Dissertation Research: Torres Strait Marine Foraging and Resource Utilization

本文由华盛顿大学的一名人类学学生撰写，将收集和分析澳大利亚托雷斯海峡西部岛民海洋资源利用的数据，以评估人类利用自然资源的两种相互竞争的模式。最优觅食理论预测，进入有限的可防御领土可能会产生保护导向的行为，例如基于个体大小或当地种群枯竭而放弃海洋动物的捕捞。关于小规模人类社会的另一种观点认为，人们往往在不考虑具体领土权利的情况下，对保护未来的种群进行社会投资。本研究将通过对捕获量、补丁时间分配和回归率的测量来检验这些替代理论的假设。这些数据将有助于增进对渔业微生态的了解，并将有助于地方化和合作化管理机构，为它们提供有效管理沿海资源的更强有力的基础。此外，该项目还有助于培养一名年轻的社会科学家，并增进我们对世界上这一重要地区的了解。

0109170Smith / NormanThis dissertation research by an anthropology student from the University of Washington will gather and analyze data on western Torres Strait (Australia) Islander marine resource use, in order to evaluate two competing models of human use of natural resources. Optimal foraging theory predicts that defendable territories of limited access are likely to produce conservation-oriented behaviors, such as foregoing the harvest of marine animals based on individual size or local population depletion. An alternative view of small-scale human society holds that people are often socially invested in conserving future stocks without regard for specific territorial rights. Hypotheses from these alternative theories will be tested in this research, using measurements of catch, patch time allocation, and return rates. The data and will contribute to an enhanced understanding of the microecology of fishing, and will be useful for localized and cooperative management institutions to provide them with a stronger basis of effective management of coastal resources. The project in addition contributes to the training of a young social scientist, and advances our understanding of this important region of the world.