Biography

John is currently the Vice-President for Teaching and Learning at University College Cork where he holds the Chair in Zoology. His previous positions include:

• Head of School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Science
• Vice Head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science
• Assoociate Professor of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science
• Senior Lecturer in Zoology, Ecology, Plant Science (Jan1999 - Dec 2003)
•  University Examination Appeals Officer (Jul 1999 - June 2002)
• Visiting Professor Of Biology Colby College, Maine, USA (July 1998 - Dec 1998)
• College Lecturer (September 1989 - Dec 1998)
• Post Doctoral Research Fellow, University of Wales, College of Cardiff (Feb 1988 - Sept 1989)

John has published more than 130 refereed research articles and 15 book chapters in internationally published books. He has presented over 100 research presentations nationally and internationally and published one monograph and four refereed technical reports. He has been awarded over €7 million for research, teaching and conferences. During his teaching career he has supervised 20 Masters research projects and 20 PhD projects to completion. He recently completed a 6 year term as executive Editor of the international journal Bird Study, during which time he increased its rank to No 2 in world and was awarded a prize for journal design and publishing.

John is the joint leader of the Centre of Excellence in Ornithology at UCC which is now recognized internationally and was responsible for developing the Centre of Excellence in Ecotoxicology at the Environmental Research Institute, UCC, where he is joint strategic research coordinator. He is dedicated to transferring research from the field, lab and bench to class and industry. John has completed over 45 research projects (many collaborators, nationals and international) since 1989. His current research group is comprised of 6 Post Doctoral Researchers, 10 PhDs and 1 MSc. He has been external examiner for PhD and Masters at Queens University Belfast, University of Wales College Cardiff, Glasgow University, Plymouth University, University of Limerick, University Ulster Jordanstown, Harper Adams and Open University, UK, University of Capetown, South Africa.  John has organized National and International Research Conferences and workshops at UCC and was recently invited to become a member of an advisory group within The European Environment Agency. He has started to prepare a report on 'European forests - ecosystem conditions and sustainable use' as a contribution to the 'Ecosystems assessment' for Europe and to be presented to the Conference of the Parties (COP-9) of the Convention on Biological Diversity in May 2008.
 

Recent Publications:

• O'Callaghan CJ, Irwin S, Byrne K, O'Halloran J. 2016. The role of planted forests in the provision of habitat: an Irish perspective. Biodiversity and Conservation, DOI 10.1007/s10531-016-1125-7.
• Edwards-Murphy F, Magno M, Whelan PM, O’Halloran J, Popovici EM. 2016. b+ WSN: Smart beehive with preliminary decision tree analysis for agriculture and honey bee health monitoring. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 124:211-219.
• Oxbrough A, García-Tejero S, Spence J, O’Halloran J. 2016. Can mixed stands of native and non-native tree species enhance diversity of epigaeic arthropods in plantation forests? Forest Ecology and Management, 367:21-29.
• Pedley SM, Oxbrough A, Martin RD, Irwin S, Kelly TC, O’Halloran J. 2016. Can ground-based assessments of forest biodiversity reflect the biological condition of canopy assemblages? Forest Ecology and Management, 359:190-198.
• Cummins S, Bleasdale A, Douglas C, Newton S, O'Halloran J, Wilson HJ. 2015. Densities and population estimates of Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scotica in Ireland based on the 2006-2008 national survey. Irish Birds, 10:197-210.
• Devaney J, Barrett B, Barrett F, Redmond J, O'Halloran J. 2015. Forest cover estimation in Ireland using radar remote sensing: A comparative analysis of forest cover assessment methodologies. PLoS ONE, 10(8):e0133583.
• Devaney JL, Redmond JJ, O'Halloran J. 2015. Contemporary forest loss in Ireland; quantifying rare deforestation events in a fragmented forest landscape. Applied Geography, 63:346-356.
• Fernández-Bellon D, Irwin S, Wilson MW, O'Halloran J. 2015. Reproductive output of Hen Harriers Circus cyaneus in relation to wind turbine proximity. Irish Birds, 10:143-150.
• Graham CT, Wilson MW, Gittings T, Kelly TC, Irwin S, Quinn JL, O'Halloran J. 2015. Implications of afforestation for bird communities: the importance of preceding land-use type. Biodiversity and Conservation.
• Juhel G, Ramsay RM, Davenport J, O'Halloran J, Culloty SC. 2015. Effect of the microcystin-producing cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa, on immune functions of the Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha. Journal of Shellfish Research, 34(2):433-442.
• Lahive E, O'Halloran J, Jansen MAK. 2015. A marriage of convenience; a simple food chain comprised of Lemna minor (L.) and Gammarus pulex (L.) to study the dietary transfer of zinc. Plant Biology, 17:75-81.
• McCarthy M, Bane V, García-Altares M, van Pelt FNAM, Furey A, O'Halloran J. 2015. Assessment of emerging biotoxins (pinnatoxin G and spirolides) at Europe's first marine reserve: Lough Hyne. Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology, 108:202-209.
• Reidy D, Kirrane MJ, Curley B, Brosnan D, Kock S, Bolger P, Dunphy N, McCarthy M, Poland M, Ryan-Fogarty Y and others. 2015. A Journey in Sustainable Development in an Urban Campus. In: Leal-Filho W, Brandli L, Kuznetsova O, Paço AMF, editors. Integrative approaches to sustainable development at university level: Making the links: Springer. p 599-614.
• Smiddy P, O'Halloran J. 2015. Biometrics of Pied Wagtails Motacilla albal yarrellii in County Cork. Irish Birds, 10:179-182.
• Bougaham AF, Moulaï R, O’Halloran J. 2014. Trophic ecology of the Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea before and during the breeding season in the region of Bejaia (Algeria). Comptes Rendus Biologies, 337:466-473.
• Crowe O, Coombes RH, O'Halloran J. 2014. Estimates and trends of common breeding birds in the Republic of Ireland. Irish Birds, 10:23-32.
• Crowe O, Musgrove AJ, O'Halloran J. 2014. Generating population estimates for common and widespread breeding birds in Ireland. Bird Study, 61:82-90.
• Daly E, McCarthy N, O'Halloran J, Irwin S, O'Rathaille M. 2014. Effect of forest litter depth on seed germination efficacy of Rhododendron ponticum. Irish Forestry, 71:50-62.
• Fuller L, Newman M, Irwin S, Kelly T, O’Halloran J. 2014. Ground-dwelling spider diversity in rare European oak and yew woodlands and the impact of grazing. Biodiversity and Conservation, 23:1911-1929.
• Graham CT, Drinan TJ, Harrison SSC, O’Halloran J. 2014. Relationship between plantation forest and brown trout growth, energetics and population structure in peatland lakes in western Ireland. Forest Ecology and Management, 321:71-80.
• Graham CT, Wilson MW, Gittings T, Kelly TC, Irwin S, Sweeney OF, O'Halloran J. 2014. Factors affecting the bird diversity of planted and semi-natural oak forests in Ireland. Bird Study, 61:309-320.
• Harrison SSC, Hutton S, Baars J-R, Cruikshanks R, Johnson J, Juhel G, Kirakowski T, Matson R, O’Halloran J, Phelan P, Kelly-Quinn M. 2014. Contrasting impacts of conifer forests on brown trout and Atlantic salmon in headwater Streams in Ireland. Biology and Environment, 114(B):219-231.
• Irwin S, Pedley SM, Coote L, Dietzsch AC, Wilson MW, Oxbrough A, Sweeney OF, Moore KM, Martin R, Kelly DL, Mitchell FJG, Kelly T, O'Halloran J. 2014. The value of plantation forests for plant, invertebrate and bird diversity and the potential for cross-taxon surrogacy. Biodiversity and Conservation, 23:697-714.
• Kelly-Quinn M et al. 2014. Macroinvertebrate assemblages of small upland peatland lakes in Ireland. Biology and Environment, 114(B):233-248.
• McCarthy M, O'Halloran J, O'Brien NM, van Pelt FNAM. 2014. Does the marine biotoxin okadaic acid cause DNA fragmentation in the blue mussel and the pacific oyster? Mar Environ Res, 101:153-160.
• McCarthy M, van Pelt FNAM, Bane V, O'Halloran J, Furey A. 2014. Application of passive (SPATT) and active sampling methods in the profiling and monitoring of marine biotoxins. Toxicon, 89:77-86.
• McDevitt AD, Montgomery WI, Tosh DG, Lusby J, Reid N, White TA, McDevitt CD, O'Halloran J, Searle JB, Yearsley JM. 2014. Invading and expanding: Range dynamics and ecological consequences of the Greater White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura russula) invasion in Ireland. PLoS ONE, 9:e100403.
• Nagle T, Mee A, Wilson MW, O'Halloran J, Smiddy P. 2014. Habitat and diet of re-colonising Common Buzzards Buteo buteo in County Cork. Irish Birds, 10:47-58
• Oxbrough A, Irwin S, Wilson M, O’Halloran J. 2014. Mechanisms and predictors of ecological change in managed forests: A selection of papers from the second international conference on biodiversity in forest ecosystems and landscapes. Forest Ecology and Management, 321:1-4.
• Pedley SM, Martin RD, Oxbrough A, Irwin S, Kelly TC, O’Halloran J. 2014. Commercial spruce plantations support a limited canopy fauna: Evidence from a multi taxa comparison of native and plantation forests. Forest Ecology and Management, 314:172-182.

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