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Prey preferences of sympatric fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales revealed by stable isotope mixing models
Get PDFOver-exploitation of top predators and fish stocks has altered ecosystems towards less productive systems with fewer trophic levels. In the Celtic Sea (CS), discards and bycatch levels have prompted concern about some fisheries, while fin and humpback whales are recovering from centuries of over-exploitation. A lack of empirical evidence on the preferred diet of some predators such as whales in the CS has hindered the implementation of effective conservation measures using an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management. Using a Bayesian framework (SIAR), stable carbon (d13C) and nitrogen (d15N) isotope mixing models were used to assign proportionate diet solutions to fin and humpback whales (skin biopsies) and putative prey items: herring (Clupea harengus), sprat (Sprattus sprattus), and krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica and Nyctiphanes couchii) in the CS. Krill was the single most important prey item in the diet of fin whales, but one of the least important for humpback whales (albeit based on a small sample of humpback whale samples). Age 0 sprat and herring comprised a large proportion of the diet of both species, followed by older sprat (age 1–2) and older herring (age 2–4). An ecosystem based approach to fisheries management will be required in the CS if we seek effective conservation of both fin and humpback whales, and sustainable fisheries
Assessment and monitoring of ocean noise in Irish waters
Get PDFThis desk study was aimed to help Ireland meet the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) (2008/56/EC) under Descriptor 11: The introduction of energy, including underwater noise, is at levels that does not adversely affect the marine environment. The main aim of the MSFD is that European seas achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) by 2020. By 2014, it is expected that all Member States will have established and implemented longterm monitoring programmes. Under Descriptor 11, two indicators have been developed with specific criteria in order to measure whether GES has been achieved. These indicators are 11.1.1, low and midfrequency impulsive noise, and 11.2.1, low frequency continuous noise. To assist in the assessment of the indicators and facilitate the implementation of a longterm monitoring programme, the following project objectives were identified:\ud
• Catalogue and describe acoustic data sets collected within the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) within the 10 Hz to 10 kHz band. \ud
• Report on the existence of data sets that have been collected within the Irish EEZ at higher frequency bands.\ud
• Create a register of licensed activities, within the Irish EEZ that contribute to ocean noise, focussing on seismic surveying. \ud
• Assess and quantify seismic survey metadata from various sources to establish the proportion of days within a calendar year or defined period over a specified area in which target sounds are recorded (‘bang days’) and measured as sound exposure level or as peak sound pressure level at 1 m, within the 10 Hz to 10 kHz frequency band.\ud
• Describe an approximate disturbance area for baleen whales.\ud
• Collaborate with the UK in the creation of a joint register of licensed activities for Irish and UK waters, focussing on seismic surveying contributing to regional reporting.\ud
• Create a series of noise maps of seismic survey pressure in Irish waters across the years 2000–2011 based on equipment characteristics.\ud
• Spatially map vessel density across the Irish EEZ using Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) data and Automatic Identification System (AIS) data.\ud
• Deploy acoustic monitoring equipment and assess noise levels and evaluate the use of this technique as a means for Ireland meeting requirements under the MSFD.\ud
• Present a conceptual framework for a network of ambient noise monitoring sites within the Irish EEZ.\ud
• Explore monitoring strategies and assess potential technical solutions for a cost-effective noise monitoring programme in Irish waters
Efficiency of Sligo secondary wastewater treatment plants in the removal of Crytospiridium and other human-virulent enteropathogens
Get PDFMost research on wastewater treatment efficiency compliance focuses on physiochemical and microbial indicators; however, very little emphasis has been placed so far on removal efficiencies of human-virulent enteropathogens and on determining suitable indicator organisms to predict the discharge level of human enteropathogens from municipal wastewater treatment plants to the local\ud
environment. This project studies the occurrence of human enteropathogens, including Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium hominis, Giardia duodenalis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi, Encephalitozoon intestinalis, Encephalitozoon hellem, genogroup I and II noroviruses, Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium in domestic wastewater. To investigate the capability of Sligo secondary wastewater treatment plants, (1) raw wastewater, (2) secondary sewage sludge, (3) final effluent and (4) biosolids/ final sewage sludge from four WWTPs (A-D) were investigated in the removal of human enteropathogens, over one year, using a combination of IFA, FISH and RNA-polymerase based PCR methodologies. This project also looks into the relationship between faecal indicator bacteria (E. coli, enterococci and C.\ud
perfringens spores) and human enteropathogens and the potential use for pathogen prediction, especially Cryptosporidium. The results provide evidence that human-virulent enteropathogens are present throughout the wastewater processes and in end products, and can enter the aquatic environment with consequently negative implications for public health. This study\ud
also provides important scientific evidence that municipal wastewater treatment plants not only achieve pathogen removal but can also be the environmental pathogen contamination source. This research also shows that seasonal variation in concentration of human-virulent enteropathogens is highest in Spring and Summer during the calving and lambing seasons, and when tourism peaks. A suite of faecal indicator bacteria (E. coli, enterococci and C. perfringens spores) can be used as indicators for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts. Routine monitoring of faecal indicators in final effluents and biosolids is recommended
The drivers and dynamics of fisher behaviour In Irish fisheries
Get PDFIt is widely acknowledged within the scientific community that a single species approach to European mixed fisheries can result in species-specific advice inconsistent with multi-species management objectives. Within the reformed Common Fisheries Policy a move toward mixed fisheries and ecosystem based management is encouraged. The overall objective of this research was to improve understanding of the complex targeting behaviour undertaken by commercial fishers. Whereby, improved understanding will enhance the ability to predict the responses to future mixed fisheries management measures and changing economic conditions within the Irish fishing industry. Irish métiers (groups of homogeneous fishing trips) highlight the complexity of fishing activities within the Irish fleet, having identified 33 otter trawl métiers and 19 in the remainder of the fleet. Métier dynamics identified over compensation to introduced management, resulting in effort displacement and increased temporal specific fishing pressure. Therefore were deemed as appropriate base units for all subsequent analyses. Two economic variables, operational fishing cost and trip landings value, considered to represent important drivers were developed. This lead to application of a general additive model to estimate and predict fuel consumption estimates according to fleet segment definitions. A linear mixed effects model with random vessel effect was developed as a method of standardising value generating an index of value per unit effort. This identified kilowatt fishing days as the most appropriate effort measure. The final investigation stage successfully amalgamated the knowledge gained into the formulation of novel Markov transition probability for a multinomial model to predict fisher métier strategy choice. This is to be incorporated into management strategy evaluation, aiding the assessment and possible impacts of future management proposals on the Irish fleet and commercial stocks around Ireland. Developments presented will benefit the progression toward optimising sustainability within a mixed fisheries approach to management through incorporation of economic considerations
An exploration of impulse purchase trigger factors : a focus on new products in the Irish grocery market
Get PDFThe objective of this study is to investigate the trigger factors that compel the\ud
consumer to impulse purchase of new products in the grocery retail sector. A\ud
comprehensive review and analysis of the literature suggests that there are some\ud
unresolved issues regarding the state of knowledge on impulse purchasing\ud
behavior of new products. In addition, the current conceptualizations of impulse\ud
purchase behavior do not adequately capture impulse purchase behavior in the\ud
grocery retail environment. In today’s modem era, shopping has become a social\ud
and leisure activity, with grocery shopping deemed to be an enjoyable task by\ud
consumers, reducing the number of cognitively planned purchases made by\ud
consumers. Hedonic and pleasure driven shopping endeavors have led to a rapid\ud
increase in impulse buying, making it common place and socially acceptable\ud
amongst peers. Even though, most inpulse decisions are made when consumers\ud
are inside the supermarket, identifying the trigger factors of inpulse buying of\ud
new products has not been adequately explored. Previous research has identified\ud
price to be the main trigger factor of inpulse buying in the retail sector in general.\ud
The study is both descriptive and exploratory in nature. This research approach\ud
was employed to collect data on the grocery retail sector and consumers\ud
impulsive behaviour. The research techniques employed are questionnaires and\ud
focus groups. Questionnaires conducted both face to face and online with\ud
SuperValu consumers in the Northwest and West of Ireland. A small scale\ud
observation study was conducted by the researcher before questionnaires were\ud
distributed. In addition to this research, four focus groups with SuperValu\ud
consumers have been conducted for further insights and perceptions.\ud
The research findings demonstrate that inpulse buying cannot occur as a result of\ud
one main trigger factor, but it is a wide mixture o f both the internal and external\ud
factors that encourage and attract the consumer to impulse purchase while in\ud
store. Analysis of the information gathered, highlights the importance of in-store\ud
stimuli on inpulse buying of new products. Since, multiple interactions and\ud
associations are possible, the study implies that retailers should seek to design the\ud
in-store environment to maximize the inpact on its primary target segment to\ud
encourage inpulse buying habits on a continuous basis.\ud
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An investigation of pullout behaviour of geosynthetics in marginal fills
No full textA pullout apparatus was constructed to investigate the pullout response o f a\ud
conventional geogrid and a combined drainage/reinforcement geocomposite in a\ud
marginal fill under both consolidated and unconsolidated test conditions. The affect\ud
of confining stress, pullout rate and soil moisture content on the pullout response\ud
was investigated. The dissipation of pore water pressure in the soil mass around the\ud
geosynthetic strip was also studied. Pullout testing of the geocomposite was\ud
conducted in a standard and a small pullout cell.\ud
The pullout-displacement response for the conventional geogrid was jagged and\ud
irregular, which was attributed to surface roughness o f the geogrid. In contrast the\ud
geocomposite displayed a smooth pullout-displacement response. Higher confining\ud
stresses decreased the pullout resistance of the conventional geogrid but increased the\ud
pullout resistance o f the geocomposite. Increased moisture content was shown to\ud
decrease pullout resistance for all test parameters while increased pullout rate resulted\ud
in higher peak pullout resistances. Pullout resistance in consolidated samples was\ud
influenced by the volume o f water drained from the soil mass and the time allowed\ud
for consolidation. In unconsolidated tests the interface shear resistance ratios were\ud
found to be higher for the geocomposite, the ratio doubling for the geocomposite at\ud
high confining stress. Some interface shear resistance ratios for the geocomposite\ud
tests were in excess o f 1.0 indicating a greater shear resistance at the soilgeosynthetic\ud
interface than for the soil alone. Interface shear resistance ratios for the\ud
geocomposite decreased for consolidated samples which was attributed to the\ud
improvement in the soils strength following consolidation being greater than the\ud
corresponding increase in peak pullout resistance.\ud
Higher rates o f pore pressure dissipation at high confining stress were attributed to\ud
larger hydraulic gradients in the soil near the geocomposite strip. Pore water pressure\ud
and soil moisture content both reduced by the greatest magnitude immediately in\ud
front o f the drain, with smaller reductions further away from the drain.\ud
The standard and small cells produced similar pullout resistances in unconsolidated\ud
testing and comparable pullout-displacements in consolidated tests
Vallum: the enclosing system of early medieval monasteries: a study of eleven sites in south Co. Sligo
Get PDFThis study looks at the vallum system in 11 early medieval monastic sites in\ud
south Co. Sligo and attempts to identify the vallum system through research of\ud
resources including O.S. maps, published reports and, especially, study of the\ud
landscape where the valli exist in the form of field boundaries though in many\ud
instances only as fragments. This study also describes the morphology of the\ud
vallum system and explores the symbolic significance of that morphology.\ud
The vallum system was the enclosing element and an essential part of the early\ud
medieval monastic settlement. The vallum was constructed of an earthen bank\ud
with an internal ditch of corresponding proportions or a drystone wall without a\ud
ditch. Traces only of the vallum system, particularly of the ditch, are now\ud
evident or visible on the ground, in the maps or aerial photographs. The vallum\ud
system was three-fold and consisted of three curvilinear elements enclosing\ud
areas of: the outermost sanctus (holy - for mundane activities of the monastery),\ud
sanctior (holier - for the less important monastic duties) and the innermost\ud
sanctissimus (most holy - the most important religious space for sacred rituals\ud
and containing the oratory and founder’s grave). The spiritual symbolism of the\ud
three-fold vallum system was profound. In some instances the sanctior and\ud
sanctissimus areas were conjoined rather than concentric and quite often no trace\ud
remains of the sanctus vallum. Most people look only at the monuments which\ud
are located inside the innermost enclosure
Comparing and contrasting smartphone and non-smartphone usage
Get PDFThis paper presents a large-scale network wide analysis of both user behaviour and network dynamics in a live nationwide 2G/3G network. The employed data set tracks over one million subscribers across upwards of ten thousand base stations covering the entirety of the Republic of Ireland. The data set was captured in 2011 and includes a large group of bill-pay and pre-pay smartphone subscribers. The proliferation of smartphones has been a major and recent change to networks worldwide. In light of the recent changes in network access technologies much of the earlier work in this field is now out of date. This paper compares and contrasts the traffic usage of smartphone subscribers and nonsmartphone subscribers. A key aim of this work is to quantify and qualify the change brought about by smartphones. Unlike previous studies, we look to the future by treating all traffic including voice calls and SMS as an equivalent data service, as will be the case in 4G. This paper also explores the temporal and spatial properties of both bill-pay and pre-pay smartphone usage and concludes by summarising our key findings & their implications
Business planning and social media
Get PDFThis conference paper seeks to explore the benefits of planning in business; the speaker presented a template business plan that could be used by both existing and new businesses. It also highlights the importance of social media to today’s business