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Natural Sciences

Michael O'Connell

Personal Professor B.SC., Ph.D., D.Sc., MRIA

Contact Details

Personal Professor
Dept. of Botany & ECI

T: Ext. 2338
E: michael.oconnell@nuigalway.ie
Professor Emeritus
Botany
St Declans
6 Distillery Rd
Main campus
NUIG

T: 0035391492338
M:
E: michael.oconnell@nuigalway.ie
W: https://nuigalway.academia.edu/MichaelOConnell
">https://nuigalway.academia.edu/MichaelOConnell
 
researcher

Biography

Michael O’Connell: Lecturer, Department of Botany, National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG; then University College Galway - UCG), December 1974-97
Personal Professor (Botany) (1997-2011)
Founder of the Palaeoenvironmental Research Unit in NUIG
Member of the Royal Irish Academy (elected 1996) 
Professor emeritus, NUIG, February 2011
 
As a retired academic, I continue to interact with researchers in NUIG and elsewhere in research into present-day and long-term environmental change.

Research and teaching abroad included: 
Institut für historische Küstenforschung (Lower Saxony Institute for Historical Coastal Research), Wilhelmshaven, as von Humboldt Fellow (1982/83)
Visiting Professor, Department of Geography, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an (April 1997)
Guest Professor (DAAD) at the Institut für Geobotanik (Institute for Geobotany), Universität Hannover (1999/2000)
Visiting Researcher, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum, Potsdam (Mar-Sep 2011; supported by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung)

Co-ordinated research projects (long-term climate change and human impact; research interests also include sea-level change) funded by the EU, the National Science Funding Agency (Eolas/Forbairt) and other state-supported, research-funding bodies. 
Supervised eleven PhD and eight MSc (by research) projects. 

I serve on the editorial board of the Vegetation History and Archaeobotany (publisher: Springer).

Society membership includes: Irish Quaternary Association (IQUA), Quaternary Research Association (QRA), Galway Archaeological and Historical Society (GAHS), Archaeological Environmental Association (AEA), and the Agricultural History Society of Ireland (AHSI; Chairperson: 2013 -) 

Updated list of publications available at:
http://scholar.google.com/citations?sortby=pubdate&hl=en&user=-FY-RAwAAAAJ&view_op=list_works 
 

Research Interests

Palaeoecology
Pollen analysis
Woodland history
Human impact
Climate change 
Holocene
Late-glacial 

Peer Reviewed Journals

  Year Publication
(2015) 'Lake isotope records of the 8200-year cooling event in western Ireland: comparison with model simulations'
Holmes, J.A., Tindall, J., Roberts, N., Marshall, W., Marshall, J.D., Bingham, A., Feeser, I., O’Connell, M., Atkinson, T., Jourdan, A.-L., March, A. & Fisher, E.H. (2015) 'Lake isotope records of the 8200-year cooling event in western Ireland: comparison with model simulations'. Quaternary Science Reviews, [Details]
(2014) 'A 7000-year record of environmental change, including early farming impact, based on lake-sediment geochemistry and pollen data from Co. Sligo, western Ireland'
O'Connell, M.; Ghilardi, B.; Morrison, L. (2014) 'A 7000-year record of environmental change, including early farming impact, based on lake-sediment geochemistry and pollen data from Co. Sligo, western Ireland'. Quaternary Research, 81 :35-49 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Palaeolimnological impacts of early prehistoric farming at Lough Dargan, County Sligo, Ireland'
Taylor, KJ, Potito, AP, Beilman, DW, Ghilardi, B, O'Connell, M (2013) 'Palaeolimnological impacts of early prehistoric farming at Lough Dargan, County Sligo, Ireland'. Journal Of Archaeological Science, 40 :3212-3221 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Early Holocene vegetation and climate dynamics with particular reference to the 8.2 ka event: pollen and macrofossil evidence from a small lake in western Ireland'
Ghilardi, B. and O’Connell, M. (2013) 'Early Holocene vegetation and climate dynamics with particular reference to the 8.2 ka event: pollen and macrofossil evidence from a small lake in western Ireland'. Vegetation History And Archaeobotany, 22 :99-114 [DOI] [Details]
(2013) 'Fine-resolution pollen-analytical study of Holocene woodland dynamics and land use in north Sligo, Ireland'
Ghilardi, B.; O'Connell, M. (2013) 'Fine-resolution pollen-analytical study of Holocene woodland dynamics and land use in north Sligo, Ireland'. Boreas, 42 :623-649 [DOI] [Details]
(2011) 'New insights into late Holocene farming and woodland dynamics in western Ireland with particular reference to the early medieval horizontal watermill at Kilbegly, Co. Roscommon'
Overland, A,O'Connell, M (2011) 'New insights into late Holocene farming and woodland dynamics in western Ireland with particular reference to the early medieval horizontal watermill at Kilbegly, Co. Roscommon'. Review Of Palaeobotany And Palynology, 163 :205-226 [DOI] [Details]
(2010) 'Late Holocene land-use and vegetation dynamics in an upland karst region based on pollen and coprophilous fungal spore analyses: an example from the Burren, western Ireland'
Feeser, I,O'Connell, M (2010) 'Late Holocene land-use and vegetation dynamics in an upland karst region based on pollen and coprophilous fungal spore analyses: an example from the Burren, western Ireland'. Vegetation History And Archaeobotany, 19 :409-426 [DOI] [Details]
(2009) 'Fresh insights into long-term changes in flora, vegetation, land use and soil erosion in the karstic environment of the Burren, western Ireland'
Feeser, I,O'Connell, M (2009) 'Fresh insights into long-term changes in flora, vegetation, land use and soil erosion in the karstic environment of the Burren, western Ireland'. Journal Of Ecology, 97 :1083-1100 [DOI] [Details]
(2008) 'Fine-spatial paleoecological investigations towards reconstructing late Holocene environmental change, landscape evolution and farming activity in Barrees, Beara Peninsula, southwestern Ireland'
Overland, A. and O'Connell, M. (2008) 'Fine-spatial paleoecological investigations towards reconstructing late Holocene environmental change, landscape evolution and farming activity in Barrees, Beara Peninsula, southwestern Ireland'. Journal of the North Atlantic, 1 :37-73 [Details]
(2008) 'Environment and ritual in a late Iron Age context: an example from Raffin Fort, Co. Meath, Ireland. In: Charcoals from the past: cultural and palaeoenvironmental implications'
Dillon, M., Newman, C., Molloy, K. and O'Connell, M. (2008) 'Environment and ritual in a late Iron Age context: an example from Raffin Fort, Co. Meath, Ireland. In: Charcoals from the past: cultural and palaeoenvironmental implications'. BAR International Series, 1807 :75-92 [Details]
(2008) 'Environment and ritual in a late Iron Age context: an example from Raffin Fort, Co. Meath, Ireland'
Dillon, M., Newman, C., Molloy, K. and O'Connell, M. (2008) 'Environment and ritual in a late Iron Age context: an example from Raffin Fort, Co. Meath, Ireland'. Charcoals from the past: cultural and palaeoenvironmental implications; BAR International Series, 1807 [Details]
(2007) 'Interpretation of charcoal and pollen data relating to a late Iron Age ritual site in eastern Ireland: a holistic approach'
Newman, C,O'Connell, M,Dillon, M,Molloy, K (2007) 'Interpretation of charcoal and pollen data relating to a late Iron Age ritual site in eastern Ireland: a holistic approach'. Vegetation History And Archaeobotany, 16 :349-365 [DOI] [Details]
(2007) 'Multi-proxy evidence for Holocene lake-level and salinity changes at An Loch Mór, a coastal lake on the Aran Islands, Western Ireland'
Holmes, J., Jones, R., Haas, J.N, McDermott, F., Molloy, K. and O'Connell, M. (2007) 'Multi-proxy evidence for Holocene lake-level and salinity changes at An Loch Mór, a coastal lake on the Aran Islands, Western Ireland'. Quaternary Science Reviews, 26 :2438-2462 [Details]
(2007) 'Fresh insights into long-term environmental change on the Aran Islands based on palaeoecological investigations of lake sediments from Inis Oírr'
Molloy, K. and O'Connell, M (2007) 'Fresh insights into long-term environmental change on the Aran Islands based on palaeoecological investigations of lake sediments from Inis Oírr'. Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society, 59 :1-17 [Details]
(2006) 'Holocene climatic variations and postglacial sea-level rise geochemically recorded in the sediments of the brackish karst lake An Loch Mor, western Ireland'
Schettler, G,Romer, RL,O'Connell, M,Molloy, K (2006) 'Holocene climatic variations and postglacial sea-level rise geochemically recorded in the sediments of the brackish karst lake An Loch Mor, western Ireland'. Boreas, 35 :674-693 [DOI] [Details]
(2006) 'Holocene climatic variations and postglacial sea-level rise geochemically recorded in the sediments of the brackish karst lake An Loch Mór, western Ireland'
Schettler, G., Romer, R.L., O'Connell, M. and Molloy, K. (2006) 'Holocene climatic variations and postglacial sea-level rise geochemically recorded in the sediments of the brackish karst lake An Loch Mór, western Ireland'. Boreas, 35 :674-693 [DOI] [Details]
(2004) 'Developing the tephrochronology of An Loch Mór, Inis Oírr, western Ireland'
Hunt, J., Chambers, F., O'Connell, M. and Molloy, K. (2004) 'Developing the tephrochronology of An Loch Mór, Inis Oírr, western Ireland'. Quaternary Newsletter, 104 :49-51 [Details]
(2004) 'Tephrostratigraphy of An Loch Mór, Inis Oírr, W. Ireland: implications for Holocene tephrochronology in the northeastern Atlantic region'
Chambers, F.M., Daniell, J.R.G., Hunt, J.B., Molloy, K. and O'Connell, M. (2004) 'Tephrostratigraphy of An Loch Mór, Inis Oírr, W. Ireland: implications for Holocene tephrochronology in the northeastern Atlantic region'. The Holocene, 14 :703-720 [DOI] [Details]
(2004) 'Holocene vegetation and land-use dynamics in the karstic environment of Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, western Ireland: pollen analytical evidence evaluated in the light of the archaeological record'
Molloy, K. and O'Connell, M (2004) 'Holocene vegetation and land-use dynamics in the karstic environment of Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, western Ireland: pollen analytical evidence evaluated in the light of the archaeological record'. Quaternary International, 113 :41-64 [Details]
(2002) 'Past vegetation and land-use dynamics in Mayo Abbey, central Mayo'
Fuller, J.L (2002) 'Past vegetation and land-use dynamics in Mayo Abbey, central Mayo'. Archaeology Ireland, 16 (3):20-23 [Details]
(2001) 'Reconstructing prehistoric farming activity and human impact at a fine spatial resolution: palaeoecological investigations at Mooghaun, Co. Clare, western Ireland. In: Beiträge zur Siedlungsarchäologie und zum Landschaftswandel'
O'Connell, M., Molloy, K. and McMahon, H. (2001) 'Reconstructing prehistoric farming activity and human impact at a fine spatial resolution: palaeoecological investigations at Mooghaun, Co. Clare, western Ireland. In: Beiträge zur Siedlungsarchäologie und zum Landschaftswandel'. Regensburger Beiträge zur Prähistorischen Archäologie, 7 :161-186 [Details]
(2001) 'Farming and woodland dynamics in Ireland during the Neolithic'
O'Connell, M. and Molloy, K. (2001) 'Farming and woodland dynamics in Ireland during the Neolithic'. Biology and Environment; Proc R Ir Acad, 101 (B):99-128 [Details]
(2000) 'Recent land-use and soil-erosion history within a small catchment in Connemara, western Ireland: evidence from lake sediments and documentary sources'
Huang, CC,O'Connell, MO (2000) 'Recent land-use and soil-erosion history within a small catchment in Connemara, western Ireland: evidence from lake sediments and documentary sources'. Catena, 41 :293-335 [Details]
(1999) 'Multidisciplinary investigations, including stable-isotope studies, of thick Late-glacial sediments from Tory Hill, Co. Limerick, western Ireland'
O'Connell, M., Huang, C.C. and Eicher, U. (1999) 'Multidisciplinary investigations, including stable-isotope studies, of thick Late-glacial sediments from Tory Hill, Co. Limerick, western Ireland'. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 147 :169-208 [Details]
(1995) 'Palaeoecological investigations towards the reconstruction of environment and land-use changes during prehistory at Céide Fields, western Ireland'
Molloy, K. and O'Connell, M. (1995) 'Palaeoecological investigations towards the reconstruction of environment and land-use changes during prehistory at Céide Fields, western Ireland'. Probleme der Küstenforschung im südlichen Nordseegebiet, 23 :187-225 [Details]
(1994) 'The Devensian/Weichselian Late-glacial in northwest Europe (Ireland, Britain, north Belgium, The Netherlands, northwest Germany)'
Walker, M.J.C., Bohncke, S.J.P., Coope, G.R., O’Connell, M., Usinger, H., Verbruggen, C. (1994) 'The Devensian/Weichselian Late-glacial in northwest Europe (Ireland, Britain, north Belgium, The Netherlands, northwest Germany)'. Journal Of Quaternary Science, 9 :109-118 [Details]
(1993) 'Lateglacial vegetation and environment in Ireland: first results from four western sites'
Andrieu, V., Huang, C.C., O’Connell, M. and Paus, A. (1993) 'Lateglacial vegetation and environment in Ireland: first results from four western sites'. Quaternary Science Reviews, 12 :681-705 [Details]
(1991) 'Palaeoecological investigations towards the reconstruction of woodland and land-use history at Lough Sheeauns, Connemara, western Ireland'
Molloy, K. and O’Connell, M. (1991) 'Palaeoecological investigations towards the reconstruction of woodland and land-use history at Lough Sheeauns, Connemara, western Ireland'. Review Of Palaeobotany And Palynology, 67 :75-113 [Details]
(1990) 'The phytosociology and ecology of the aquatic and wetland plant communities of the Lower Corrib basin, County Galway'
Mooney, E.P., O’Connell, M. (1990) 'The phytosociology and ecology of the aquatic and wetland plant communities of the Lower Corrib basin, County Galway'. Proceedings Of The Royal Irish Academy : Section B: Biology And Environment, 90 :57-97 [Details]
(1990) 'Early land use in north-east County Mayo ─ the palaeoecological evidence'
O'Connell, M. (1990) 'Early land use in north-east County Mayo ─ the palaeoecological evidence'. Proceedings Of The Royal Irish Academy Section C-Archaeology, 90 :259-279 [Details]
(1987) 'Early cereal-type pollen records from Connemara, western Ireland and their possible significance'
O’Connell, M. (1987) 'Early cereal-type pollen records from Connemara, western Ireland and their possible significance'. Pollen et Spores, 29 :207-224 [Details]
(1987) 'Palaeoecological investigations towards the reconstruction of the post-glacial environment at Lough Doo, County Mayo, Ireland'
O’Connell, M., Mitchell, F.J.G., Readman, P.W., Doherty, T.J., Murray, D.A. (1987) 'Palaeoecological investigations towards the reconstruction of the post-glacial environment at Lough Doo, County Mayo, Ireland'. Journal Of Quaternary Science, 2 :149-164 [Details]
(1987) 'The nature of the vegetational changes at about 5000 B.P. with particular reference to the elm decline: fresh evidence from Connemara, western Ireland'
Molloy, K. and O’Connell, M. (1987) 'The nature of the vegetational changes at about 5000 B.P. with particular reference to the elm decline: fresh evidence from Connemara, western Ireland'. New Phytologist, 106 :203-220 [Details]
(1986) 'RECONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL LANDSCAPE DEVELOPMENT IN THE POST-ATLANTIC BASED ON PALEOECOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT CARROWNAGLOGH PREHISTORIC FIELD SYSTEM, COUNTY-MAYO, IRELAND'
OCONNELL, M (1986) 'RECONSTRUCTION OF LOCAL LANDSCAPE DEVELOPMENT IN THE POST-ATLANTIC BASED ON PALEOECOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS AT CARROWNAGLOGH PREHISTORIC FIELD SYSTEM, COUNTY-MAYO, IRELAND'. Review Of Palaeobotany And Palynology, 49 [Details]

Books

  Year Publication
(1994) Connemara. Vegetation and Land Use since the Last Ice Age.
O’Connell, M. (1994) Connemara. Vegetation and Land Use since the Last Ice Age. Dublin: Office of Public Works. [Details]

Book Chapters

  Year Publication
(2014) 'Post-glaciation plant colonization of Ireland: fresh insights from An Loch Mór, Inis Oírr, western Ireland'
Molloy, K. and O’Connell, M. (2014) 'Post-glaciation plant colonization of Ireland: fresh insights from An Loch Mór, Inis Oírr, western Ireland' In: Mind the Gap II. New insights into the Irish postglacial. Belfast: Irish Naturalists' Journal. [Details]
(2014) 'Farming and woodland dynamics: a new pollen diagram from Ballinphuill Bog (on CD-ROM: /documents/3/Pollen-analysis-Ballinphuil-bog.pdf)'
Molloy, K., Feeser, I. and O’Connell, M. (2014) 'Farming and woodland dynamics: a new pollen diagram from Ballinphuill Bog (on CD-ROM: /documents/3/Pollen-analysis-Ballinphuil-bog.pdf)' In: The quiet landscape. Archaeological investigations on the M6 Galway to Ballinasloe national road scheme. Dublin: National Roads Authority. [Details]
(2014) 'A pollen profile from Ballinphuill Bog: vegetation and land-use history'
Molloy, K., Feeser, I. and O'Connell, M. (2014) 'A pollen profile from Ballinphuill Bog: vegetation and land-use history' In: The quiet landscape. Archaeological investigations on the M6 Galway to Ballinasloe national road scheme. NRA Scheme Monographs 15. Dublin: National Roads Authority. [Details]
(2013) 'Prehistoric farming at Lough Dargan, north Sligo, and its impact on the terrestrial environment'
Ghilardi, B. and O’Connell, M. (2013) 'Prehistoric farming at Lough Dargan, north Sligo, and its impact on the terrestrial environment' In: Dedicated to Sligo. Thirty-four essays on Sligo’s past. Keash (Co Sligo): Publishing Sligo’s Past. [Details]
(2013) 'The Burren, north Clare - an exceptional landscape, a place apart'
O'Connell, M. (2013) 'The Burren, north Clare - an exceptional landscape, a place apart' In: Secrets of the Irish landscape. Cork: Cork University Press. [Details]
(2012) 'Prehistoric farming in mid-western Ireland:new pollen evidence from Caheraphuca, Co. Clare'
Molloy, K and O'Connell, M (2012) 'Prehistoric farming in mid-western Ireland:new pollen evidence from Caheraphuca, Co. Clare' In: Borderlands. Archaeological investigations along the route of the M18 Gort to Crusheen road scheme. Dublin: National Roads Authority. [Details]
(2011) 'Boom and bust or sustained development? Fossil pollen records and new insights into Bronze Age farming in County Clare'
Molloy, K., O'Connell, M. (2011) 'Boom and bust or sustained development? Fossil pollen records and new insights into Bronze Age farming in County Clare' In: Past times, changing fortunes. Proceedings of a public seminar on archaeological discoveries on the national road schemes, August 2010. National Roads Authority monograph series 8. Dublin: National Roads Authority. [Details]
(2010) 'Presentation, appreciation and conservation of liminal landscapes: challenges from an Irish perspective'
O'Connell, M. (2010) 'Presentation, appreciation and conservation of liminal landscapes: challenges from an Irish perspective' In: The cultural landscape and heritage paradox. Protection and development of the Dutch archaeological-historical landscape and its European dimension. Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam Press. [Details]
(2007) 'European cultural landscapes: a view from Ireland informed by PAN (EU 5fp network)'
O'Connell, M. (2007) 'European cultural landscapes: a view from Ireland informed by PAN (EU 5fp network)' In: Kulturlandschaft. Administrativ - digital - touristisch (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt: Initativen zum Umweltschutz, Vol. 67). Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag. [Details]
(2005) 'Native woodland composition and dynamics: a long-term perspective based on a Holocene pollen profile from Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, western Ireland'
O'Connell, M. and Molloy, K. (2005) 'Native woodland composition and dynamics: a long-term perspective based on a Holocene pollen profile from Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, western Ireland' In: Ireland's Native Woodlands (on CD-ROM). Dublin: Woodlands of Ireland. [Details]
(1993) 'Early land use and vegetation history at Derryinver Hill, Renvyle Peninsula, Co. Galway, Ireland'
Molloy, K. and O’Connell, M. (1993) 'Early land use and vegetation history at Derryinver Hill, Renvyle Peninsula, Co. Galway, Ireland' In: Climate Change and Human Impact on the Landscape. London: Chapman and Hall. [Details]
(1988) 'Post-glacial landscape evolution in Connemara, western Ireland with particular reference to woodland history'
O'Connell,M., Molloy,K., and Bowler, M. (1988) 'Post-glacial landscape evolution in Connemara, western Ireland with particular reference to woodland history' In: The Cultural Landscape- Past, Present and Future. Cambridge: University Press. [Details]

Edited Books

  Year Publication
(2009)
Krzywinski, K., O’Connell, M., Küster, H (Ed.). (2009) Cultural landscapes of Europe. Fields of Demeter, haunts of Pan. Bremen: Aschenbeck Media. [Details]

Book Review

  Year Publication
(1990) FESTSCHRIFT IN HONOR KORBERGROHNE,UDELGARD - THE PREHISTORIC MAN AND HIS MILIEU - GERMAN - KUSTER,H.
OCONNELL, M (1990) FESTSCHRIFT IN HONOR KORBERGROHNE,UDELGARD - THE PREHISTORIC MAN AND HIS MILIEU - GERMAN - KUSTER,H. Book Review [Details]

Conference Paper

  Year Publication
(2012) Ecological impacts of early farming in Western Ireland: a palaeolimnological approach. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Geographers, New York.
Taylor, K.H., Potito, A.P., Ghilardi, B., O'Connell, M., Beilman, D.W. (2012) Ecological impacts of early farming in Western Ireland: a palaeolimnological approach. Annual Meeting of the American Association of Geographers, New York. Conference Paper [Details]