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ESAI – Promoting Professional Development through Education

Issue No 24 Summer 2012ISSN 1393 2705

Newsletter of the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland • An association for people working in the environmental area

Environews Issue 24 Summer 2012Environews is published by the Environmental Sciences Association of Ireland (ESAI) and distributedfree to members. Names and addresses of members are not provided to commercial concerns.

ESAI COUNCIL OFFICERSChairpersonDr Paul Bolger, Environmental Research Institute, UCC, Lee Road, CorkEmail: [email protected] SecretaryMr Alan Berry, Oceanographic Services, Marine Institute, Rinville, Oranmore, Co GalwayEmail: [email protected] TreasurerMs Nuala Murphy, Irish Climate Analysis & Research Units, Geography Department, NUI Maynooth, Maynooth, Co KildareEmail: [email protected] EditorMr John Wann, Aulino Wann & Associates, 34 Windsor Avenue, Whitehead, BT38 9RX, Co AntrimEmail: [email protected]

ESAI COUNCIL MEMBERSConference Coordinator 2013Dr Martina Prendergast, Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, University Road, GalwayEmail: [email protected] Coordinator 2012Dr Thomas Curran, UCD School of Biosystems Engineering,UCD Agriculture and Food Science Centre, Belfield, Dublin 4Email: [email protected] OfficerMs Sinead Macken, Stonehaven, Moy Road, Kinvara, Co GalwayEmail: [email protected] Co-ordinatorc/o Dr Adrian Corcoran (attikdesigns.ie)Email: [email protected]

ESAI REGULAR MEMBERSDr Shane Colgan, EPA Regional Inspectorate, McCumiskey House, Richview, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14Email: [email protected] Timothy Sullivan, School of Chemical Sciences, DCU, Glasnevin, Dublin 9Email: [email protected] Aoife Delaney, Botanical Environmental & Conservation Consultants Ltd,26 Upper Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2Email: [email protected] Cara Augustenborg, Impact Research Management, Bray, Co WicklowEmail: [email protected] PJ Purcell, Civil Structural and Environmental Engineering, Newstead, UCD, Belfield, Dublin 4Email: [email protected] Kevin Ryan, Environment Department, Cork City Council, City Hall, CorkEmail: [email protected] Damian Howard, 38 Mount Tallant Avenue, Terenure, Dublin 6WEmail: [email protected] John Gallagher, Civil Engineering Office, Museum Building, TCD, Dublin 2Email: [email protected]

ESAI MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS€50 waged; €25 unwaged(Contact ESAI Membership Officer or check out www.esaiweb.org)

DESIGN & LAYOUTCóilín MacLochlainn

COVER

Primrose.Photograph:

Cóilín MacLochlainn

Many native woodlands are being lost to Rhododendron ponticum infestation.

Already, we are makingpreparations for the 23rd IrishEnvironmental Researchers’Colloquium (ENVIRON2013), which is to be held atNUI Galway. The success of aconference is down to howwell it is organised, but it isalso due to the activeinvolvement of theparticipants. We would like tomake an appeal to members toget involved, whether it is byoffering help to the organising

committee or entering or sponsoring one of the studentoral or poster competitions.

The Dublin City of Science 2012 festival is by now infull swing. The Irish Film Institute will contribute to thefestival by organising a series of screenings – ofdocumentaries, features and archive footage – with talks

by guest speakers providing a forum for discussion, expertinput and social interaction within a key cultural venue.The screenings will focus on such topics as theenvironment, knowledge, medical science and the scienceand technology of film and moving image.

An international conference called “The Reception ofNewton” will be held in Dr Steeven’s Hospital on July12th-13th in association with the Edward Worth Library, anearly 18th century library that belonged to Dublinphysician Edward Worth (1678-1733). The library’sholdings elucidate the impact of Newton on 18th-centuryscience and the Enlightenment in general. In order to keepabreast of events, check outhttp://www.dublinscience2012.ie.

The ESAI Council held a strategy workshop in April (seePaul Bolger’s article, page 4) to discuss how ESAI canbetter serve our members and promote the association.Three working groups have been set up to explore,firstly, how we can develop links with other professionalassociations; secondly, the feasibility of holding an annualworkshop (CPD-certified) around a current environmentalissue involving researchers, policymakers and industry;and finally, how to enhance jobs/careers services offered bythe ESAI. We encourage members to get involved in theseworking groups to help shape the future direction of ESAI.

John Wann, Editor

Editorial

Mr John Wann(Editor, Environews)

Many would agree that ENVIRON 2012was a huge success, thanks to the trojanwork of ESAI Council, the UCD OrganisingCommittee, our members and thegenerosity of our sponsors

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Like any organisation, the ESAIwill only continue to besuccessful if the associationpursues an appropriatestrategy that meets the needs ofits members. With this inmind, the ESAI Council held astrategy workshop in April toreview the Association’sactivities, with a view todeveloping new activities thatwould benefit ESAI membersand enhance the association.

Since the last strategic review, held by the association in2008, the ESAI Council has almost completely renewed itsmembership, and this workshop afforded an opportunityfor new members to set the strategic direction for theassociation for the next 2-3 years.

The outputs from the brainstorming sessions at theworkshop produced a plethora of ideas and options for the

Association. The ESAI Council then evaluated each idea onthe basis of what would give best value to ESAI membersand to the Association as a whole. On this basis theAssociation has decided to proceed with three newinitiatives, as follows:

• Develop links, and seek synergies, with otherprofessional associations, e.g., IEI, CIWEM,IWEM, etc (to be led by Damian Howard).

• Host an annual workshop (CPD-certified) inSeptember/October around a topicalenvironmental issue involving researchers,policymakers and industry (to be led by AlanBerry).

• Enhance jobs/careers services offered by theESAI (e.g., website link to www.ecocareers.ie,job fair at ENVIRON, etc) with the aim ofassisting postgraduates to gain employment anddevelop their careers (to be led by Dr CaraAugustenborg and Dr Aoife Delaney).

The ESAI Council has set up three working groups topursue the above initiatives. If you would like to beinvolved in any of these initiatives, please contact the ESAIadministrator at [email protected].

• Paul Bolger is Manager of the Environmental ResearchInstitute at University College Cork. He has been on the ESAICouncil since 2007, served as Treasurer from 2008-2009, wasVice-chair in 2010 and was Conference Convenor forENVIRON 2011, held in University College Cork n

View from the Chair

Dr Paul Bolger

By Dr Paul Bolger (Chairperson, ESAI)

A successful strategy can be viewed asa good marriage betweenunderstanding what your customerneeds and a realistic appraisal of yourown resources, underscored by a clearvision. So, what is the ESAI’s strategy?

The ESAI is proposing to hold a jobs fair at the next ENVIRON colloquium.

UCD last hosted the ENVIRONcolloquium in 2006, and it wasvery pleased to welcome thecolloquium again to coincide withthe year-long celebration ofDublin City of Science 2012.

The colloquium was wellattended, with almost 300delegates over the three days. Asalways, the organisers aimed to

keep registration fees affordable. With that in mind, theregistration fees included ESAI membership for one year,as has been the tradition. Presenters on waste topics alsoreceived free membership of CIWM.

ENVIRON 2012 featured a new Student DiscountRegistration Fee (Group of 10) which was particularlyaimed at Undergraduate and Taught Masters Students,who may be interested in deepening their knowledge ofenvironmental issues and perhaps considering a career inresearch. This attracted several groups of students throughthe generous support of the programme co-ordinators.

By Dr Tom Curran (UCD)

The 22nd Irish Environmental Researchers’ Colloquium,ENVIRON 2012, was held in University College Dublin (UCD)from Wednesday, March 7th to Friday, March 9th 2012

: the 22nd Colloquium

The theme for ENVIRON 2012 was “Our Environment:Integrating Today’s Research with Tomorrow’sActions.” The theme challenged delegates to considerhow ongoing research can influence many over-archingareas into the future such as environmental quality, policy,legislation, society and the economy. In order to engagefully with the theme, each presenter was asked to addresshow their research related to the theme in their abstractsubmission and concluding slide in their oral presentation.

The conference began on Wednesday, March 7th, with aseries of workshops. Fionnuala Murphy and Mingjia Yan ofUCD Biosystems Engineering presented an “Introductionto Life-cycle Assessment,” an interactive session whichwas aimed at beginner level.

Mark Cumiskey of UCD Career Development Centrehosted a workshop on “CV Preparation and InterviewStrategy,” which was well attended by a cross-section ofdelegates.

A session on “Effective Scientific Communication” wasthen co-presented by Dr Padraig Murphy of Dublin City

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ENVIRON 2012 Water Q&A session (left to right): Paul Bolger (Chairperson, ESAI), Dick Warner (writer & broadcaster), MaryKelly-Quinn (UCD), Frank McDonald (The Irish Times), Micheal Ewing (Environmental Pillar), Tom Curran (ENVIRON 2012 host),Michael Phillips (Dublin City Council). Photograph: © UCD Communications Office.

University and Dr Brian Quinn of Galway-Mayo Instituteof Technology. It featured various means ofcommunication such as oral and written forms and theprocess of getting a paper published.

Later that evening, a Q&A discussion was held at theconference hotel, Stillorgan Park Hotel, on the theme“Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink.”The panel included Dr Mary Kelly-Quinn (Senior Lecturer,UCD), Michael Ewing (Environmental Pillar), MichaelPhillips (Dublin City Engineer), and Dick Warner(columnist and broadcaster). The speakers covered a broadrange of issues on sustainable water managementincluding: water quality and supply challenges; the need toinvolve people in governance; and the innate humanattraction to water. The session was chaired by FrankMcDonald (The Irish Times) who also gave some thoughtfulinsights. There was an excellent attendance and theaudience asked a wide variety of questions and indeedprovided some interesting views on water issues, bothcurrent and historic. This was undoubtedly one of thehighlights of the colloquium and it was particularlypleasing that many members of the public took theopportunity to attend this free event.

The UCD President, Dr Hugh Brady, officially openedENVIRON 2012 on Thursday. He highlighted theimportance of the work of the scientific community andwished all delegates well.

The plenary session addressed the theme of “OurEnvironment: Integrating Today’s Science withTomorrow’s Actions.” The panel included MichaelHamell (DG Environment, European Commission), John

O’Dea (Department Manager, High-potential Start-ups,Enterprise Ireland), Dr Laurence Gill (Senior Lecturer &Head of Civil Engineering, TCD) and Dr Kevin O’Connor(Senior Lecturer, UCD) alongside the Chairman, ProfFrank Convery of UCD Earth Institute.

The discussion focused on how science can be used as thebasis of developments in policy and commercial activity.Michael Hamell and John O’Dea emphasised theimportance of science at EU policy level and thecommercial potential of scientific activity, respectively. DrGill showed how his work on domestic effluent treatmentsystems had led to national guidelines in the area. DrO’Connor outlined the steps that he took to commercialisehis research on biodegradable plastics.

The colloquium dinner took place on Thursday, March 8th,in the Stillorgan Park Hotel and was followed by a streetdance performance and a disco.

The colloquium closed on the Friday afternoon with aprize-giving ceremony and an announcement that the 23rd

Irish Environmental Researchers’ Colloquium (ENVIRON2013) would take place at NUI Galway.

Sincere thanks to all who contributed to ENVIRON 2012and many congratulations to the prizewinners. We lookforward to seeing you at the next colloquium.

• Dr Tom Curran (Convenor, ENVIRON 2012),School of Biosystems Engineering,University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4 Tel: +353-1-716 7362

[email protected], www.ucd.ie/biosystems n

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ENVIRON 2012 Opening & Plenary (left to right): Kevin O’Connor (UCD), Tom Curran (ENVIRON 2012 Host), Michael Hamell(DG Environment, European Commission), Frank Convery (UCD Earth Institute), Hugh Brady (UCD), Laurence Gill (TCD), JohnO’Dea (Enterprise Ireland). Photograph: © UCD Communications Office

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UCD Earth Institute is a centre for energy, Earth andenvironmental research of a scale capable of leadingIreland’s response to climate change and the global energycrisis, thereby making Ireland an innovation hub for‘green’ technologies.

The mission of the institute is to find solutions to keychallenges in sustainable energy, natural resources, climatechange, natural hazards, nature conservation and the builtenvironment that are relevant for Ireland and contribute toglobal understanding.

The research agenda of the Earth Institute ensures thatUCD is well placed to address some of the most criticalchallenges facing society in the 21st century and to driveinnovative collaborations with industry and enterprise.

The basic disciplines underpinning the research activitiesare varied and diverse but have been clustered under threemain headings:

UCD Earth Institute provides structured doctoralprogramme in Earth and Natural Sciences

UCD Earth Institute was delighted tobe one of the sponsors of the ESAIENVIRON 2012 event, hosted by UCD

Wind turbines at Ballywater, Cahore, Co Wexford. Photograph: Cóilín MacLochlainn

• Earth Resources Characterisation

• Climate Adaptation, Mitigation and Geohazards

• Smart Cities and Infrastructure

The Institute also hosts Ireland’s largest structured doctoralprogramme in Earth and Natural Sciences. There are 57students in the first intake of this programme, across fivedifferent institutes. The PhD programme was funded bythe HEA through the Programme for Research in ThirdLevel Institutions (Cycle 5), as are the core activities of theEarth Institute itself.

• For more information or to contact us, seewww.ucd.ie/earth n

UCD Earth Institute

Institiúid an Domhain

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The ESAI would like to thank the many judges who assisted withthe competition. There were 130 presentations in total made atthis year’s colloquium. The winning student presentations chosenby the ESAI were as follows:

ESAI Best Overall Oral PresentationWayne Fogarty, NUI Maynooth, for his talk “Novel ionic liquidsfor the absorption and sequestration of CO2.”

ESAI Best Overall Poster PresentationInga Reich, NUI Galway, for her poster “The impact of forestrymanagement practices on the distribution of the Kerry SlugGeomalacus maculosus.”

Best Forestry Oral PresentationKaren Moore, TCD, for her talk on her research, “Factorsinfluencing the ground vegetation diversity of two successiverotations of non-native conifer plantations.”

Best Forestry Poster PresentationFarhana Afroze, UCD, for her poster “Seed dormancy in RowanSorbus aucuparia and its implications for nursery operations andnatural regeneration.”

Best Soils PresentationAnthony Kerebel, UCD, for his talk “Farmer evaluation of slurryspreading conditions compared to predictions from the HybridSoil Moisture Deficit Model.”

Best Biodiversity PresentationRosalyn Thompson, UCC, for her talk “Assemblage structure ofplant communities along the road corridor developing asustainable, stable system.”

Best Waste and Resource Management PresentationAoife Quinn, UCD, for her talk “Reclaimed asphalt:environmental assessment of a valuable resource.”

SponsorsOur sponsorship for prizes was greatly appreciated with €1,750to present to students this year. Many thanks for the continuedsupport from our sponsors: Department of Agriculture, Foodand the Marine; Soil Science Society of Ireland; LifetimeLab (Cork); Chartered Institution of Waste Management(CIWM); Aulino Wann & Associates n

Student Prize Competition

Paul Bolger (Chairperson, ESAI) presents Wayne Fogarty(NUI Maynooth) with his award for Best Overall OralPresentation. Photograph: © UCD Communications Office.

By Sinead Macken (ESAI Administrator)

The ESAI ran its annual student competition at the ENVIRON 2012 Colloquium, judging allstudent talks and presentations to make the difficult decisions on the distribution of awardsfor best posters and talks

John Wann (Editor, Environews) presents RosalynThompson (UCC) with her award for Best BiodiversityPresentation. Photograph: © UCD Communications Office.

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Prizewinning studies at ENVIRON 2012Prizewinning studies at ENVIRON 2012

Road ecology is a recent andgrowing area of ecologicalresearch. The impact of roadson the wider landscape isparticularly relevant here inIreland where some 1,200

kilometres of roads have been developed to motorway ordual carriageway standard since 2001. The main impact onwildlife (both plant and animal) is loss of habitat. Not onlydoes the actual land-take for the road corridor itself have tobe considered, but also the edge effects created on eitherside (including changes in microclimate), which may inturn permit the arrival of more competitive, sometimesalien, species.

In addition to changes in microclimate, modifications tohydrology from construction, as well as pollution fromvehicles and de-icing, may restrict the vegetationcommunities that develop.

However, there is evidence, particularly on minor roads,that verges provide refuge for some native wildflowerswhich are in decline. As the intensity of land use continueson an upward curve, verges offer habitat which is seldomdisturbed compared with adjacent agricultural land: manywildflowers require minimal disturbance and are adaptedto soil low in fertility.

With the large amount of recently created road verge, dolandscaping and management techniques createopportunities for such native plant communities to developalong major road schemes? In 2006, the National RoadsAuthority’s A Guide to Landscape Treatments for NationalRoad Schemes in Ireland introduced landscaping andmanagement guidelines based on the principles ofecological landscape design. Research is ongoing toascertain their success or otherwise.

• Rosalyn Thompson is a PhD student at TheEnvironmental Research Institute, University CollegeCork. She is part of SIMBIOSYS (Sectoral Impacts onBiodiversity and Ecosystem Services) (www.simbiosys.ie),which involves several Irish universities and is principallyinvestigating three areas of human activity: roadlandscaping, cultivation of bioenergy crops andaquaculture n

Road construction: opportunities for native biodiversity?

By Rosalyn Thompson1

1. The Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Cork.

Corresponding author: Rosalyn Thompson

Best Biodiversity Presentation

• SIMBIOSYS project (2007-B-CD-1-S1) is part of the STRIVEProgramme 2007-2013, funded by the Irish Government under the NDP2007-2013 and administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Rosalyn Thompson

Figure 1. Species-rich road verge on the R45 motorway nearBallincollig, Co Cork. Photograph: © Rosalyn Thompson.

Figure 2. Newly vegetating road verge on the M8 motorway inCounty Cork. Photograph: © Rosalyn Thompson.

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Eutrophication of waterbodiesdue to agricultural nutrientmanagement remains a seriousproblem in industrialised

countries. In Ireland, a closed winter period for the applicationof fertiliser has been introduced to reduce such pollution.However, this regulation is subject to debate and it has beenspeculated that slurry spreading in particular should becontrolled by weather conditions rather than a calendarapproach.

A Sustainable Nutrient Management Decision Support System(SNM-DSS), which predicts suitable conditions for nutrientmanagement based on weather and soil conditions, has beenproposed and developed. A mobile phone text message surveywas conducted in cooperation with 175 farmers to evaluate

whether the predictions at the core of the SNM-DSS, theHybrid Soil Moisture Deficit (HSMD) model, corresponded tofarmer opinion of when it was safe to spread slurry. Limitedslurry storage capacities were found to be a major concernbefore and after the closed period and could encourage ill-timed nutrient spreading. Near-saturated soil conditionsprevent farmers from spreading because of trafficabilitylimitations and awareness of subsequent nutrient losses. Onthe other hand, efficient nutrient uptake by plants wasexpected in drier conditions, in line with grass nutrientdemand.

The correlation of farmer opinion of slurry spreadingopportunities and SMD predictions highlighted the potentialof SNM-DSS for optimum nutrient management and reducingpollution risk n

Farmer evaluation of slurry spreading conditions compared to predictionsfrom the Hybrid Soil Moisture Deficit model

By Anthony Kerebel1,2 and N.M. Holden1

1. UCD School of Biosystems Engineering, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Republic of Ireland.2. Environmental Sciences Research Institute, University of Ulster, Coleraine, Northern Ireland.

Corresponding author: Anthony Kerebel

Best Soils Presentation

Anthony Kerebel(Photograph: © Sean Kennedy)

• This research was funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

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Reclaimed asphalt – material removedduring the repair and demolition ofroads – is a resource which is under-utilised in Europe today. To reduce thedemand for virgin aggregates andlandfill space, usage of RA in high-value recycling applications such aspavement surface courses should beencouraged. A thorough assessment ofthe environmental effects of the reuseof this material must first beundertaken. When reclaimed asphalt(RA) is incorporated into new roadpavement, a concern is thatprecipitation may leach contaminants –which accumulated in the asphaltduring its previous service life – intowater bodies. Of particular interest areheavy metals and polycyclic aromatichydrocarbons (PAHs), many of whichare harmful to the aquatic environmentand human health.

To assess this concern, percolation tests are beingperformed on RAs from a variety of European sources. To

date, tests have been carried out on two RAs: atar-containing Swedish RA (TCA) and an Irish RA from amixed-source stockpile (MSS). Figure 1 shows theexperimental apparatus. Figure 2 shows the cumulativeamounts of lower molecular weight PAHs leached over thetest duration of approximately 25 days. These results showlevels of some compounds which warrant further study andillustrate the variation in PAH content between the twoRAs.

Current work is focusing on developing a risk assessmentmodel to provide a link between the observed leachedbehaviour and potential effects on receiving groundwater n

Environmental assessment of reclaimed asphalt: a valuable resource

By Aoife Quinn,1 Ciaran McNally and William Magette1. School of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4.

Corresponding author: Aoife Quinn ([email protected])

Best Waste & ResourceManagement Presentation

• This research forms part of the EC FP7 Re-Roadproject and is funded under grant agreementNo 218747

Figure 1. Percolation test set-up. Photograph: © Aoife Quinn.

Figure 2. PAH-L leaching from Swedish and Irish reclaimed asphalts (RAs).

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There are concerns about the impact of commercialplantation forestry on the natural environment. However,recent research has shown that plantations can contributeto biodiversity if appropriately planned and managed.

As clearfelled areas are replanted, an increasing proportionof plantations are reforestation. However, the biodiversitypotential of reforestation is under-represented in thepublished literature. We investigated ground vegetationdiversity (number of species) during the development ofreforestation Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) and comparedresults from a previous afforestation (first tree crop) study.

One of the issues we addressed was that, if plantations areto be important for biodiversity, they need to support notjust high numbers of species but species of conservationconcern.

In an attempt to capture the conservation interest of thesites, species recorded were classified according to theiraffinity for woodlands. Accepted theory proposed that over

the forest cycle the diversity of typical woodland specieswill increase as the environment in a maturing plantationmay begin to approach that of woodland. Theory alsoproposed that with each successive rotation the diversity oftypical woodland species would increase.

Our results were in agreement with the first theory (thattypical woodland species richness increased significantlyover each forest cycle) but, contrary to the second theory,there was no increase over the reforestation cycle comparedto afforestation.

Some of the other outputs from this research includedindicators that can be used by foresters to identify possiblediverse sites, e.g., canopy cover, diversity of structurallayers, soil pH, deadwood volume, and therecommendation that canopy cover should be maintainedbelow ~60% in order to maximise ground vegetationdiversity.

• For further details, see http://www.ucc.ie/en/planforbio n

Factors influencing the ground vegetation diversity of two successive rotations of non-nativeconifer plantations

By Karen M. Moore,1 Linda Coote,1 Daniel L. Kelly1 and Frasier J.G. Mitchell1

1. Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.

Corresponding author: Karen Moore ([email protected])

Best Forestry Oral Presentation

In the foreground, the impact on ground vegetation diversity of high canopy cover and the consequent extreme low light conditionsis seen in the extremely impoverished ground vegetation. However, as seen in the background, along thinned lines where there arecanopy gaps, ground vegetation diversity is substantially higher. Photograph: © Karen Moore

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There has been a large increase in the planting of broadleafspecies in Ireland in recent years, mainly in response togovernment incentives. In this context, rowan (Sorbusaucuparia L.) is an important native broadleaf species.

Rowan seedlings are grown in nurseries and then planted inthe forest. Unfortunately, seedling yields in forest nurseriesare often low, largely due to low germination.

Rowan seeds become dormant (inactive) before seeddispersal in the autumn. The seeds will only germinate afterthey have experienced low or chilling temperatures over aperiod of time, but other environmental factors may alsoaffect dormancy.

The results of studies carried out at University CollegeDublin have shown that rowan seeds require about 110days of chilling to release dormancy but that short periodsof warmth slightly reduce the amount of chilling needed.

Nurseries can expect to achieve higher germination andseedling yields if the seeds are pre-chilled artificially priorto sowing.

While there is a considerable amount of planting, rowanalso regenerates naturally in hedgerows and in some forests.Rowan seeds require about 110 days’ chilling to breakdormancy, equivalent to more than two winters of chillingunder natural conditions. Climatic data was analysed topredict the impact of climate change on the germinationresponse of rowan compared with other tree species.

The results indicated that climate change is likely to reducethe regeneration potential of rowan, compared with specieslike alder (Alnus sp.) and birch (Betula sp.), species thatrequire relatively little chilling to release dormancy n

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia L.) seed germination and its implications for regeneration

By Farhana Afroze1 and Conor O’Reilly1. University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

Corresponding author: Farhana Afroze

Best Forestry Poster Presentation

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) seed germination test in thelaboratory at UCD. Photograph: © Farhana Afroze

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) tree on campus at UCD. Photograph:© Farhana Afroze

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The Kerry Slug Geomalacus maculosus is listed as a protectedspecies in the EU Habitats Directive and has furtherprotection under Irish legislation. Its distribution wasbelieved to be limited to northern Iberia and southwestIreland, where it inhabits mixed deciduous woodland andopen moor or blanket bog. However, the species hasrecently been discovered for the first time outside itsknown range, in a Coillte conifer plantation in ClooshForest near Oughterard, County Galway.1

This surprising find provided the incentive to check for thepresence of G. maculosus in 42 sites between Galway and itsknown populations in Kerry and Cork. Surveys werecarried out in autumn 2011 in suitable habitats in countiesGalway, Clare, Limerick and Kerry, but as the species wasnot found in any of the surveyed sites, the slug’s migrationfrom the southwest seems unlikely at this stage.

Our study currently aims to determine the spatialdistribution and habitat requirements of the Kerry Slug inthe Co Galway plantation and we are investigating possiblecorrelations between the occurrence of the species andmanagement practices (e.g., planting and clearfelling), theage of the plantation, the dominant tree species withinparts of the plantation, abiotic habitat factors and theavailability of suitable food items.

Reference1 Kearney, J (2010). Kerry Slug recorded at Lettercraffroe, Co

Galway. Irish Naturalists’ Journal 31(1): 68-69 n

The impact of forestry management practices on the distribution of the Kerry Slug Geomalacusmaculosus Allman and the investigation of other possible factors limiting its occurrence

By Inga Reich,1 Kim O’Meara,1 Eugene Cush,1 Fiachra Tierney,1 Rory McDonnell2 and Mike Gormally1

1. Applied Ecology Unit, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.2. Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside CA 92521, USA.

Corresponding author: Inga Reich ([email protected])

Best Poster Presentation

Kerry Slug Geomalacus maculosus distribution: hectads surveyedfor the Kerry Slug in 2009-2012. Map: Kim O’Meara

Legend

N

Historic records, confirmedin 2009-2011

Historic records, unconfirmedin 2009-2011

New confirmed hectadsin 2009-2011

Surveyed in 2009-2011,not recorded

Surveyed in 2011-2012,not recorded

0 20 40 80 Kilometres

Kerry Slugdistribution

Kerry Slug Geomalacus maculosus, brown type.Photograph: © Tim Collins.

National Parks and Wildlife Service

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There is a growing consensusthat carbon dioxide (CO2)emissions are contributing toglobal climate change. This is aman-made problem, born fromthe reliance on fossils fuelswhich are still the main energysource for both industrial anddomestic use.

With the adoption of the Kyotoprotocol in 1991 there hasbeen a global effort to reduce

climate change and it seems that reducing CO2 levels is thekey to achieving this. Unfortunately, in terms of theireconomic importance, there is currently no question ofIreland being able to stop using coal and peat as primaryfuels. Therefore, new technologies that may be used tocontain, or prevent, the emitted CO2 from entering theatmosphere are essential now and in the future.

Our approach is the use of ionic liquids (ILs) as CO2

sorbents. ILs are composed solely of ions and exist asliquids at room temperatures. These liquids have also beenshown to demonstrate high thermal stability, reducing thepotential of breakdown material entering the atmosphere.

In preliminary studies, the ILs have shown a high affinityand selectivity for CO2, making them ideal candidates forCO2 sorbents. They may also be potentially exploited asCO2 separation membranes n

Novel ionic liquids for the absorption and sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO2)

By Wayne Fogarty,1 S. McDermott,1 C.B. Breslin,1 A.D. Rooney1 and T. Curtin2

1. Environmental Technologies and Biomaterials Research Group, Department of Chemistry, NUI Maynooth, Co Kildare, Ireland.2. Department of Chemical and Environmental Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick.

Corresponding author: Wayne Fogarty ([email protected])

Best Oral Presentation

Illustration: Wayne Fogarty


Wayne Fogarty

Environews issue 24

The winning photograph in the 2011 ESAI Photography Competition was taken by GerrySugrue from County Dublin and was entitled “Ducks marching through a luxury hotel intoa summer’s evening;” it is reproduced here.

The theme of the 2011 ESAI Photography Competitionwas “Nature in the Urban Environment.” The competitionwas opened to all amateur photographers on August 1st

2011. Due to the overwhelming number of internationalentrants last year, this year’s competition was restricted toentrants from the island of Ireland.

The winning photographer, Gerry Sugrue, has beenpresented with a framed copy of his photograph togetherwith a €250 voucher for photographic equipment, kindlysponsored by the Environmental Research Institute atUniversity College Cork.

2011 Photography Competition

Runners-upThe two runners-up in the competition – Leon Murphy,Co Meath, with “Starlings on my Aerial” and AnnaPielach, Co Galway, with “Green Light” – have bothreceived one-year membership of the ESAI.

Photographs were judged on picture quality, composition,and appropriateness of caption. Special mention was madeof the photographs from Rosemary Murphy (aged 6), CoMeath, who shows great promise.

The winning photographs will be displayed in the PhotoCompetition Gallery section of the ESAI website athttp://www.esaiweb.org/gallery/photo-competition. Allphotographs entered to the competition can be viewed onour Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pages/ESAI-Environmental-Sciences-Association-of-Ireland/145171048910025 n

“Ducks marching through a luxury hotel into a summer’s evening,” the winning entry in the 2011 ESAI Photography Competition.Photograph: © Gerry Sugrue

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Please send all entries, marked “ESAI Photography Competition,” together with the official Entry Form, to:Postal address: Mr Damian Howard, 38 Mount Tallant Avenue, Terenure, Dublin 6Wor email: [email protected].

The Environmental Science Association of Ireland invites entries from interested individualsto participate in the seventh annual ESAI Photography Competition. This year’s competitionhas the open theme of “The Environment.” Entrants are encouraged to interpret the themeas they see fit.

Entries are welcome from all amateur photographers andwill be assessed on the basis of picture quality,composition and the appropriateness of the caption.

Please download the Entry Form for the competition fromthe ESAI website, www.esaiweb.org.

The first prize is a €200 voucher, sponsored by theEnvironmental Research Institute, University CollegeCork, together with professional framing of the winningentry and a one-year membership of the ESAI.

2012 Photography Competition

Two runners-up will each receive a €50 voucher sponsoredby the Environmental Research Institute (ERI), UCC, and aone-year membership of ESAI.

The closing date for entries is Friday, December 28th 2012.The winner will be notified by email on Friday, January25th 2013 n

Second-placed entry in the 2011 competition, “Starlings on my Aerial,” by Leon Murphy, Co Meath. Photograph: © Leon Murphy

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Final conference of SIMBIOSYS project:“Integrating Biodiversity, Research, Policy and Practice”

Swift Theatre, Arts BlockTrinity College DublinJune 28th 2012 (9:00am–5:00pm)

Dingy Skipper: scarce native butterfly of unimproved grasslands. Photograph: Cóilín MacLochlainn

Halting the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem servicesremains a key challenge of the 21st century. TheSIMBIOSYS project contributed to tackling this challengeby studying the impacts of key sectoral activities in Irelandon genetic, species and landscape biodiversity and theecosystem services they provide.

This conference aims to disseminate key results of theproject and welcomes participants from the scientificresearch community, stakeholders, decision-makers andthe interested public.

• Organisers: Dr Jane Stout and Dr David Bourke, Trinity College Dublin

• Contact: [email protected], +353 1 8963746

• Further information: www.tcd.ie/research/simbiosys

• Finding the conference venue: www.tcd.ie/Maps/ n Shining Crane’s-bill Geranium lucidum. Photograph: John Wann

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• For more information on this project, log onto the projectwebsite, www.raisedbogrestoration.ie n

EU LIFE to restore seventeen raised bogsBy Angela Wallace (Coillte)

“Demonstrating Best Practice in Raised Bog Restoration in Ireland”(Project LIFE09 NAT/IE/000222)

Natural regeneration of bog species following clearfelling ofplantation forestry from a project site. Photograph: Coillte

Water levels will be read monthly at 130 locations on seventeen raised bogs throughout the five-year restoration project.Photograph: Coillte

In 2011, Coillte commenced its fourth LIFE project and itssecond on raised bogs: “Demonstrating Best Practice inRaised Bog Restoration in Ireland.” The project (LIFE09NAT/IE/000222) is being managed by Coillte and focuseson the restoration of 636 hectares of raised bog habitat onseventeen Coillte-owned sites within the Natura 2000network and in Natural Heritage Areas.

This nature conservation project is jointly funded by the EU(DG-Environment) under the LIFE-Nature Programme, theNational Parks and Wildlife Service (of the Department ofArts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht) and Coillte.

The actions that will be carried out under this projectinclude removing plantation forests from raised bogs ofconservation value; the blocking of forestry drains; removalof regenerating non-native tree and shrub species; andprotection of sites from fire and trespass. Promotionalmaterial will be produced to increase awareness of the valueand beauty of the raised bog habitats.

During the lifetime of the project a significant improvementin the quality of raised bog habitat is expected. The aim isto create the conditions that will allow raised bog habitatregeneration in future years.

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Lesser Horseshoe Bat WorkshopLesser Horseshoe Bat. Photograph: Frank Greenaway

This workshop will consist of a morning of theory anddiscussion exploring the ways buildings can be adapted forLesser Horseshoe Bats, as well as looking at enhancing thespecific landscape needs of this species. The afternoon willbe spent visiting a number of the Vincent Wildlife Trust’sbat reserves in the county.

Tutors: Dr Kate McAney, Dr Henry SchofieldFurther information: [email protected]: www.ieem.net n

Lesser Horseshoe Bat mother with pups. Photograph: FrankGreenaway

“Lesser Horseshoe Bats: Roosting & Foraging”Kenmare Adult Education Centre,Bell Height, Kenmare, Co KerryThursday, November 8th 2012 (9:30am-5:00pm)

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The site features job opportunities from all aspects of thegreen economy, including environmental science,environmental engineering, applied ecology, wastemanagement, research and environmental health and safety.Internships and postgraduate research opportunities arealso featured.

Jobseekers can access EcoCareers.ie on Facebook, follow iton Twitter or connect with it on LinkedIn to receiveupdates on the latest vacancies.

For employers, the website is unique in that vacancies areadvertised free of charge. Organisations with an Irish-basedvacancy in the environmental sector are encouraged to

submit details of the position to EcoCareers.ie by email.Their vacancies are then posted on the website, and manyof their advertisements receive hundreds of page views.

Feedback from employers who have advertised onEcoCareers.ie indicates that, due to the specialised focus ofthe website, they receive high quality applications fromcandidates with relevant experience.

The website is run on a voluntary basis with the intentionof improving communication links between employers andjobseekers, particularly recent graduates.

• For further details, visit www.ecocareers.ie n

Environmental jobs in Ireland: EcoCareers.ie

By Dr Jenni Roche

A new website has been launched tohelp improve awareness of jobopportunities in the environmentalsector in Ireland. EcoCareers.ie is thefirst website of its kind in Ireland

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related to specific GES descriptors. Three of these havebeen approved to date, all with Irish participation.

• To learn more about the MFSD, see:http://ec.europa.eu/environment/marine/index_en.htm.

The state of the marine environment• For an up-to-date assessment of the environmentalstatus of the North-East Atlantic, see:http://qsr2010.ospar.org/en/index.html.

• John Evans is Director ofMarine Environment and FoodSafety Services (MEFSS),Marine Institute. MEFSSprovides essential scientificadvice and a range of marineenvironmental monitoringservices to support thesustainable development ofIreland’s marine resource n

Indicators of Good Environmental Status (GET)

By John Evans (Marine Institute)

Indicators of Good Environmental Statusare a step change in the way we monitorand assess the environmental status of ourseas and oceans

Ireland’s Eye, Co Dublin.

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008)establishes a new framework within which member statesmust take the necessary measures to achieve or maintaingood environmental status (GES) in their marine andcoastal waters by 2020. Three steps in the implementationcycle will take place in 2012. These include:

• An initial assessment of the current environmentalstatus of EU member states’ marine waters;

• A determination of what Good Environmental Status(GES) means for member states’ marine waters;

• The identification of targets in view of reaching GES in2020.

To assist in the description of GES, the EuropeanCommission has set out eleven descriptors, including:

• biodiversity

• non-indigenous species

• commercial fish and shellfish

• food webs

• eutrophication

• seafloor integrity

• hydrographical conditions

• contaminants in seafood

• marine litter

• energy (including noise)

A challenge for governance and researchThe directive and the indicators of GES pose a challenge toboth governance and research. At a governance level, stepsare in train to complete the initial assessment and todetermine what GES means for Ireland. At a research level,the challenge is to obtain the necessary scientificknowledge and understanding of the elements that definethe state of the marine environment in order to apply theindicators. This will require researchers from all disciplinesworking together to better understand the differentenvironmental processes, the impacts of human activitiesand of climate change on marine environments, and thesocio-economic impacts of the protection of the marineenvironment.Currently, the EPA is funding a number of GES-relatedprojects under its STRIVE Programme, while the EU’s FP7Ocean of Tomorrow 2011 Call included seven projects

Mr John Evans

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GIFT: Green Innovation & Future TechnologiesBy Dr Leana Reinl (Business Development Officer, GIFT Project) & Maeve Kennealy (Waste Management Theme Officer, GIFT Project)

The Green Innovation and Future Technologies (GIFT) INTERREG project

Pictured at the first GIFT event, “Developing your Business in the Green Economy” (front row, left to right): Dr Leana Reinl, Dr Evelyn Doyle,Dr Audrey Hearne, Dr Eleanor Owens, Margaret Walsh, Maeve Kennealy. Back row (left to right): Dr Anthony Foley, Dr Felicity Kelliher,Heli Gittens, Nicola Owens, Dr Michael Breen, Dr David Joyner, Sue Francis, Stuart Bond, Dr Denis Harrington. Photograph: PJ Browne

Pictured at the first GIFT event (left to right): Mícheál Ó Cinnéide,Dr David Joyner, Simon Baily, Tony Ennis, Dr Jonathan Derham,Dr Thomas O’Toole. Photograph: PJ Browne

Based throughout the Ireland-Wales INTERREG region,GIFT will deliver:

• Business-led collaborative projects;

• A GIFT learning network;

• Accredited skills provision with ContinuingProfessional Development courses for businesses;

• Specialist skills provision in environmentalmanagement to Masters level.

Dissemination of findings and learning to academics andother interested parties is also a key element of GIFT, withcase studies, a website, regular physical meetings ore-events, journal articles and a series of learning andshowcase events. The first GIFT event, held in February,focused on developing business in the green economy. Hereis one recent and one upcoming event:

• Innovation in the Green Economy19th April 2012, Dungarvan

• Woodfuel Quality Management6th June 2012, Waterford

• The GIFT project is part-funded by the European RegionalDevelopment Fund (ERDF). For further information, contactthe GIFT team on (051) 834107, [email protected],www.giftnetworkproject.eu n

GIFT is a collaborative INTERREG project betweenWaterford Institute of Technology (WIT), UniversityCollege Dublin and Bangor University. Over a three-yearperiod it will support the upskilling of businesses in orderto advance the green economy by bringing together SMEsand support agencies with particular emphasis on greentourism, green technology and waste management.

(EPA), County & City Enterprise Boards and the localauthorities in Cork, Limerick, Clare and Kerry.

As resource efficiency and landfill diversion targets becomeincreasingly important, it is time for businesses to look attheir unwanted resources and see what opportunities thereare through SMILE Resource Exchange to reduce their totalwaste arisings.

• For more information, visit www.smileexchange.ie,email [email protected] or call (026) 20520 n

The SMILE Resource ExchangeBy Adam Shanley (SMILE)

One business’s waste is another business’s raw material

Michelle Green (SMILE) and Minister for the Environment PhilHogan promote the resource exchange project.

Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh became SMILE patron last October. Photograph: SMILE project

SMILE Resource Exchange is a free initiative for businessthat encourages the exchanging of resources between itsmembers in order to save money, reduce waste going tolandfill and to develop new business opportunities. Theacronym SMILE stands for “Saving Money ThroughIndustry Links and Exchanges.”

Potential exchanges are identified through networkingevents, and an online exchange facility on the websitewww.smileexchange.ie, and there is a support team toassist throughout. SMILE is built on the premise that onebusiness’s waste could be another’s resource.

Businesses can register for free on the website and startuploading resources that they are looking for, or indeedunwanted resources which they have to give away. Inaddition, businesses can meet face to face at SMILEnetworking events.

SMILE Resource Exchange was piloted in Cork in 2010,and since then has gone from strength to strength,including expansion into Limerick, Clare and Kerry in2011. SMILE welcomed former GAA commentatorMicheál Ó Muircheartaigh as the SMILE patron lastOctober and most recently celebrated the 500th businessmember to join the initiative.

The initiative is project-managed by Macroom E(http://macroom-e.com/) and is funded through apartnership between the Environmental Protection Agency

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A study within the Chemical and Environmental ScienceDepartment of the University of Limerick is investigatingthe relationship between the geophysical properties ofproductive aquifers and the overall microbiological statusof groundwater. Using a combination of informationgathered from Geological Survey Ireland and test resultsfrom field studies, a Geographic Information System will becreated to visually display the data for groundwater qualityin areas of different geophysical features.

The aim is to derive a risk assessment based on aquifervulnerability potential which can then be used as a driverfor policy and infrastructural planning n

Private water wells: ‘You are what you drink’IDEXX Colilert: yellow wells indicate Coliform contamination, and fluorescent wells E. Coli contamination. Photograph: Jean O’Dwyer

The microbiological quality of drinking water is a concernto consumers, water suppliers, regulators and public healthauthorities alike. The potential of drinking water totransport microbial pathogens to a great number of peopleis well documented in countries at all levels of economicdevelopment. The outbreak of Cryptosporidium, aprotozoan parasite, in Galway in 2008 provides a goodexample.

The treatment of drinking water provides a barrier to thetransmission of bacterial pathogens. However, in relation toprivate water supplies in Ireland, this treatment is oftenabsent. Approximately 200,000 households within theRepublic of Ireland depend on their own private watersupply, usually from groundwater by means of a boreholeand well (Central Statistics Office Census, 2006). Thedrilling of boreholes is undertaken without any technicalspecification or standard, is completely unregulated by thestate and is largely unsupervised by a professional engineeror hydrogeologist. As a result of this poor management,many private wells in Ireland are at risk of pollution, at leastintermittently, with serious implications for human health.

Groundwater as a drinking water supply: an assessment of the effect of geological features on theprevalence of microbiological pollution

By Jean O’Dwyer,1 S. Aideen Dowling and Catherine Adley1

1. Centre for Environmental Research, Department of Chemical and Environmental Science, University of Limerick, Limerick.

Corresponding authors: Jean O’Dwyer ([email protected]), Catherine Adley ([email protected])

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