Author: Fionn Ó Marcaigh

Fionn Ó Marcaigh carried out his PhD in Nicola Marples’ research group in the Department of Zoology, Trinity College Dublin. His thesis, submitted in 2022, examined island birds to uncover the factors underlying the evolution of new species, supported by the Irish Research Council.
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Fieldwork, and why students need it

I recently took part in the 3rd year Terrestrial Ecology field course in Glendalough. Though I already had some experience teaching both lab work and fieldwork, this was my first time being “staff” on a trip I had previously been on as a student. It was a wonderful experience. This field course is a venerable institution of the Zoology Department: it has taken place Glendalough every year since 2007, having previously been held in the Burren and Killarney National Park. It has always been beloved by students, as seen in this video made in 2016.

Zoology students in Trinity have the chance to take part in three field courses: Terrestrial Ecology in Glendalough, Marine Biology on the rich shores of Strangford Lough, and Tropical Ecology around the ancient Rift Valley Lakes of Kenya. Here, from enthusiastic and experienced teachers, they learn skills that will stand to them in any ecological undertaking. On the Glendalough field course, students of both Zoology and Environmental Science are introduced to the techniques used to sample and survey wild animals, including Longworth trapping for small mammals, malaise trapping for flying insects, kick-sampling for aquatic invertebrates, and mist netting for birds. This last one was what brought me on the course.

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Is a seal cull needed to protect fish stocks?

For decades, Irish fishermen have called for Irish seals to be culled. The call for a seal cull has been made especially vociferously in the west of the country, and has been brought into the national discussion when backed by politicians and highlighted by illegal acts of violence against seals. Just weeks ago, Michael Healy-Rae, Independent TD for Kerry, was in the media demanding a cull. Though many people perceive seals to compete with fishermen, any impact on fisheries is not well supported by the research. Studies have found that seals do not generally compete for the same fish resources as fishermen, and modelling has indicated that the presence or absence of seals has little impact on fisheries catches.

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Medieval Zoology

Ever since the observations of Aristotle, said to be the earliest works of Western biology, we have endeavoured to understand the workings of the natural world. But the modern scientific method is a relative latecomer on this scene, and it is fascinating and humbling to see the many creative ways in which we have managed to get it wrong over the years. Modern zoology, ancient zoology, and medieval zoology are all part of the same weird and wonderful phylogenetic tree.

Before there were peer-reviewed journals, there were bestiaries, medieval books that described the world’s animals as Europeans of the time understood them. Before there were Zoology Departments, zoologists (or the closest thing that existed at the time) would put forth ideas that seem ridiculous today. Three of their best theories are collected below. Continue reading “Medieval Zoology”

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Welcome to Eco Evo in 2018

Raven (Corvus corax) over Glendalough on the 3rd year Terrestrial Ecology field course.

Hello and welcome to the start of another academic year at Trinity College Dublin.

You’re on  EcoEvo@TCD, the blog of the TCD Zoology and Botany Departments. It was started in 2012 and houses writing from postgraduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and staff of the Departments. Follow this blog for updates on the research carried out here, musings on academia and the wider ecological and evolutionary worlds, and stories on all that’s weird and wonderful in zoology and botany.

My name is Fionn Ó Marcaigh and I’m this year’s Editor, taking the reins after a great year from Sam Ross. In the last year, the blog was made sleek and modern with an update to the latest version  of WordPress, and a theme based on Alain Finn’s photo of an Alpine Salamander. We’ll be holding the competition for a new theme photo in the coming weeks, so stay tuned if you want to make your photo the new face of EcoEvo@TCD! We had lots of participation, which we’re hoping to keep up for the next year.

Alain Finn’s competition-winning photo from last year. What will take its place this year?

I’ve studied here in Trinity for five years (so far!), graduating from Zoology in 2016 and starting a PhD in 2017. I’ve seen how many interesting stories there are to tell here, and I’m looking forward to helping to bring them to you through this blog. Everyone here is passionate about their science, and everyone has something to say about research, the natural world, or something related that interests them personally.

You can follow us here on WordPress or on the Eco Evo Twitter feed, so however you do it we hope you enjoy the blog in the coming year.

Yours,

Fionn

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About the Author 

Fionn Ó Marcaigh is a PhD student in Nicola Marples’s research group in the Department of Zoology, Trinity College Dublin. Supported by the Irish Research Council, he is using birds on Indonesian islands to study evolution, biogeography, and speciation. Find out more here:

Website | TCD Zoology Profile
Twitter | @Scaladoir
Research Gate | Profile
LinkedIn | Profile

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What’s in a name?

Many linguists, psychologists, and anthropologists have discussed the concept of linguistic relativity: the relationship between the language a person speaks and the way that person thinks and views the world. As the primary language of the people of Ireland up until the 19th century, the Irish language (aka Gaeilge or sometimes Gaelic) is the repository of how people on this island thought and felt about the world around them for most of their recorded history. As part of this, Irish reflects the complex, colourful, and often idiosyncratic relationship that Irish people have had with the animals with which they share the island.

Names can show the people’s fondness for certain species, or they can highlight which aspects of an animal most stood out to them. For example, the ladybird, with its visually pleasing pattern of black spots on bright red elytra, has drawn the eyes of people all over the world and has an association with God or the Virgin Mary in many European languages, including both English and Irish. In Irish, it is known as Bóín Dé or “God’s little cow”, which is also the meaning of its Russian name, Божья коровка. Today, the ladybird’s bright, “bovine” pattern is seen as an example of aposematism, protecting the insect by signalling to potential predators that it contains bitter-tasting chemicals.

From jellyfish to wolves to ladybirds, the Irish language is full of evocative, beautiful, or comical names for native Irish animals.

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