Freshwater & terrestrial

Freshwater & Terrestrial Services

The Aquatic Services Unit offer a range of services aimed at assessing the status of water quality and ecology of surface waters and terrestrial habitats. In addition, we undertake targeted surveys of rare and protected species in these environments e.g. electrofishing surveys, pearl mussel surveys and rare plant surveys. These skills and experience have been developed through our close working relationship over the years with the Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Sciences (ZEPS) in UCC and ZEPS scientists regularly contribute to ASU projects.

Services

Environmental Impact Assessments
- Infrastructural Developments (e.g. roads, airports, pipelines etc)
- Housing Developments
- Business Parks
- Process and Food Industries
- WWTP's
- Marinas

Freshwater Biological Surveys
- Macroinvertebrate Surveys
  - Kick Sampling, Sweep Nets, Surber Sampling, Grab Sampling
  - Water Quality Assessment using the Q-value system and others
- Aquatic Plant Surveys
- Electrofishing
- Protected species surveys
  - surveys under licence of aquatic Annex II species using approved methods (pearl mussels, crayfish, lamprey and salmon etc.)
- Flora & Fauna Identification
- Phytoplankton and Zooplankton identification
- Pest identification

Terrestrial Surveys
- Botanical & Habitat surveys
  - Protected species
  - Protected habitats
- Faunal Studies
  - Birds
  - Small mammals
  - Terrestrial insects

Aquatic Services Unit

Environmental Research Institute (UCC), Ellen Hutchins Building, Lee Road, Cork, Ireland T23 XE10