DROPLET

Connecting European connectivity research

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Project Metadata ElementDetails
  Project Title Connecting European connectivity research
Research Area Water
Project Acronym
  Principal Investigator or Lead Irish Partner Tamara Hochstrasser (IE); Owen Fenton (IE)
  Lead Institution or Organisation University College Dublin (UCD); Teagasc
 Lead Country Ireland
 Latitude, Longitude (of Lead Institution) 53.30859, -6.22577; 52.29309, -6.50086
  Lead Funding Entity COST
  Approximate Project Start Date 10/04/2014
  Approximate Project Finishing Date 09/04/2018
  Project Website (if any)
  Links to other Web-based resources
 Project Keywords Storm runoff; Soil erosion; Connectivity; Useable science
  Project Abstract Successful prediction of pathways of storm runoff generation and associated soil erosion is of considerable societal importance, including off-site impacts such as water quality and the provision of related ecosystem services. Recently, the role of connectivity in controlling runoff and erosion has received significant and increasing scientific attention, though in a disparate and uncoordinated way. There is a wealth of experience and expertise in connectivity across Europe that could be harnessed to ensure that the potential already demonstrated in key studies can be more widely fulfilled; to move forward along agreed lines and identify emerging goals, and to benefit from cross-fertilization of ideas from the fields of Hydrology, Soil Science, Geomorphology and Ecology. COST is the appropriate vehicle for funding this activity because it will gather together existing expertise to advance the field of connectivity in a concerted way. The key benefit of this Action will therefore be to establish connectivity as a research paradigm. The Action will then permit transfer of current understanding into useable science, by developing it's conceptual basis and transferring it into a series of monitoring and modelling tools that will provide the platform for indices that will inform holistic management of catchment systems.