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Trinity College Dublin

Personal Information
College Photo Name Donnelly, Alison Catherine
Main Department Botany
College Title Visiting Research Fellow
E-mail alison.donnelly@tcd.ie
College Tel  
Web http://people.tcd.ie/donnelac
 
Biography
I am an environmental scientist currently working on the impacts of climate change on phenology with the Phenology Research Group. I am also involved with the FP7 project 'BRIDGE' which aims to bridge the gap between bio-physical scientists and urban planners. I was involved in developing environmental indicators for use in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). I have previously worked in the National University of Ireland, Maynooth (2002), the University of Nottingham (1999-2000), FÁS (1989-1990), Teagasc (1994-1999) and the University of California at Davis (1988). I establsihed a newtork of phenologists in Ireland, am a member of the Management Committee of COST 725 Establishing a European Phenological Data Platform for Climatological Applications and a participant in a UN/ECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution, International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops. I have experience in lecturing in the Botany department and the Centre for the Environment at TCD and in the Geography department at NUI Maynooth.
 
Representations
Details Date
I have served as a reviewer of grants for IRCSET, the Environmental Protection Agency, Enterprise Ireland, Walton Awards for SFI and the Belgian Federal Planning Service, Scientific Policy. November 2006
I have served as a reviewer for the journals Plant Cell and Environment, Global Change Biology, Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management, Journal of Experimental Biology. National Reviewer for IPCC Report. Ecology, Journal of Environmental Management, International Journal of Biometeorology,. Ecosystems, Plant Ecology and Diversity, Environmental and Experimental Botany, Acta Oecologia, Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, Meteorologische Zeitschrift, Trees – Structure and Function; Ecology Letters; Plant Biology; Physiologia Plantarum; 2001
 
Membership of Professional Institutions, Associations, Societies
Details Date From Date To
Member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM). June 2005 Present
Participant in a UN/ECE convention on long-range transboundary air pollution, International Cooperative Programme on Effects of Air Pollution on Natural Vegetation and Crops, June 2002 June 2004
Management Committee Member of EU COST Action (725) Establishing a European Phenological Data Platform for Climatological Applications October 2003 Present
Natures Calendar Ireland, September 2003 Present
International Phenological Network, September 2003 Present
More Memberships>>>
 
Languages
Language Skill Reading Skill Writing Skill Speaking
English Fluent Fluent Fluent
French Basic Basic Medium
Spanish Basic Basic Basic
 
Description of Research Interests
My research interests include: Developing indicators for use in Strategic Environmental Assessment and climate change in Ireland The use of phenological events of plants and animals as indicators of climate change. Assessing the impact of climate change on vulnerable ecosystems Investigating the impact of greenhouse gases (CO2 and O3) on agricultural crops (wheat and potato) Assessing methods of liming for use in mitigating acid surface waters
 
Research Interests
Climate Change Earth Sciences for Climate Research Ecology, Ecosystems Environmental Impacts of Transport
Environmental Impacts, Interactions Environmental Indicators, Monitoring, Risk Assessment Environmental plant physiology Integrated Environmental Assessment
Phenology - life cycle events in plants & animals
 
Research Projects
Project title Climate change impacts on phenology in Ireland; an investigation of trophic mismatches
Summary
Funding Agency IRCSET
Programme EMBARK
Type of Project PhD
Date from October 2009
Date to September 2012
Person Months
Project title Climate change impacts on phenology: implications for terrestrial ecosystems
Summary This large scale Environmental Protection Agency funded project is the first of its kind in Ireland. It will run for a period of 3 years, has €1M in funding, will employ at least 2 research fellows, a research assistant and 2 PhD students.
Funding Agency Environmental Protection Agency
Programme STRIVE
Type of Project Large-scale
Date from Spring 2008
Date to Spring 2011
Person Months
Project title The development of environmental indicators and other methods for the provision of information as requires under the EU Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive
Summary To develop a methodology and specific criteria for establishing objectives, targets and indicators for use in Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). This information will be available to SEA practitioners to aid in the implementation of the directive.
Funding Agency Environmental Protection Agency
Programme ERTDI
Type of Project Desktop
Date from October 2004
Date to October 2007
Person Months
Project title Examination of 20 years data on arrival and departure dates of migratory birds to Ireland
Summary To establish whether or not there is a link between increasing spring temperature and arrival dates of long distant migrant birds to Ireland
Funding Agency Environmental Protection Agency
Programme ERTDI
Type of Project Desktop study
Date from December 2005
Date to March 2006
Person Months
Project title Scoping document for the development of a framework for phenological data collation and management in Ireland
Summary This project is aimed at collecting data on the type and availability of both plant and animal phenological records in Ireland.
Funding Agency Environmental Protection Agency
Programme ERTDI
Type of Project Desktop study
Date from June 2005
Date to September 2005
Person Months
 
Publications
Peer Reviewed
Alison Donnelly, Mike Jones, Tadhg O’Mahony and Gerry Byrne, Selecting environmental indicator for use in Strategic Environmental Assessment, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 27, 2007, p161 - 175
Donnelly, A., Finnan, J.M., Jones, M.B. and Burke, J.I. , The potential impact of elevated concentrations of greenhouse gases on wheat production in Ireland., The Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research, 44, 2005, p141 - 145
More Publications>>>
 

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Last Updated:21-MAY-2013