The Molecular Ecology Research Group (MERG) specialises in the use of non-invasive genetics to study wildlife. The team has expertise in surveying a variety of wild mammals including pine marten, otter, squirrels, deer and bats and collecting hair and faecal samples for DNA analysis. The team specialises in the design and development of forensic based DNA assays to detect species, sex, and individual animals using real-time PCR and microsatellite genotyping.
The group are currently working on pine marten and bat projects, and work with a variety of collaborators including academics, government and non-government organisations, local community groups and citizen scientists.
| Name | Status | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Evelyn Joyce |
evelyn.joyce@ postgrad.wit.ie |
Postgraduate |
SETU Waterford |
|
Janerson Coelho |
janerson.coelho@ postgrad.wit.ie |
Postgraduate student |
SETU Waterford |
More to follow
Research Interest
Nabla: Interested in the role of microbes in the environment, including soil, bioremediation, waste composting, and anaerobic digestion; focus on microbial ecology, particularly microbial involvement in nutrient cycling in ecosystems and the response of microbial communities to environmental disturbance.