French Polynesia Research Articles

Epidemiology of End-Stage Kidney Disease in French Polynesia: A Plea for Standardized Diagnosis Workflow in Young Adults of First Nations People

Epidemiology of End-Stage Kidney Disease in French Polynesia: A Plea for Standardized Diagnosis Workflow in Young Adults of First Nations People

A Comparative Study of the Floristic Diversity and Structure of Relictual Littoral and Swamp Forests in the Island of Tahiti (French Polynesia, South Pacific)

A Comparative Study of the Floristic Diversity and Structure of Relictual Littoral and Swamp Forests in the Island of Tahiti (French Polynesia, South Pacific)

Lagoon hydrodynamics of pearl farming islands: the case of Gambier (French Polynesia)

Abstract. Between 2019 and 2020, the Gambier lagoon was instrumented over a period of 9 months with a large array of autonomous oceanographic instruments measuring temperature, pressure, and current. Two deployments were conducted from June to October 2019 (Leg1) and from late October 2019 to late February 2020 (Leg2). A total of 16 instrumented locations were spread across the lagoon and on the forereef. Physical parameters were measured to characterize the wave climate, tide and surges, lagoonal circulation, and spatial and vertical temperature variabilities. Those observations were part of the ANR-funded MANA project (2017–2022) and its derivatives that were aimed at improving knowledge of processes influencing the spat collection of Pinctada margaritifera oysters that are used for black pearl farming and production. This dataset was a prerequisite for the development of a high-resolution biophysical model on the Gambier lagoon that is aimed at understanding the connectivity of oyster larvae (Bruyère et al., 2023a). The sampling strategy focused on the northern region of the Gambier lagoon and especially on the sub-lagoon of Rikitea, which is a prime spat collection site. The dataset was post processed, quality controlled, and is archived in a dedicated repository with a permanent DOI via the SEANOE marine data platform (https://doi.org/10.17882/94148, Andréfouët et al., 2023b).

Effects of year‐long exposure to elevated pCO2 on the metabolism of back reef and fore reef communities

AbstractThe implications of ocean acidification are acute for calcifying organisms, notably tropical reef corals, for which accretion generally is depressed and dissolution enhanced at reduced seawater pH. We describe year‐long experiments in which back reef and fore reef (17‐m depth) communities from Moorea, French Polynesia, were incubated outdoors under pCO2 regimes reflecting endpoints of representative concentration pathways (RCPs) expected by the end the century. Incubations were completed in three to four flumes (5.0 × 0.3 m, 500 L) in which seawater was refreshed and circulated at 0.1 m s−1, and the response of the communities was evaluated monthly by measurements of net community calcification (NCC) and net community productivity (NCP). For both communities, NCC (but not NCP) was affected by treatments and time, with NCC declining with increasing pCO2, and for the fore reef, becoming negative (i.e., dissolution was occurring) at the highest pCO2 (1067–1433 μatm, RCP8.5). There was scant evidence of community adjustment to reduce the negative effects of ocean acidification, and inhibition of NCC intensified in the back reef as the abundance of massive Porites spp. declined. These results highlight the risks of dissolution under ocean acidification for coral reefs and suggest these effects will be most acute in fore reef habitats. Without signs of amelioration of the negative effects of ocean acidification during year‐long experiments, it is reasonable to expect that the future of coral reefs in acidic seas can be predicted from their current known susceptibility to ocean acidification.

Assessing regional connectivity patterns of bivalvia in fragmented archipelagos: Insights from biophysical modeling in French Polynesia

Larval dispersal and connectivity are key processes that drive marine metapopulation dynamics, and therefore should be well characterized when designing effective management strategies. While temperature and food availability can structure marine species connectivity patterns, their contribution has not been thoroughly investigated in highly fragmented archipelagos. We used biophysical modeling of larval dispersal to explore the connectivity patterns of species with complex life-cycles across French Polynesia (FP), a territory formed by more than a hundred small, geographically isolated islands covering an area as large as Europe. We first simulated ten years of larval dispersal to investigate the spatial and temporal (seasonal and interannual) variability in larval dispersal pathways for different hypothetical species exhibiting a range of Larval Precompetency Period (LPP) values. Then, using the black-lip pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) as a model species, we accounted for variability in the LPP induced by temperature and food availability, as derived from a Dynamic Energy Budget (DEB) model. The model showed that food availability and mesoscale turbulence (eddies) in the Marquesas jointly constrained larval dispersal, reducing its potential connectivity with other archipelagos in FP. The DEB simulations also revealed seasonal and interannual variability in connectivity driven by environmental conditions. However, accounting for food and temperature effects on larval development, barely changed the connectivity pattern at regional scale due to the remoteness of this archipelago. Our study thus provides appropriate management units definition at regional scale for the species across FP.

MANUSCRIPT XLIII: Petition to the United Nations Trusteeship Council from the Marshallese People, 20 April 1954

ABSTRACT Anti-nuclear protests in the Pacific Islands began in the 1950s. There were a series of petitions throughout the decade as Islanders living under colonial administration sought assistance from the United Nations Trusteeship Council, the newly created Non-Aligned Movement, and international ecumenical networks such as the World Council of Churches. At the height of the 1950s Cold War between the United States and USSR, these calls were mostly brushed aside by the nuclear weapons states. Despite this, Islanders from French Polynesia, Fiji, Cook Islands, Marshall Islands, Western Samoa, and other colonial dependencies spoke out against nuclear weapons and especially the US and British nuclear programmes in the Pacific, petitioning for an end to nuclear testing. This document is a striking example of these petitions, inspired by the March 1954 atmospheric nuclear test, codenamed Bravo, in the Marshall Islands.

Liberty of Land, Liberty for God: Between Indigenous Land-Human Relationship and State Sovereignty in French Polynesia

This paper will discuss tiàmāraa faaroo, the concept of religious sovereignty advocated in the Māòhi Protestant Church in French Polynesia, and how it intersects with the idea of political sovereignty. Whilst territorial politics revolves around the possibility of national independence, religious sovereignty suspends the idea of political self-governance, and instead promotes the recovery of Indigenous relationships with the land, a core doctrine of local Christian theology. Religious sovereignty supports a notion of Indigenous sovereignty that is practice-based and conceptually independent of the modern nation-state, but nonetheless is seen to be crucial for national independence, should they wish to achieve it. I suggest how localised Christianity in the Pacific, itself a combination of Indigenous and exogenous epistemologies, provides a model of cultural and temporal hybridity for shaping decolonial futures.

Reading the Multilingual Novel with the Mā'ohi Tīfaifai: An Indigenous Research Methodology

Tīfaifai, a term that means “to mend” or “to patch” in Tahitian, broadly refers to the Mā'ohi patchwork. Previously imported into Mā'ohi Nui (French Polynesia) by the missionaries in the early to mid-nineteenth century, it has been appropriated by Mā'ohi people and indigenized. Nowadays, the tīfaifai is a symbol of cultural pride and Mā'ohi artistry that is tightly linked with identity conceptualizations in the region. Drawing from multilingual literary theories and Pacific concepts of diaspora, Indigeneity and postcolonialism, this article analyzes Tahitian author Célestine Vaite’s three multilingual novels, Breadfruit , Frangipani and Tiare in Bloom (2000–2006). Using a methodology based on the tīfaifai creation process and functions, it argues that the tīfaifai, as an object of value, allows building knowledge and meaning. This article aims to address the need to develop research methodologies that are in step with Indigenous Pacific realities and theories.

Molecular study of the status of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in rats in Haiti

Angiostrongylus cantonensis, commonly known as the rat lungworm, causes Eosinophilic meningitis in humans. Our study aimed to investigate the prevalence and distribution of this parasite in rats in Haiti. Rats were trapped at 8 sites, 7 in Artibonite (rural region) and one in an urban area of Port-au-Prince. After euthanasia, hearts and lungs were sampled and preserved in 70% ethanol. Subsequently, the organs were dissected to detect adult worms. Parasite DNA was amplified using PCR targeting either the nematode ITS2 gene for rodent lung tissue or cox1 for isolated worms. Subsequent sequencing allowed parasite identification. A total of 70 rats were captured, i.e. 23 Rattus norvegicus and 47 Rattus rattus. Adult nematodes morphologically compatible with A. cantonensis were isolated from 5/70 rats (7%) and identification was confirmed by sequencing. Molecular analysis of lung tissue revealed a parasite prevalence of 31.4% (22/70), and its presence at 4 of the 8 sites investigated, including Port-au-Prince. The molecular approach on lung tissue targeting the ITS2 gene enabled us to detect a prevalence 4 times higher than the visual search for adult worms alone. Only one COX1 haplotype was identified, belonging to genotype II-G, widely distributed in Brazil, the French Antilles (Guadeloupe), French Polynesia, Hawaii, and Japan. These results confirm that A. cantonensis is an endemic parasite in Haiti not only in the capital Port-au-Prince, but also in several rural areas. Direct molecular screening for Angiostrongylus DNA in rat lung tissue showed higher sensitivity than visual detection of worms during dissection and could be useful for further prevalence studies.

Morphology and Phylogenetic Position of the Sargassum Nudibranch Scyllaea fulva Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (Nudibranchia: Scyllaeidae): First Record in Hong Kong.

Scyllaeidae is a small group of nudibranchs comprising three genera (Scyllaea, Notobryon, and Crosslandia) with striking morphological similarities, making their identification challenging based on external features alone. Previous studies have highlighted the significance of central radular teeth in distinguishing Notobryon from Scyllaea and Crosslandia. The genus Scyllaea, commonly known as the sargassum nudibranch, currently consists of only two valid species, Scyllaea pelagica and Scyllaea fulva. These species inhabit seaweed Sargassum spp., feeding on hydroids. During a biodiversity survey conducted in April 2023, seven sargassum nudibranch individuals were collected from the seaweed Sargassum spp. at a depth of 2 meters in Tai She Wan through SCUBA diving. Initially, the specimens were misidentified based on their resemblance to Notobryon wardi and previous local records. However, thorough morphological and molecular examinations confirmed them to be Scyllaea fulva, representing the first record of this species in Hong Kong. Notably, our specimens lacked the blue spots observed in specimens from Thailand and the West Pacific Ocean, as reported in previous studies. Internally, a pineapple-like structure formed a honeycomb pattern on the surface of the masticatory edge of the jaw flap, with the presence of central radular teeth. A Maximum Likelihood tree analysis revealed Crosslandia to be the sister group of Scyllaea. Comparative analysis of intra-specific distances between individuals from the Philippines, French Polynesia, and Hong Kong indicated a close relationship between the Hong Kong specimens and those from the Philippines. Furthermore, we provide a detailed description of the external and internal morphology of Scyllaea fulva in this paper, integrating valuable morphological information for future species identification purposes.

Seasonal growth and calcification of three species of crustose coralline algae in Moore, French Polynesia

Seasonal growth and calcification of three species of crustose coralline algae in Moore, French Polynesia

Study of the coastal reef fishery pressure in a South Pacific Island (Bora-Bora, French Polynesia)

In the context of the general overexploitation of South Pacific reef fisheries, there is a global push to precisely define fishery parameters such as fishing effort, annual landings, and exploitation levels. In Bora-Bora, several surveys were performed to define the fishing grounds and the fishing effort of the reef fishery for the first time. Maps of the fishing grounds under different fishing pressures were created for the Bora-Bora reef fishery. The average fishing effort throughout the lagoon was 40 trips week−1 km−2. Annual landings were estimated following two different methods: school participatory surveys and landing based on the catch per unit effort. These estimations were used to determine that the maximum sustainable yield of the island's fisheries was 6.5 tons km−2 year−1. the reported annual yield in 2022 was 5.35 tons km−2 year−1, under the estimated maximum sustainable yield. The level of exploitation of the fisheries was also estimated based on the catch size composition of the ten most fished species. This revealed that fishing is responsible for more than 50% of fish mortality in six of the ten studied species, and that catch length could be increased to optimize both catches and biomass. Overall, the Bora-Bora reef fishery may be experiencing growth overfishing (i.e., the catching of fish that are too small to maximise biological sustainability and economical yield), which can endanger stock recruitment in the future if no actions are taken.

Taxonomy and systematics of shallow-water tropical benthic foraminifera from the lagoon environments at Bora Bora, Society Islands, French Polynesia

Bora Bora is a volcanic island in the tropical central South Pacific Ocean with a barrier reef and large well developed back-reef lagoons. It forms part of the system of shallow water environments in the archipelagos of French Polynesia that provide stepping stones for the interconnectivity of shallow marine faunas between the tropical Western and Eastern Pacific biogeographic regions. The fauna has many similarities to foraminiferal faunas in the south western Indo-Pacific but has been demonstrated to be unique. This study provides illustrations and discussions of most of the 184 species of benthic foraminifera identified from sediments in the back-reef lagoon environments at Bora Bora, that span from the shallow immediate back-reef sand banks, to the deep lagoons and to the coastal fringing reefs and embayments around the volcanic island. The illustrated specimens and taxonomic discussions are aimed at providing an identification guide to shallow water tropical benthic foraminifera from the central South Pacific region. Six new species have been established, including Textularia boraboraensis, Miliolinella mccullochae, Quinqueloculina guilcheri, Triloculina karimimossadeghae, Coscinospira georgforsteri, and Elphidium venecpeyreae. This study also proposes that the family of cymbaloporetids, Cymbaloporidae, are placed within the Superfamily Discorboidea.

Three-dimensional printing can provide opportunities to promote coral recruitment on disturbed reefs

Tropical corals are undergoing population declines due to disturbances. The implications of these trends are modulated by the ability of corals to support population recovery through recruitment. Current research underscores the importance of physical features of benthic surfaces in promoting coral recruitment, which creates opportunities to enhance recruitment by engineering surfaces to replicate these features with the goal of enhancing coral settlement. This study examined the interaction between the settlement of coral larvae and three-dimensional (3D) surfaces and employed 3D printing to enhance recruitment. We tested the effects of the features of microhabitats on the settlement preference, gregariousness, and survival of the brooding coral Pocillopora acuta. Grooved microhabitats that are common in the shallow (<7 m depth) backreef of Moorea, French Polynesia, were printed onto plastic tiles, and were favored for settlement by freshly released larvae from P. acuta. The percent survivorship over 20 days of coral recruits that settled in grooved microhabitats was 16.4% versus none on open flat surface. These results underscore the importance of naturally forming benthic features in promoting coral recruitment, and they highlight the potential for duplication of these features through 3D printing to enhance coral recruitment and accelerate reef restoration following damage.

A new species of Agonimia (Ascomycota, Eurotiomycetes, Verrucariaceae) from Morane atoll (Tuāmotu-Gambier Islands, French Polynesia)

Agonimia gargominyi (Verrucariaceae, Verrucariales) is described and illustrated from bark samples collected from Morane atoll (Tuāmotu-Gambier Islands, French Polynesia). It is characterized by the large superficial perithecia having a pale brown-colored ostiolar region, the 8-spored asci, and the relatively large lobed squamules. Micromorphology of the ascomata and the thalline squamules matches the genus Agonimia. Additionally, to accommodate the inclusion of this newly identified species, the existing comprehensive key encompassing all known Agonimia species worldwide has been modified and updated accordingly. Detailed illustrations supplement the description of Agonimia gargominyi.

Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome: Microcephaly and Orofacial Anomalies.

The progressive reappearance of Zika virus (ZIKV) infections since October 2013 and its circulation in >70 countries and territories (from French Polynesia to Brazil and other countries in the Americas, with sporadic spread in Europe and the East) has long been reported as a global public health emergency. ZIKV is a virus transmitted by arthropods (arboviruses), mainly by Aedes mosquitoes. ZIKV can also be transmitted to humans through mechanisms other than vector infection such as sexual intercourse, blood transfusions, and mother-to-child transmission. The latter mode of transmission can give rise to a severe clinical form called congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), which can result in spontaneous abortion or serious pathological alterations in the fetus such as microcephaly or neurological and orofacial anomalies. In this study, beside a succinct overview of the etiological, microbiological, and epidemiological aspects and modes of transmission of Zika virus infections, we have focused our attention on the pathogenetic and histopathological aspects in pregnancy and the pathogenetic and molecular mechanisms that can determine microcephaly, and consequently the clinical alterations, typical of the fetus and newborns, in a subject affected by CZS.

Moorea lagoon fishers’ mental maps: An exploratory analysis of Polynesian spatial knowledge

AbstractThis empirical study builds upon prior research concerning cultural influences on spatial mental representations in Oceania. A comprehensive examination of 93 mental maps sourced from 59 lagoon fishers of Moorea (French Polynesia) reveals interesting facts about the way they organize and share their spatial knowledge. Firstly, consistent with previous studies across Oceania, Polynesian fishers exhibit a preference for the allocentric perspective when representing their environment. Secondly, they generally rely on marine landmarks for navigation, with a particular emphasis on four entities: the reef barrier, maritime beacons, coral outcrops, and a key chromatic marker — Moana (blue in Tahitian) — indicating the depth of the lagoon. Finally, the factor analysis we conducted highlights two significant facts: (1) a geographical self‐censorship, demonstrated by the low presence or even the absence of landmarks useful for locating their fishing spots; (2) a continuum between the surface and the depths of the lagoon, showing that surface fishers (line, net, troll, etc.) have a proven knowledge of seabed topography, whereas underwater speargun fishers also rely on landmarks located above the water.

Shallow-water Rissoidae of the genera Alvania Risso, 1826, Haurakia Iredale, 1915, Parashiela Laseron, 1956, Simulamerelina Ponder, 1985 and Subestea Cotton, 1944 (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Rissooidea) from French Polynesia, with the description of a new deep-water genus

Shallow-water Rissoidae of the genera Alvania Risso, 1826, Haurakia Iredale, 1915, Parashiela Laseron, 1956, Simulamerelina Ponder, 1985 and Subestea Cotton, 1944 (Gastropoda, Caenogastropoda, Rissooidea) from French Polynesia, with the description of a new deep-water genus

Nuclear Testing in French Polynesia: After Fifty Years of Lies and State Secrets How to Calm Our Anger and Rebuild Ourselves

The essay discusses, from an Indigenous perspective, the French nuclear weapon tests in the southern Pacific islands. It presents a vivid scenario of the detrimental effects and social inequalities produced by the dynamic of ‘industrialization without industry’ brought about by militarisation and extraction.

Diel cycle of two recurrent fish sounds from mesophotic coral reefs

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) are the deepest part of tropical coral reefs, ranging from depths of 30 to over 170 m. Despite their significance, MCEs remain largely unexplored due to the challenges associated with accessing these depths. However, the application of passive acoustic monitoring methods (PAM) is a suitable approach for studying fish communities within these unique habitats. In French Polynesia, recent PAM studies have unveiled a higher occurrence of frequency-modulated fish sounds in MCEs than in shallower reef environments. This study aims to further enhance our understanding of fish sounds in MCEs by examining their diel patterns, focusing specifically on the two most abundant frequency-modulated fish sounds that were recorded at depths of 60 and 120 m at six Polynesian islands. Both sound types occurred predominantly during the beginning and the end of nocturnal periods. The presence and abundance of these sounds exhibited variation between the islands, highlighting potential regional disparities in vocal activity or the bathymetric distribution of the sound-producing species. By characterizing the diel cycles and bathymetric differences in relation to their geographical distribution, this study offers preliminary insights into identifying the potential sound-producing species.