karen taylor  

Mlitt (Research) Candidate (2009 - present). B.A. (Honours) NUI, Galway (2005-2008).
Room:	116, Geography
Email:	k.taylor1nuigalway.ie

Working Title:

Ecological impacts of early farming in Western Ireland: a palaeolimnological approach

Research Description:

“ The development of farming may have changed the relationship between people and nature, the fate of agricultural societies however; have remained interwoven with the habitats they occupied.” (Roberts, 1998)

The aim of this palaeoenvironmental research project is to assess the ecological impacts of prehistoric farming in north-west Sligo, Ireland. This research will provide an insight into the effects of Neolithic and Bronze Age farming practices on the environment through a multi-proxy analysis of a lake sediment core taken from Lake Dargan.

This project is part of a group project with Professor Michael O’Connell and Beatrice Ghilardi from the Palaeoenvironmental Research Unit (PRU), Botany Department, NUIG. It will include chironomid and macroscopic charcoal analysis, along with a stable isotopic analysis of carbon and nitrogen (ä13C, ä15N, and C:N). This analysis will be used to assess the impact of local farming as determined by the pollen data carried out by the PRU.

Supervisors:

Dr Aaron Potito

Research Cluster:

Research Interests:

• Palaeoenvironmental studies
• Palaeolimnology
• Chironomids
• Stable Isotopes
• Irish Archaeology

Teaching Involvement:

Tutor/teaching assistant for:

• TI152 - Geography in Practice
• TI235 - Biogeography
• TI355 - 366 - Seminar Series

Presentations:

• 2011: Department of Geography, Departmental Seminar Series, Nui, Galway (January 2011)
• 2010: Department of Geography, Departmental Seminar Series, Nui, Galway (January 2010)
• 2009: Irish Postgrad Training Conference, Glencree, Co. Wicklow