Biography
Dr. John Connolly is The Kinsella Assistant Professor in Geographical Information Systems and Remote Sensing and leads the Trinity Geospatial & Environmental Modelling Group. He joined Trinity College Dublin in September 2020 and teaches GIS and remote sensing at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. John's research uses GIS and Earth Observation to study the terrestrial environment including land use change; landscape carbon dynamics; solar mapping and habitat assessment using EO. He has produced more than 30 journal articles, reports and policy statements including articles in leading international peer-review journals such as: Earth Science Reviews; International Journal of Remote Sensing and Biogeosciences.
John is currently the Principal Investigator for the EPA funded iHabiMap project (2019 - 2023) and the DAFM Funded RePEAT project (2022 - 2024). He is also PI on the EPA funded ICONEEx project (2023 - 2025).
He is a CO-PI on several projects including the EPA & NPWS funded Irish Peatland Resilience project(2021 - 2024), SmartBog project(2019-2023); the DAFM funded GENENET project project (2020-2022) and the SFI funded Enable SolarMap Project (2020-2021). He is also an international collaborator on the Boston University led GLanCE Project(2019-2024). He has co-ordinated several national and international research proposals including FP7, H2020, EPA, DAFM and a Google Earth Engine Research Award. John Collaborates widely and has active collaborations with colleagues in Ireland, Germany, UK, Sweden, USA, Canada and Brazil. He is also a Coordinating Lead Author on Chapter 2.1 of the Global Peatland Assessment
He currently co-supervises four PhD students (two at Trinity, one in NUI Galway and one in Greifswald University) and co-supervises two Post Doctoral Researchers.
He is interested in supervising PhD students, and working with Post Doctoral researchers interested in applied GIS and Earth Observation (Google Earth Engine etc.) under the following themes
· Global Land use and land use change using EO
· Landscape carbon dynamics (Net Ecosystem Exchange)
· Mapping peatlands and peatland degradation
· Mapping the historical extent of peatlands and loss of carbon
Prior to joining Trinity College Dublin, John held positions at Dublin City University, Lund University, University College Cork and University College Dublin
Publications and Further Research Outputs
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Wahaj Habib, Remi Cresson, Kevin McGuinness, John Connolly, Mapping artificial drainage on Peatlands - A national scale assessment of Irish raised bogs using sub-meter aerial imagery and deep learning methods, Remote Sensing in Ecology and Conservation, 2024
Ruchita Ingle, Wahaj Habib, John Connolly, Mark McCorry, Stephen Barry & Matthew Saunders, Upscaling methane fluxes from peatlands across a drainage gradient in Ireland using PlanetScope imagery and machine learning tools., Nature Scientific Reports, 13, (11997), 2023
Cruz, C., McGuinness, K., Perrin, P. M., O"Connell, J., Martin, J. R. and J. Connolly., Improving the mapping of coastal invasive species using UAV imagery and deep learning, International Journal of Remote Sensing , 44, (18), 2023
Cruz, Charmaine; O'Connell, Jerome; McGuinness, Kevin; Martin, James; Perrin, Philip; Connolly, John , Assessing the effectiveness of UAV data to accurately map coastal dune habitats, European Journal of Remote Sensing, 56, (1), 2023
Habib, W. and Connolly, J., A national-scale assessment of management activities in Peatlands between 1989 " 2020 using Landsat data and Google Earth Engine " a case study of Ireland. , Regional Environmental Change, 2023
Ruchita Ingle, Saheba Bhatnagar, Bidisha Ghosh, Laurence Gill, Shane Regan, John Connolly and Matthew Saunders, Development of Hybrid Models to Estimate Gross Primary Productivity at a Near-Natural Peatland Using Sentinel 2 Data and a Light Use Efficiency Model, Remote Sensing, 15, 2023, p1673-
Ingle, Ruchita; Bhatnagar, Saheba; Ghosh, Bidisha; Gill, Laurence; regan, Shane; Connolly, John; Saunders, Matthew , A new hybrid index to estimate gross primary productivity of peatlands under variable climatic conditions. , Remote Sensing, 15, (6), 2023, p1673-
Junbin Zhao, Simon Weldon, Alexandra Barthelmes, Erin Swails, Kristell Hergoualc'h, Ülo Mander, Chunjing Qiu, John Connolly, Whendee L. Silver, David Campbell, Global observation gaps of peatland greenhouse gas balances " needs and obstacles, 2023
Budiman Minasny, Diana Vigah Adetsu, Rebekka R.E. Artz, Matt Aitkenhead, Nikki Baggaley, Alexandra Barthelmes, Amélie Beucher, Jean Caron, Giulia Conchedda, John Connolly, Raphaël Deragon, Chris Evans, Kjetil Fadnes, Dian Fiantis, Zisis Gagkas, Louis Gilet, Alessandro Gimona, Stephan Glatzel, Mogens H. Greve, Wahaj Habib, Kristell Hergoualc"h, Cecilie Hermansen, Darren B. Kidd, Triven Koganti, Dianna Kopansky, David Large, Tuula Larmola, Allan Lilly, Haojie Liu, Matthew Marcus, Maarit Middleton, Keith Morrison, Rasmus Jes Petersen, Tristan Quaife, Line Rochefort, Rudiyanto Rudiyanto, Linda Toca, Francesco N. Tubiello, Peter Lystbæk Weber, Simon Weldon, Wirastuti Widyatmanti, Jenny Williamson, Dominik Zak., Mapping and monitoring peatland conditions from global to field scale, Biogeochemistry, 2023
Islam, M. T., Bradley, A. V., Sowter, A., Andersen, R., Marshall, C., Long, M., Bourke, M. C., Connolly, J., and Large, D. J., , Use of APSIS-InSAR measures of the range of vertical surface motion to improve hazard assessment of peat landslides, Mires and Peat, 2022
Connolly, J., Using geospatial technology to aid the assessment of peatland extent, condition, and carbon stock, OECD workshop on Peatlands for climate change mitigation in agriculture, Aarhus University, October 4th and 5th, 2022
UNEP, Global Peatlands Assessment " The State of the World"s Peatlands: Evidence for action toward the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of peatlands, UNEP, November, 2022
David Olefeldt, Mikael Hovemyr, McKenzie A. Kuhn, David Bastviken, Theodore J. Bohn, John Connolly, Patrick Crill, Eugénie S. Euskirchen, Sarah A. Finkelstein, Hélène Genet, Guido Grosse, Lorna I. Harris, Liam Heffernan, Manuel Helbig, Gustaf Hugelius, Ryan Hutchins, Sari Juutinen, Mark J. Lara, Avni Malhotra, Kristen Manies, A. David McGuire, Susan M. Natali, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Frans-Jan W. Parmentier, Aleksi Räsänen, Christina Schädel, Oliver Sonnentag, Maria Strack, Suzanne Tank, Claire Treat, Ruth K. Varner, Tarmo Virtanen, Rebecca K. Warren, Jennifer D. Watts, The Boreal-Arctic Wetland and Lake Dataset (BAWLD), 2021
David Olefeldt, Mikael Hovemyr, McKenzie A. Kuhn, David Bastviken, Theodore J. Bohn, John Connolly, Patrick Crill, Eugénie S. Euskirchen, Sarah A. Finkelstein, Hélène Genet, Guido Grosse, Lorna I. Harris, Liam Heffernan, Manuel Helbig, Gustaf Hugelius, Ryan Hutchins, Sari Juutinen, Mark J. Lara, Avni Malhotra, Kristen Manies, A. David McGuire, Susan M. Natali, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Frans-Jan W. Parmentier, Aleksi Räsänen, Christina Schädel, Oliver Sonnentag, Maria Strack, Suzanne Tank, Claire Treat, Ruth K. Varner, Tarmo Virtanen, Rebecca K. Warren, Jennifer D. Watts, Supplementary material to "The Boreal-Arctic Wetland and Lake Dataset (BAWLD)", 2021
David Olefeldt1, MiDavid Olefeldt, Mikael Hovemyr, McKenzie A. Kuhn, David Bastviken, Theodore J. Bohn, John Connolly, Patrick Crill, Eugénie S. Euskirchen, Sarah A. Finkelstein, Hélène Genet, Guido Grosse, Lorna I. Harris, Liam Heffernan, Manuel Helbig, Gustaf Hugelius, Ryan Hutchins, Sari Juutinen, Mark J. Lara, Avni Malhotra, Kristen Manies, A. David McGuire, Susan M. Natali, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Frans-Jan W. Parmentier, Aleksi Räsänen, Christina Schädel, Oliver Sonnentag, Maria Strack, Suzanne Tank, Claire Treat, Ruth K. Varner, Tarmo Virtanen, Rebecca K. Warren, and Jennifer D. Wattskael Hovemyr2, McKenzie A. Kuhn1, David Bastviken3, Theodore J. Bohn4, John Connolly5, Patrick Crill6, Eugénie S. Euskirchen7,8, Sarah A. Finkelstein9, Hélène Genet8, Guido Grosse10,11, Lorna I. Harris1, Liam Heffernan12, Manuel Helbig13, Gustaf Hugelius2,14, Ryan Hutchins15, Sari Juutinen16, Mark J. Lara17,18, Avni Malhotra19, Kristen Manies20, A. David McGuire8, Susan M. Natali21, Jonathan A. O'Donnell22, Frans-Jan W. Parmentier23,24, Aleksi Räsänen25, Christina Schädel26, Oliver Sonnentag27, Maria Strack28, Suzanne Tank29, Claire Treat10, Ruth K. Varner2,30, Tarmo Virtanen25, Rebecca K. Warren31, and Jennifer D. Watts2, The Boreal-Arctic Wetland and Lake Dataset (BAWLD), Earth System Science Data, doi.org/10.5194/essd, 2021
Jianghua Wu* , Matthias Peichl, Junwei Luan, John Connolly and Ligang Xu, Editorial: Wetland Ecology and Biogeochemistry Under Natural and Human Disturbances, Front. Earth Sci. - Biogeoscience, 2021
Budiman Minasny, Örjan Berglund, John Connolly, Carolyn Hedley, Folkert de Vries, Alessandro Gimona, Bas Kempen, Darren Kidd, Harry Lilja, Brendan Malone, Alex McBratney, Pierre Roudier, Sharon O'Rourke, José Padarian, Laura Poggio, Alexandre ten Caten, Daniel Thompson, Clint Tuve, Wirastuti Widyatmant , Digital Mapping of Peatlands, Earth Science Reviews, 196, 2019
Connolly, J. , Mapping Land use on Irish peatlands using medium resolution satellite imagery, Irish Geography, 51, (2), 2018
J. Connolly, N. M. Holden, Detecting peatland drains with Object Based Image Analysis and Geoeye-1 imagery, Carbon Balance and Management, 12, (1), 2017
Connolly, J. and Holden, N. M. , Detecting drains on a blanket bog using object based image analysis and very high resolution satellite imagery, Carbon Balance and Management, 12, (7), 2017
Tanneberger, F., Tegetmeyer, C., Busse, S., Barthelmes, A. and 55 others , The peatland map of Europe., Mires and Peat, 19, (22), 2017, p1 - 17
O' Connell. J, Connolly. J and Holden. N. , A monitoring protocol for vegetation change on Irish peatlands and heaths, Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 31, 2014, p130 - 142
Connolly J., Holden N.M., Classification of peatland disturbance, Land Degradation and Development, 24, (6), 2013, p548 - 555, p548-555
O'Connell J., Connolly J., Vermote E.F., Holden N.M., Radiometric normalization for change detection in peatlands: A modified temporal invariant cluster approach, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 34, (8), 2013, p2905 - 2924, p2905-2924
Connolly J., Holden N.M., Mapping peatland disturbance in Ireland: An object oriented approach, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 8174, 2011
Finnan, J.M., Styles, D.F., Fitzgerald, J., Connolly, J. and Donnelly, A. , Using a strategic environmental assessment framework to quantify the environmental impact of energy plans., Global Change Biology Bioenergy, 2011
Connolly J., Holden N.M., Object oriented classification of disturbance on raised bogs in the Irish Midlands using medium- and high-resolution satellite imagery, Irish Geography, 44, (1), 2011, p111 - 135, p111-135
Connell J.O., Connolly J., Holden N.M., A multispectral multiplatform based change detection tool for vegetation disturbance on Irish peatlands, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 8174, 2011
Holden N.M., Connolly J., Estimating the carbon stock of a blanket peat region using a peat depth inference model, Catena, 86, (2), 2011, p75 - 85, p75-85
Connolly, J., Holden, N. M., CLASSIFICATION OF PEATLAND DISTURBANCE, Land Degradation & Development, 24, (6), 2011, p548-555
Connolly J., Holden N.M., Connolly J., Seaquist J.W., Ward S.M., Detecting recent disturbance on montane blanket bogs in the wicklow mountains, Ireland using the MODIS enhanced vegetation index, International Journal of Remote Sensing, 32, (9), 2011, p2377 - 2393, p2377-2393
Connolly J., Roulet N.T., Seaquist J.W., Holden N.M., Lafleur P.M., Humphreys E.R., Heumann B.W., Ward S.M., Using MODIS derived fPAR with ground based flux tower measurements to derive the light use efficiency for two Canadian peatlands, Biogeosciences, 6, (2), 2009, p225 - 234, p225-234
Connolly J., Holden N.M., Mapping peat soils in Ireland: Updating the derived Irish peat map, Irish Geography, 42, (3), 2009, p343 - 352, p343-352
Connolly J., Holden N.M., Ward S.M., Mapping peatlands in Ireland using a rule-based methodology and digital data, Soil Science Society of America Journal, 71, (2), 2007, p492 - 499, p492-499
Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications
Gilet, L., Morley, T., Flynn, R., Connolly, J., Hidden and shallow peat in the new Irish Peat Soils Map, Environ 2024, outheast Technological University, Waterford, Ireland, March 25-27, 2024., 2024
Sabokrouhiyeh, N.; van der Velde, Y.; Connolly, J.; Kettridge, N., Irish Peatland Resilience and Presence Across National Climate Gradients, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 2024
Habib, W. and Connolly, J., Satellite-driven model to upscale Irish CO2 Net Ecosystem Exchange (ICONEEx)., EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 2024
O'Leary, D; Connolly, J., Gilet, L., Tuohy, P., Hodgson, J., Daly, E, Identifying the Transition Zone between Peat and Non-Peat Soils Using Airborne Radiometric Data, IQUA Autumn Symposium, , Dublin, 2024
Cruz, C., O'Connell, J., Martin, J., Perrin, P. & Connolly, J., Drones and machine learning for habitat monitorin, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 2024
O'Leary, D; Connolly, J., Gilet, L., Tuohy, P., Hodgson, J., Daly, E., Identifying the Transition Zone between Peat and Mineral Soils Using Airborne Radiometric Data: a national scale case study from Ireland, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 2024
Ingle, R. Habib, Wahaj; Connolly, John, McCorry, Mark, Barry, Stephen and Saunders, Matthew, A simple approach to upscale methane emissions from peatlands using Planetscope satellite data and machine learning algorithm, EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 2024
Habib, W. and Connolly, J., Multi-spatial-temporal remote sensing and machine learning for mapping land use on peatland in Ireland, 35th International Geographical Congress, Dublin, 24th to 30th August, 2024
Habib, W. and Connolly, J., Automated Mapping of Artificial Drainage in Peatlands Using Deep Learning and Very High-Resolution Aerial Imagery, EGU General Assembly,, Vienna, Austria, 2024
O'Leary, D; Connolly, J., Gilet, L., Hodgson, J., Daly, E., Using Tellus Airborne Radiometric data to update the national peatland map in Ireland, IGRM23, Belfast, , 03rd - 05th March, 2023
Gilet L., Connolly, J., Coleman L., Morley T., Bruisch K., Toomey L. and Ó Giobúin P., ). RePEAT project - New avenues for refining the mapping of Irish peat soils, McGill University, PeatMeet, Online, 30 March, 2023
Gilet, L., Connolly, J., Coleman, L., Morley, T., Bruisch, K. and Toomey, L., New avenues for refining the mapping of Irish peat soils, iCRAG workshop, Abbeyleix, Ireland, 2023
Pilant, Andrew; Moeller, Iris; Connolly, John , Time-lapse animations of Sentinel satellite radar and infrared imagery: easy tools for visualizing and mapping Ireland"s dynamic landscapes and coasts through time, Conference of Irish Geographers, Wexford, Ireland, 2023
Connolly, J., Habib, W., Cruz, C., Gilet, L., A multi-scale geospatial assessment of peatlands in Ireland., Teagasc Grassland Peat Agriculture Workshop, Gurteen College, Co. Tipp, 10th May, 2023
Connolly, J., Habib, W., Cruz, C., Gilet, L., A multi-scale geospatial assessment of peatlands in Ireland, EPA Johnstown, 4th May 2023, 2023
Habib, W. and Connolly, J., Mapping drains using deep learning techniques, Ditch Science Workshop, University of Liverpool, 7-9th March, 2023
Gilet, L., Connolly, J., Coleman, L., Morley, T., Bruisch, K. and Toomey, L., New avenues for refining the mapping of Irish peat soils., ICRAG Workshop, Abbeyleix, 21 Feb, 2023
Habib, W. and Connolly, J., From pixels to peat: Discerning management practices and their implications in peatlands using machine learning and multi-temporal spatial remote sensing, Royal Geographical Society (RGS-IBG) Annual International Conference, London, UK, 29th to 1st Septembe, 2023
Coleman, L., Gilet, L., Connolly, J., Coleman, L., Morley, T., Bruisch, K. and Toomey, L., Introduction to the RePEAT Project: A modern resurvey of mapped Irish peatlands to refine assessment of land use change and progress greenhouse gas removal and emissions inventories, CIG2023, Wexford, 2023
Connolly, J., Habib, W., Cruz, C., Gilet, L. , RePEAT, SmartBog, iHabimap presentation to Teagasc team, TEagasc Stakeholder meeting, Portlaoise, June, 2022
Connolly, J., Habib, W., and Cruz, C. , Remote sensing, GIS mapping and Monitoring in the Irish Landscape, NPWS stakeholder meeting, Online, 26th January, 2022
O'Connell, J., Chavan, C., Cruz, C., Connolly, J., McGuinness, K., Martin, J., Perrin, P., ). Challenges in the use of EO and machine learning in the monitoring of natural habitats, 14th Irish Earth Observation Symposium., Technological University Dublin, 3 " 4 November, 2022
Habib, W., Ruchita, I., Saunders, M., & Connolly, J., Mapping vegetation communities across a drainage gradient in Irish raised bogs using PlanetScope Imagery, 14th Irish Earth Observation Symposium, TUD, 3-4th November, 2022
Connolly, J. , Earth Observation and Net Ecosystem Exchange across the Arctic: The PANEEx Project, Arctic Circle conference, Reykjavik, Iceland, October 12th to 16th, 2022
Gilet L. and Connolly J., Towards a new update of the Derived Irish Peat Map., Conference of Irish Geographers, Limerick, May 18-20, 2022
Cruz, C., O"Connell, J., McGuiness, K., Martin, J., Perrin, P. & Connolly, J., Drones and Machine Learning for accurate and fine-grained mapping of Irish habitat types, 14th Irish Earth Observation Symposium., Technological University Dublin, 3 " 4 November, 2022
Gilet, L., Connolly, J. Morley, T., Coleman, L., Bruisch, K. and Toomey, L., Extracting information from the historical Bog Commission Maps with image classification tools., 14th Irish Earth Observation Symposium, Technological University, Dublin, 3-4 November, 2022
John Connolly, Peatland Policy updates: Ireland., Griefswald mire centre, 17th MAy, 2021
John Connolly, Remote Sensing and Peatlands, `, Trinity Wetland Group, 20th January, 2021
Connolly, J. , Geospatial assessment of land use and degradation of Irish peatlands., . Ecology, Evolution and the Environment Seminar Series, TCD, 17th Septebmer, 2021
Sam P. Belton, Erica Fox, John Connolly, Colin T. Kelleher., GeneNet: mapping the genetics of Ireland"s native forests in a European context, 3rd Ecology and Evolution Ireland Conference, 7-8th January, 2021
John Connolly, Mapping Peatlands in Ireland, COP26, Scotland, Oct/Nov, 2021
John Connolly, Mapping and characterization of a peat slide even in Ireland in June 2020, 2021 Mer Bleue and Beyond Virtual Symposium, Canada, 19th May, 2021
John Connolly, Mapping Peatlands in Ireland, The Peatlands Gathering, Online, 7th Oct., 2021
Connolly, J., Habib, W., and Cruz, C., Remote sensing, GIS mapping and Monitoring in the Irish Landscape, NPWS Lunchtime Seminar Series, Online, 7th December, 2021
John Connolly, Remote Sensing of Peatlands, PeatMap,, McGill University, Canada, 4th Feb, 2021
John Connolly, A bird"s eye view: Landscape carbon dynamics, peatlands and land use through space and time, TCD Geography Seminar Series, 2nd December, 2020
John Connolly, SmartBog: Identifying and mapping peatland drains in Ireland, UCD School of Geography Autumn Seminar Series, Online (UCD), 22nd October , 2020
John Connolly, Geospatial analysis of the Shass mountain mass movement: Some geomorphological observations, Shass mountain landslide workshop. , Online, 10th November, 2020
Research Expertise
Projects
- Title
- RePEAT- A Modern Resurvey of Mapped Irish Peatlands to Refine Assessment of Land Use Change and Progress Greenhouse Gas Removal and Emissions Inventories
- Funding Agency
- DAFM
- Date From
- 01-09-2021
- Date To
- 31-08-2024
- Title
- Satellite-driven model to upscale Irish CO2 Net Ecosystem Exchange (ICONEEx).
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- May 2023
- Date To
- April 2026
- Title
- Irish Peatland Resilience
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 01-01-2022
- Date To
- 31-12-2023
- Title
- Habitat Mapping, Monitoring and Assessment using High-Resolution Imagery
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2019
- Date To
- 2023
- Title
- Tellus Peatmap
- Funding Agency
- GSI
- Title
- Smart observation of management impacts on peatlands function (SmartBog)
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2019
- Date To
- 2024
- Title
- SolarMap
- Funding Agency
- SFI
- Date From
- 2020
- Date To
- 2021
- Title
- GENENET
- Funding Agency
- DAFM
- Date From
- 2020
- Date To
- 2022
- Title
- Pan-Arctic Net Ecosystem Exchange
- Funding Agency
- Google Earth Engine Research Award
- Date From
- 2015
- Date To
- 2016
- Title
- Mire Ecosystem Transition Area Flux (METAflux).
- Funding Agency
- FP7 People Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship
- Title
- Remote sensing of grasslands for evaluating compliance with key environmental legislation.
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2009
- Date To
- 20012
- Title
- Identification, mapping, assessment and quantification of the effects disturbance on the peat soil C stock in Ireland
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2008
- Date To
- 2011
- Title
- Assessing & monitoring vegetation disturbance on Irish peatlands using satellite imagery
- Funding Agency
- EPA
- Date From
- 2007
- Date To
- 2010
Recognition
Representations
Journal Reviewer - Geoderma
Member of Editorial Board for Frontiers in Earth Science
Treasurer of the Geomorphological Association of Ireland
Invited to be an external PhD examiner for Dept. of Geography at Maynooth University
Invitation to be External Examiner for PhD student at the University of the Highlands and Islands
Invited to join a OPW hiring Board for a GIS Grade 2 position.
Invited to be a Steering Committee member for Peatland Finance Ireland
Invited member of scientific advisory board for CSO Ecosystem Extent Accounts committee and the CSO Expert Group on Global Climate Regulation
Invited Reviewer - Journal of Hydrology
Invited Reviewer - Biogeosciences
Invited reviewer - Frontiers in Earth Science
Memberships
Society for Ecological Restoration (SER)
International Peatland Society (IPS)
Geographical Society of Ireland (GSI)
Geomorphological Association of Ireland
Irish Geomorphological Society (IGGY)
European Geosciences Union
American Geosciences Union