Mary Kelly-Quinn
Freshwater ecologist in the School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin
Mary is a freshwater ecologist in the School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin (UCD) and a member of the UCD Earth Institute.
Her current research is primarily based on streams and rivers, but she has undertaken projects on lakes, ponds, canals, hyporheic fauna and riparian zones. The focus of her research is on assessment of land-use and other anthropogenic activities on the physical, hydrochemical and ecological quality of surface waters with particular reference in recent years to multiple stressors and climate change. She has also led projects and published on ecosystem services and engaged in research on natural capital accounting. Among her many peer-reviewed papers and research reports is a book on Ireland’s Rivers which she co-edited in 2020.
Her research is applied and has contributed to the information needs of the Water Framework Directive, e.g., one project developed the national river typology for Ireland and another on river barriers is informing decision making in relation to their removal or modification to improved river hydromorphology and connectivity. She is particularly interested in the small stream network and the level of intervention needed to not only protect water quality and biodiversity in headwaters but also to improve water quality further downstream. Her research interests extend to Ethiopia whereas a visiting /affiliated professor in Addis Ababa University she is co-supervising PhD research students.
She has led several large multidisciplinary research projects involving civil engineers, water chemists, policy and modelling experts and environmental economists and has worked extensively with a range of stakeholders to ensure that research outputs meet the needs of policy and practice. She is also actively involved in training and promotion of citizen science in Ireland.