Dissertation
Optimizing mabé pearl culture with the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin, in the Kingdom of Tonga
University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Doctor of Philosophy, University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25907/00081
Abstract
The winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin (Röding, 1798), is widely cultured for the production of high-quality mabé pearls (half-pearls) in the Kingdom of Tonga and the Pacific. Mabé pearl culture provides a sustainable, culturally appropriate income source to many remote coastal communities and supports a diverse range of pearl-based livelihoods. Mabé pearls are cultured by attaching hemispherical nuclei to the inner nacreous (mother-of-pearl) surfaces of pearl oyster shells. Successive layers of nacre are then deposited over the nuclei to produce mabé pearls of commercial nacre thickness within 9-12 months. The Kingdom of Tonga is the leading producer of mabé pearls in the south Pacific and has considerable potential for sector development and livelihood support. Despite this, optimal environmental and culture conditions for growth and mabé pearl production by P. penguin in Tonga are unknown. This paucity of information limits the production potential of the mabé pearl sector and its’ associated livelihood benefits to communities in Tonga and the Pacific.
Details
- Title
- Optimizing mabé pearl culture with the winged pearl oyster, Pteria penguin, in the Kingdom of Tonga
- Authors
- Sophie Gordon
- Contributors
- Paul Southgate (Principal Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australian Centre for Pacific Islands ResearchDavid Schoeman (Co-Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and EngineeringD. İpek Kurtböke (Co-Supervisor) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Awarding institution
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- Degree awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Publisher
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
- DOI
- 10.25907/00081
- Organisation Unit
- Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99563808902621
- Output Type
- Dissertation
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