Research Interests
These are in the field of plant community ecology, principally landscape—scale vegetation dynamics and management. Research projects of particular interest are:

1. Northern Ireland Countryside Survey
The Northern Ireland Countryside Survey (NICS) is monitoring programme for assessing the ecological status and change of habitats in Northern Ireland.
http://www.science.ulster.ac.uk/nics/

NICS uses standardised, descriptors of vegetation that allows objective comparison between surveys with statistical reliability. Field survey during 2007 was the third in a time-series from a late 1980s baseline. Data recording and mapping uses an electronic PDA supported by GIS which links the spatial database to electronic OS and colour aerial photography.

The research is of value in support of Government biodiversity policy developmentand is being used to assess the effectiveness of the implementation of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy and EU Habitats Directive. Landscape-scale ecosystem modelling and investigations into the dynamics of ecological change are being carried out, supported by http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/biodiversity/nh-research/nicountrysidesurvey-2.htm

2. Industrial site biodiversity management
http://www.science.ulst.ac.uk/nnru/bias.html

Multiple-use restoration of cut-over raised bog
Intact Irish lowland raised bogs and their associated wetlands have a high international conservation value. Cut-over bogs used for peat extraction can also have a high biodiversity. This research project focuses on the after-use of commercially harvested lowland raised bog and the biodiversity gains from a combined forestry, conservation and recreation approach to site rehabilitation. The aims of are to develop ecological restoration models that will contribute to sustainable biodiversity management in a post-industrial context.

Restoring broadleaf woodland
Coniferous woodland planted on ancient broadleaf sites is the focus of this research project. The aim is to develop site-based restoration models guided by sampling habitat structure and plant species composition in conifer plantations at pre- and post felling stages of development.
Ecological management of western Irish oak woods.
Lowland oak woodland in Ireland has a high conservation value but there have been no landscape-scale studies of its ecology and management. The woods are usually small and fragmented and exist in the context of a farmed countryside. The aim of this research project is to analyse their plant species composition, structure and distribution and to investigate the effects of management practices such as grazing.

Publications:

Cooper, A., G. H. Nevin, et al. (2000). Wildlife management on industrial sites. In: Quantitative approaches to landscape ecology. T. Clare and D Howard. (eds). Proc 9th Annual Conf. of the International Association for landscape ecology (UK region), pp. 33-38. University of Wales, Bangor.

Cooper, A. and T. P. McCann (2000). The Northern Ireland Countryside Survey 2000: summary report on Broad Habitats. Coleraine, University of Ulster.

Cooper, A. (2000). Land cover monitoring in Northern Ireland. Biodiversity: the Irish dimension. B. S. Rushton (ed). Dublin, Royal Irish Academy: 122-131.

Haines-Young, R. H., Watkins, C., Bunce, R. G. H., Cooper, A. et al. (2000). Accounting for nature: assessing habitats in the UK countryside. Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions. HMSO.

Cooper, A., McCann, T. & Hamill, B. (2001). Vegetation regeneration on blanket mire after mechanised cutting. Global Ecology and Biogeography 10: 275-289.

Cooper, A. and T. McCann (2001). Northern Ireland Countryside survey 2000. Coleraine, University of Ulster.

Cooper, A. (2001). An assessment of agri-environment schemes in Northern Ireland. Acta Pericemonologica rerum ambierntum Debrecina. Debrecen, Debrecen University Press, Hungary. 1: 12-15.

Cooper, A. (2002). Coastal habitats. Field guide to the coastal environments of Northern Ireland. J. Knight. Coleraine, University of Ulster: 178-183.

Cooper, A., & McCann, T. (2002). Habitat change in the Northern Ireland Countryside: summary report of the Northern Ireland Countryside Survey 2000. Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. Belfast.

Cooper, A. & McCann, T. (2002). Habitat change in the Northern Ireland Countryside: technical report of the Northern Ireland Countryside Survey 2000. Environment and Heritage Service, Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. Belfast.

Hammond, M. E. R. and A. Cooper (2002). Spartina anglica survivorship in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. University of Ulster, Coleraine, Report to Environment and Heritage Service, DoENI.

Hammond, M. E. R., G. C. Malvarez, et al. (2002). The distribution of Spartina anglica on estuarine mudflats in relation to wave-related hydrodynamic parameters. Journal of Coastal Research Special Issue 36: 352-355.

Cooper, A., T. McCann, et al. (2003). “Sampling Broad Habitat change to assess biodiversity conservation action in Northern Ireland. Journal of Environmental Management 67: 283-290.

Cooper, A., T. McCann, et al. (2003). Land cover change in Northern Irish uplands. Atlantic Open Mountain Landscapes, Guarda, Portugal, Proceedings of the International Association for Landscape Ecology.

Cooper, A. and T. McCann (2004). Analysis of the extent and condition of Northern Ireland Priority Habitats. Belfast, Environment and Heritage Service, Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland: 139.

Cooper, A. and G. H. Nevin (2004). Biodiversity Action on Industrial Sites: integrating industrial and environment management systems. Coleraine, University of Ulster.

Cooper, A., T. McCann, et al. (2005). Vegetation,water beetles and habitat isolation in abandoned lowland bog drains and peat pits. Aquatic Conservation 15: 175-188.

Cooper, A., T. McCann, et al. (2005). The effects of livestock grazing and recreation on Irish machair grassland vegetation. Plant Ecology 181(2): 255-267.

Hammond, M. E. R. and A. Cooper (2005). An experimental study of seedling establishment on deep-burned heath. Biology and Environment: Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 105B(1): 1-17.

Cooper, A., S. Cook, et al. (2006). Historical, Current and Predicted Distribution of Spartina anglica in Northern Ireland. Belfast, Environment and Heritage Service Research and Development Series, No. 06/17.

Hammond, M. E. R. and A. Cooper (2006). Spartina anglica survivorship in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. Belfast, Environment and Heritage Service Research and Development Series, No. 06/08.

Hammond, M. E. R., A. Cooper, et al. (2006). Development of Spartina anglica niche models: using wave parameters to predict the potential distribution of Spartina anglica in Strangford Lough, Northern Ireland. Belfast, Environment and Heritage Service Research and Development Series, No. 06/08.

Cooper, A., McCann, T., and Bunce, R.G.H. (2006). The influence of sampling intensity on vegetation classification and the implications for environmental management. Environmental Conservation 33, 118-127.

Cooper, A., Shine, T. McCann, T. and Tidane, D.A. (2006). An ecological basis for sustainable land use of Eastern Mauritanian wetlands. Journal of Arid Environments, 67, 116-141.

Research Students:
Ivan Gault – Fractal pattern recognition of second order urban land use from high resolution sensor data.
Keith Millar – Landscape metrics and river corridors.
Patrick McGurn – Agricultural management systems for species-rich hay meadows.
Hugh Devlin - Restoration strategies for cut-over Lowland raised bog
Thomas McCann – Ecology of Irish hedges