Turas Alf /Alf’s Journey
Alf, a giant puppet of a Smooth Newt was created by World-renowned Masters of Visual storytelling, Macnas. Alf’s creation was inspired by the current conversations around climate change and habitat loss.
During Science Week we welcomed Alf on his journey through Dublin city centre, accompanied by drummers, stilted beacons and a cohort of fire performers. This spectacular flaming cavalcade wended through the city, from Capel Street, across the River Liffey via Grattan Bridge, through Parliament Street and onwards to Dublin Castle. Alf also stopped by Collins Barracks as he prepared for his journey. Alf took a well-earned rest at Dublin Castle after his journey across the city and welcomed visitors at this historic location.
Q&As with researchers who are working to protect rare Irish species and habitats
What’s your name and where do you work?
My name is Aedín Mc Adams. I work in the Buckley Lab in the Zoology Department, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin.
What is your research about?
My research revolves around looking at how irrigation can be used to improve a wetland habitat for a rare snail species, Vertigo geyeri, in Co. Sligo. This snail used to live in a fen habitat beside a lake which is used as a water supply for the neighbouring towns. Unfortunately, during summer months when we have less rain, the amount of water being removed from the lake has caused the snail's habitat to become too dry for it to live there anymore. As the snail needs a consistently wet environment to survive, we are adding more water to the wetland habitat during dry periods, such as in summer, to stop the habitat from drying out. This will hopefully improve the quality of the area so we can introduce Vertigo geyeri back into the habitat where it once lived.
Why is this important?
This research is important for two main reasons. Firstly, Vertigo geyeri is a rare and very old species that has been around since the last ice-age. As its habitat is declining, so are the number of them in the wild. This research aims to be the first to improve its habitat so it can be released back where it once lived to create a new population of the snail in the wild, helping to prevent the snail from becoming extinct.
Secondly, as wetland habitats are one of the most threatened habitat types in Ireland, this research is looking at new ways to determine how good irrigation is at improving them. We are using a mix of techniques to understand how adding water affects the habitat and the plants and snails that live there. Some plants and animals can be used as indicators which can tell us whether irrigation is working or not. We are also looking at historical information of the habitat and trying to see if irrigation is making it look more like it did in the past before human actions changed it.
What does a typical day working on your research project look like?
Very few days are the same for me. Most of the time I am in the office, but what I do is generally up to me. Some days I read papers and research from other academics around the world, or I will look at all the information (data) I have collected while on fieldwork and investigate how irrigation is effecting the habitat, the plants that grow there and the snails that live there. Other days I am in the laboratory weighing pellets (which mimic snails), identify different snails that I have found in the field, analyse the water from my site, or look at the data collected from the weather station nearby and soil probes which tell me how wet or not the habitat is. Between April and October I am on fieldwork for a couple of days and this involves lots of driving (between Dublin, Sligo and Roscommon) and lots of time in a field. While in the field, I am identifying plants, looking for, identifying and colouring in snails, making notes of how the habitat looks, and the very odd time, chasing cows away from eating my equipment!
What’s your favourite thing about your job?
My favourite thing about my job is that everyday is different and I can choose what to do each day, while also getting to chat to friends and meet new people.
Having to be in the field during cold, wet and rainy days is not so great, but thankfully this doesn’t happen too much. I also really enjoy being outside, so long as I have my good raincoat on!
What advice would you give a young person who wanted to get into your area of research?
To work in my area, any science subject is good to have, such as biology and geography, to know how plants and animals interact in their environment based on the habitat conditions. I also use a surprising amount of maths, but don’t worry too much as the level required is taught in college. The other advice I can give is to back yourself and apply for everything you’re interested in, even if you don’t think you have what it takes. I applied and interviewed for my job as I thought it was interesting, even though I didn’t think I had the skills for it. I’m glad I didn’t believe that too much, as here I am 3 years later still loving and talking about my work.
People in my field have ended up in many different jobs, working across lots of different sectors and even starting their own businesses. The skills I have learned so far which can be used in other areas are: presentation skills, such as talking about my work and showing other academics the results I have found; project management skills, where I am in charge of deadlines and budgets (how much money we have or don’t have); people management skills and collaboration work, even though I work primarily on my own, I still need help and reach out to many different people (farmers, mathematicians, snail experts, water experts, business people, and peers in other research areas); and mathematical skills for analysing all the data I have collected. I have also gained lots of skills in working outdoors in different types of places.
What’s your name and where do you work?
Eoghan Holohan, UCD School of Earth Sciences, University College Dublin
What is your research about ?
We are trying to find a way to make new maps of peatlands (bogs) across Ireland automatically from satellite images.
Why is this important?
We need new maps to be able to understand whether bogs are healthy and how they are changing. However, peatlands cover a huge area of the island of Ireland, so if people were to make maps of them just by walking across the ground it would take an enormous amount of time, energy and money. If we can do it automatically from satellites passing over Ireland every few days, then we can save resouces and get important information more easily.
What does a typical day working on your research project look like?
Mostly this involves working on a computer. My team and I look at satellite images and at information on the bog properties gathered directly from the bogs, and we try to see how those images and properties relate to each other. Then we try to see if we can predict what bog properties a bog has where we have no information on it. This involves working with other people,spending time discusssing ideas and testing them.
What’s your favourite thing about your job?
I see or find out something new every day.
What advice would you give a young person who wanted to get into your area of research?
Stay curious, and do things about it. Be creative, and get good at solving problems. Many subjects in school are very useful, e.g. maths, english, geography, science, engineering, graphics and art.
What’s your name and where do you work?
Rob Gandola. I’m a specialist zoologist – a herpetologist- that primarily works on amphibians and reptiles and the habitats they live in. I work for myself but I also hold the position of Senior Science Officer for the Herpetological Society of Ireland.
What is your research about ?
I study the role that amphibians and reptiles play within the ecosystems they are found in, how they respond when a non-native or invader species turns up, and how we can restore and create new habitats that benefit native amphibians and reptiles. I also look at how non-native and invasive species effect native species as they adapt to finding themselves in a new place.
Why is this important?
We don’t fully understand the basics for many species and knowing simple things like where they live, how big their populations are, and how they survive in those locations. This includes investigating their interactions with other wildlife and humans, and is really important in order to be able to ensure these amphibians and reptiles continue to survive, and if necessary, help make appropriate and realistic conservation plans.
What does a typical day working on your research project look like?
A typical day changes hugely depending on the time of year. So, from late winter into early Autumn I would spend 3-5 days of my time out in the field doing breeding and population surveys at all times of day and night, or I would be consulting on developments or wetlands and other habitat creation or enhancement projects, sometimes all at the same time! From Mid-Autumn into Winter, I mostly spend my time writing up reports, analysing data, and making plans for the following year.
What’s your favourite thing about your job?
The variety of work is great. No two sites or species are the same, there’s always something interesting to look at and new collaborations to set up. I’m lucky that I get to work on a number of projects with colleagues and friends in academic institutions and semi-state organisations while also being able to work on my own projects too. I can go from basic population assessment surveys to disease screening to advice on wildlife pond creation or providing expert opinion on wildlife crime all in the one day! Amphibians and reptiles are great. You can find them in the strangest of places, they can be far more resilient than you’d think. I also get to teach on an undergraduate tropical field course in Costa Rica for UCD which is incredible!
There is also a wonderful conference held in early February every year called the “Herpetofauna Workers Meeting”. It’s a fantastic gathering of people from a wide range of backgrounds (scientists, governmental representatives, practitioners, and community groups) who come together to learn about the goings on in herpetology in their areas. It’s an incredibly welcoming, diverse and enjoyable two days run and managed by our colleagues and friends in the Amphibian and Reptile Trust UK (ARC) and the Amphibian and Reptile Groups of Great Britain and Ireland (ARGsUK). There’s lots of things to enjoy and they outweigh, by far, the more difficult aspects of the job.
What advice would you give a young person who wanted to get into your area of research?
The best advice I can give is that there is always a way of turning what you’re most interested in or good at and applying it to herpetology. For example, if you’re into gadgets and tech you can apply that to a research project e.g drones are regularly used to survey turtle and crocodile populations and monitor habitat changes. Lasers can be used to look at how chameleons change their colours. Camera traps are being used in new ways to detect interactions and behaviours that are usually very difficult to see.
I always recommend sticking with the science subjects in school but also stay open to other things e.g sociology is going to play an ever increasing role into the future as wildlife populations and people clash for space and resources. The practical subjects (woodwork, metal work, engineering, even home-ec) can be exceptionally helpful when it comes to studying wildlife as are foreign language skills.
Getting experience by volunteering at zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, on projects, on surveys. etc That goes for any of the natural science specialisms that might interest you. Having a few years of voluntary field experience under your belt can be the difference between you getting a paying job or not. It’s probably always good to remember that there are many ways into any field and the pure academic route isn’t for everyone. Also, travel if you can. You get to meet new people, see incredible things and you also get a different perspective and understanding of how culture, ethnic belief, and general mindset of local peoples and their interactions with wildlife are as varied as the wildlife you’re trying to study. You should never underestimate the power and utility of local knowledge.
It’s important than not everyone makes a professional career in herpetology but what you learn along the way gives you good technical and analytical skills that you can apply to other jobs. Many herpetologist eventually end up working for eNGOS, Semi-state institutions, museums, local authorities etc. and the great thing is that they can always go out and monitor their local amphibian and reptile populations or get involved in other projects in their free time.
What’s your name and where do you work?
Terry Morley and I am a physical Geographer at the University of Galway
What is your research about ?
My research is in the area of wetland ecology and conservation. I am interested in understanding how peatlands benefit nature and people. Most of my work now focuses on rehabilitating or restoring degraded peatlands.
Why is this important?
Damaged peatlands affect nature and our lives by reducing biodiversity and decreasing water quality. Additionally, damaged peatlands are a large source of greenhouse gasses, so our efforts to restore peatlands help reduce these gasses while also benefitting nature and improving water quality.
What does a typical day working on your research project look like?
A typical day involves meeting with lots of people with different perspectives and working toward a common goal. Some days we are out in the bog collecting data. This is typically information about the plants and animals that are living in the bog, however some of the more fascinating aspects of bogs are what is happening belowground. Thus we are very interested in the soil and how water moves throughout the year.
What’s your favourite thing about your job?
Working on bogs requires knowledge on many different disciplines. Restoration requires knowledge about how water moves beneath the surface and how that influences gas exchange, while conservation often requires understanding social and cultural perspectives; thus it is very challenging!
Is there anything you don’t like so much?
My job sometimes requires me to do lots of reporting and paperwork and I’d rather be out on the bog.
What advice would you give a young person who wanted to get into your area of research?
My advice is if you enjoy the outdoors, ecology and geography offer fantastic career opportunities. Ireland is in short supply of skilled workers who understand the outdoors and are willing and able to assess the condition or health of natural areas. Skills in mapping and writing are very much needed as well as an enthusiasm for protecting nature.