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Project title

SAMFHIRES (Saltmarsh Function and Human Impacts in Relation to Ecological Status)

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Botanical, Environmental and Conservation (BEC) Consultants Ltd

Lead Applicant

Philip Perrin

Project Abstract

The Saltmarsh Function and Human Impacts in Relation to Ecological Status (SAMFHIRES) project is a 36 month multi-disciplinary collaboration between Botanical, Environmental and Conservation (BEC) Consultants Ltd. and the Department of Botany, Trinity College Dublin (TCD). Through field survey, collation of existing data, modelling and analysis, the project will link anthropogenic pressures to changes in saltmarsh communities and investigate the ecosystems services and ecological functions of saltmarshes in Ireland. Areas of investigation include the impacts of grazing animals and eutrophication on vegetation communities, biodiversity and net primary productivity. The function of saltmarshes as soft coastal defences will be studied through GIS modelling of LiDAR data, a Floristic Quality Index will be developed to assess biodiversity and under-recorded communities will be studied. By integrating the outputs of this research, it will refine the tool developed by the recent SMAATIE (Saltmarsh Angiosperm Assessment Tool for Ireland) project for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The tool, which assesses ecological status for part of the angiosperm Biological Quality Element in coastal and transitional waters, will be tested in the field and applied to a selection of water bodies. SAMFHIRES will facilitate Ireland�s involvement in the WFD intercalibration with other Members States. The SAMFHIRES project outputs will include a fully detailed final report, a non-technical synthesis report, and a two-page summary for disseminating to stakeholders. A finalised list of water bodies where WFD saltmarsh monitoring is required, a refined saltmarsh assessment tool and an updated assessment procedure will be produced. Other outputs will include GIS Potential Saltmarsh Area maps in ESRI shapefile format, metric/Ecological Quality Ratio data for assessed water bodies in Microsoft Excel format and vegetation plot data in Turboveg format. This latter deliverable is compatible with the National Vegetation Database held by the National Biodiversity Data Centre. A website for the project will be created and maintained, newsletters disseminated and seminars organised. A dissemination workshop will be held for stakeholders at the end of the project. A minimum of two oral conference presentations will be made. Three to four papers will be published in peer-reviewed journals ensuring Gold or Green level open access. Recommendations will be made with regards agricultural and wastewater policies in coastal areas and on flood defence policy. The project will build research capacity in several priority areas including habitat monitoring and the assessment of ecosystem services whilst also forging links between industry and academia.

Grant Approved

�349,440.60

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Understanding, managing and conserving our water resources

Start Date

04/01/2016

Initial Projected Completion Date

04/01/2019