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Turloughs are topographic depressions in karst that are intermittently inundated on an annual basis, mainly from groundwater, that drain without overland stream outflow, and that have a substrate and/or ecological communities that are characteristic of wetlands. Turloughs are listed as priority habitats of community concern under the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC). This research project, undertaken by Trinity College Dublin, surveyed indicator taxa and their communities in a group of 22 turloughs, described the hydrological regime in each turlough and determined the main ecological drivers and constraints operating on the biota. The project assessed the conservation status of turloughs, their risk of pollution, and devised a monitoring protocol for turloughs.

 

The report is in two parts: 'Turloughs: Hydrology, Ecology and Conservation' and 'Site Reports'.