent) from low-HDI, 254 (15·5 per cent) from middle-HDI and 1268 (77·6 per cent) from high-HDI countries. There was a higher proportion of patients with perforated disease (57·5, 40·9 and 35·4 per cent; P < 0·001) and subsequent use of end colostomy (52·2, 24·8 and 18·9 per cent; P < 0·001) in low- compared with middle- and high-HDI settings. The association with colostomy use in low-HDI settings persisted (odds ratio (OR) 3·20, 95 per cent c.i. 1·35 to 7·57; P = 0·008) after risk adjustment for malignant disease (OR 2·34, 1·65 to 3·32; P < 0·001), emergency surgery (OR 4·08, 2·73 to 6·10; P < 0·001), time to operation at least 48 h (OR 1·99, 1·28 to 3·09; P = 0·002) and disease perforation (OR 4·00, 2·81 to 5·69; P < 0·001). Conclusion Global differences existed in the proportion of patients receiving end stomas after left-sided colorectal resection based on income, which went beyond case mix alone

The application of ecological models and trophic analyses to archaeological marine fauna assemblages: towards improved understanding of prehistoric marine fisheries and ecosystems in tropical Australia

This project focuses on the high-resolution analysis of archaeological marine fauna assemblages, using methodologies situated in an evolutionary ecology theoretical framework. These assemblages come from eight Kaiadilt archaeological sites across the South Wellesley Archipelago, which are a valuable dataset to examine not just dietary composition of foragers in the islands but also long-term patterns in the temporal and spatial availability of subsistence resources. This study also represents the first Australian investigation that applies trophic level analysis to archaeological marine fauna assemblages in order to explore anthropogenic effects on prehistoric fisheries (e.g. Bourque et al. 2008; Reitz et al. 2009; Quitmyer and Reitz 2006). Located in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria, in the central north of Australia the study area for this project focuses on Bentinck, Sweers and Fowler Islands, three of the largest islands in the South Wellesley Archipelago and the traditional home of Kaiadilt people. A three phase cultural chronology spanning the past c. 3,500 years is suggested for the study area, based on a comprehensive suite of 128 radiocarbon dates collected from cultural deposits, combined with results from linguistic studies (see Memmott et al. 2016). This archaeological research undertaken in collaboration with the Kaiadilt Aboriginal community has resulted in the recording of cultural places on their lands. Community engagement has been an integral part of this research and ultimately has contributed to the success of the project. At a regional level this thesis contributes to the discourse about Aboriginal subsistence practices in northern Australia for the late Holocene. The project provides a large dataset similar with those of other studies conducted internationally, and is therefore able to inform other research based within an ecological theory framework. This research aims to (1) identify evidence for human subsistence strategies, in particular the diversity of marine species types exploited (diet-breadth) and patterns of habitat (patch) exploitation through time; (2) characterise temporal changes in the biomass contribution and population structure of particular species through development of taxa size/age profiles, which identifies, for example, declining efficiencies in marine exploitation and human harvest pressure on resources; and (3) identify and assess changes in marine trophic levels exploited and explore potential evidence of trophic cascades in the local ecosystem in order to determine anthropogenic impacts on local ecologies. The project addresses these aims using methodologies based within an evolutionary ecology framework including the Diet-Breadth Prey Choice Model (MacArthur and Pianka 1966), the Patch Choice Model (Charnov and Orians 1973) and the Central-Place Forager Model (Metcalfe and Barlow 1992). All data are grouped into chronological units of 250-year intervals. While these units offer a broad temporal resolution that may obscure some fine-grained variances in individual datasets, they provide a method for characterising local assemblages in a way that they can be compared across the region (e.g. Ulm 2006). Archaeological evidence indicates that marine shellfish, fish and invertebrates substantially contributed to diet in the South Wellesley Islands. A total of 124.3kg of marine faunal remains are examined for this study. People's foraging strategies were broad-based in terms of both range of habitats accessed and diversity of species collected. 62 molluscan taxa were identified in the study. Hiant venus clam (Marcia hiantina), rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata), turban snails (Lunella cinerea) and longbums (Telescopium telescopium) were the main molluscs consumed. There is evidence for a long-term trend in changing habitat preferences that could reflect changing cultural preferences and/or changing environments affecting resource availability. From two locations on Bentinck Island we have signals that clearly imply changes in diet-breadth c. 500 cal BP, which were likely a response to an environmental event impacting mangrove habitats and therefore changing taxa abundances available for exploitation. The study characterises the population structure of M. hiantina (the dominant species) through development of the taxon's profile and reviews temporal changes in densities and sizes. Although M. hiantina specimens exhibit some short-term reductions in mean size during seasonal bouts of intensive foraging, temporal patterns indicate that foraging efficiency was not compromised in the long-term. A minimum of 15 species of fish, 1 species of shark and 1 species of turtle were identified from skeletal remains. There is also evidence throughout most periods at most sites of crustacea being foraged although it is difficult to determine numbers. Based on known habitats for the specimens identified (e.g. catfish, grass sweetlip, rockcod, mullet, longtom, whiting, wrasse) much of the fish would have been obtained from hunting in nearshore waters, either from around rocky/coral reefs, intertidal mangroves, estuaries or in the numerous constructed stonewalled intertidal fishtraps. The Central-Place Forager Model was used to explain disparity between ethnographic reports of fishing and hunting activities and the low quantities of fish and vertebrate bones identified in the analysed materials. I contend it is likely dugong, turtle and some fish were processed and consumed at the beach closer to the location of procurement, rather than returned to residential camps (see Tindale 1960:48, 71). Trophic level analysis was used to establish the average trophic level for each 250-year period's marine biomass catch. Faunal data suggest that people targeted primarily the low trophic level shellfish during the early periods of occupation, before shifting their economic focus to a broader-based diet-breadth incorporating more fish, which in turn raised the mean trophic level of all site assemblages. A review of temporal changes in the mean trophic level of exploited resources indicates that hunter-gatherers had little long-term impacts on the overall fishery of the South Wellesley Islands

The application of ecological models and trophic analyses to archaeological marine fauna assemblages: towards improved understanding of prehistoric marine fisheries and ecosystems in tropical Australia

This project focuses on the high-resolution analysis of archaeological marine fauna assemblages, using methodologies situated in an evolutionary ecology theoretical framework. These assemblages come from eight Kaiadilt archaeological sites across the South Wellesley Archipelago, which are a valuable dataset to examine not just dietary composition of foragers in the islands but also long-term patterns in the temporal and spatial availability of subsistence resources. This study also represents the first Australian investigation that applies trophic level analysis to archaeological marine fauna assemblages in order to explore anthropogenic effects on prehistoric fisheries (e.g. Bourque et al. 2008; Reitz et al. 2009; Quitmyer and Reitz 2006). Located in the southern Gulf of Carpentaria, in the central north of Australia the study area for this project focuses on Bentinck, Sweers and Fowler Islands, three of the largest islands in the South Wellesley Archipelago and the traditional home of Kaiadilt people. A three phase cultural chronology spanning the past c. 3,500 years is suggested for the study area, based on a comprehensive suite of 128 radiocarbon dates collected from cultural deposits, combined with results from linguistic studies (see Memmott et al. 2016). This archaeological research undertaken in collaboration with the Kaiadilt Aboriginal community has resulted in the recording of cultural places on their lands. Community engagement has been an integral part of this research and ultimately has contributed to the success of the project. At a regional level this thesis contributes to the discourse about Aboriginal subsistence practices in northern Australia for the late Holocene. The project provides a large dataset similar with those of other studies conducted internationally, and is therefore able to inform other research based within an ecological theory framework. This research aims to (1) identify evidence for human subsistence strategies, in particular the diversity of marine species types exploited (diet-breadth) and patterns of habitat (patch) exploitation through time; (2) characterise temporal changes in the biomass contribution and population structure of particular species through development of taxa size/age profiles, which identifies, for example, declining efficiencies in marine exploitation and human harvest pressure on resources; and (3) identify and assess changes in marine trophic levels exploited and explore potential evidence of trophic cascades in the local ecosystem in order to determine anthropogenic impacts on local ecologies. The project addresses these aims using methodologies based within an evolutionary ecology framework including the Diet-Breadth Prey Choice Model (MacArthur and Pianka 1966), the Patch Choice Model (Charnov and Orians 1973) and the Central-Place Forager Model (Metcalfe and Barlow 1992). All data are grouped into chronological units of 250-year intervals. While these units offer a broad temporal resolution that may obscure some fine-grained variances in individual datasets, they provide a method for characterising local assemblages in a way that they can be compared across the region (e.g. Ulm 2006). Archaeological evidence indicates that marine shellfish, fish and invertebrates substantially contributed to diet in the South Wellesley Islands. A total of 124.3kg of marine faunal remains are examined for this study. People's foraging strategies were broad-based in terms of both range of habitats accessed and diversity of species collected. 62 molluscan taxa were identified in the study. Hiant venus clam (Marcia hiantina), rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata), turban snails (Lunella cinerea) and longbums (Telescopium telescopium) were the main molluscs consumed. There is evidence for a long-term trend in changing habitat preferences that could reflect changing cultural preferences and/or changing environments affecting resource availability. From two locations on Bentinck Island we have signals that clearly imply changes in diet-breadth c. 500 cal BP, which were likely a response to an environmental event impacting mangrove habitats and therefore changing taxa abundances available for exploitation. The study characterises the population structure of M. hiantina (the dominant species) through development of the taxon's profile and reviews temporal changes in densities and sizes. Although M. hiantina specimens exhibit some short-term reductions in mean size during seasonal bouts of intensive foraging, temporal patterns indicate that foraging efficiency was not compromised in the long-term. A minimum of 15 species of fish, 1 species of shark and 1 species of turtle were identified from skeletal remains. There is also evidence throughout most periods at most sites of crustacea being foraged although it is difficult to determine numbers. Based on known habitats for the specimens identified (e.g. catfish, grass sweetlip, rockcod, mullet, longtom, whiting, wrasse) much of the fish would have been obtained from hunting in nearshore waters, either from around rocky/coral reefs, intertidal mangroves, estuaries or in the numerous constructed stonewalled intertidal fishtraps. The Central-Place Forager Model was used to explain disparity between ethnographic reports of fishing and hunting activities and the low quantities of fish and vertebrate bones identified in the analysed materials. I contend it is likely dugong, turtle and some fish were processed and consumed at the beach closer to the location of procurement, rather than returned to residential camps (see Tindale 1960:48, 71). Trophic level analysis was used to establish the average trophic level for each 250-year period's marine biomass catch. Faunal data suggest that people targeted primarily the low trophic level shellfish during the early periods of occupation, before shifting their economic focus to a broader-based diet-breadth incorporating more fish, which in turn raised the mean trophic level of all site assemblages. A review of temporal changes in the mean trophic level of exploited resources indicates that hunter-gatherers had little long-term impacts on the overall fishery of the South Wellesley Islands

The Caution Bay Project field and laboratory methods

This chapter reports on the personnel, research structure and analytical methods employed in the Caution Bay project, constituting the sum of the various phases of field and laboratory research at Caution Bay. We stress that from the onset our approach has been to investigate through excavation the character of the archaeological record at a landscape scale, rather than more detailed investigations of a handful of sites that would have provided limited spatial understandings across the whole of the study area. That is, limited excavations at numerous sites were favoured over large-scale horizontal excavations of a few sites. This choice of strategy has arguably been vindicated by the discovery of rich cultural deposits that would have been entirely missed had we focused on the 'best' surface sites, none of which possess the treasured and then-unexpected Lapita horizons subsequently found at depth following excavation at sites with minor post-Lapita surface cultural deposits. Be that as it may, we present here baseline details into the analytical methods used for all of our excavations and laboratory research, critical background information that details how 122 Caution Bay sites have been excavated and analysed, towards publication in a sequence of forthcoming monographs