Factors Influencing Performance and Injury Risk in Elite Female Gaelic Team Sport Players and Future Research Directions: a narrative review

Background: Sports science research in elite female Gaelic team sports has increased in recent years, but still a large disparity exists between the volume of studies involving male and female players. As a consequence of this, it is difficult for practitioners to develop an evidence-based approach when working with female players. Main body: In this review, we discuss the current research available in elite female Gaelic team sports with focus on seven specific areas including physical and physiological demands, anthropometric and performance characteristics, injury risk, nutritional considerations, and female physiology. There appears to be unique physical demands data in match play across positions in Camogie, however, there is currently no comparative data available in ladies Gaelic football. Similarly, there is no research available on the physiological demands of both elite female Gaelic team sports. According to existing literature, performance characteristics such as speed and power are lower in this population compared to other elite female team sports. Although data is limited, the anthropometric characteristics of elite female Gaelic team sport players appear homogenous with some positional differences observed at a sub-elite level. Previous research has demonstrated a high prevalence of lower limb injuries in female elite Gaelic team sports and the provision of quality, evidence-based strength & conditioning could help mitigate these injury risks. Female Gaelic team sport players have been shown to have poor nutrition knowledge and inadequate intakes of micronutrients. Finally, although menstrual cycle phase and oral contraceptives have been shown to influence performance in other female intermittent sports, to date there has not been any research carried out in elite female Gaelic team sport players. Conclusions: It is evident that limited research has been carried out on elite female Gaelic sport players. More up-to-date, high-quality investigations are needed to address the research gaps, which in turn should enable practitioners in the field to apply sound, evidence-based practice/theory when working with this population

Skistodiaptomus pallidus (Copepoda: Diaptomidae) establishment in New Zealand natural lakes, and its effects on zooplankton community composition

The North American calanoid copepod Skistodiaptomus pallidus is an emerging invader globally, with non-indigenous populations recorded from constructed waters in New Zealand, Germany and Mexico since 2000. We examined the effects of S. pallidus establishment on the zooplankton community of a natural lake, Lake Kereta, where it was first recorded in late-2008, coincident with releases of domestically cultured grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Although not present in any of our samples prior to August 2008, S. pallidus was found in all samples collected in the subsequent five years. ANOSIM indicated zooplankton community composition significantly differed between samples collected before and after S. pallidus invasion, whether the invader was included in the analysis or not. Zooplankton species affected most greatly were the copepods Calamoecia lucasi and Mesocyclops sp., which decreased in their relative importance, and the cladocerans Bosmina meridionalis and Daphnia galeata, which increased. Rotifer species were relatively unaffected. As the length of grass carp released were >6.5 cm, direct predatory effects by this species on the zooplankton community are unlikely. Associated reductions in macrophyte biomass could explain increases in the relative abundances of planktonic cladocerans (B. meridionalis and D. galeata). However, the effect of macrophyte reduction by grass carp on zooplankton communities is considered to be limited elsewhere, while the reduced macrophyte biomass cannot explain the decrease in relative abundance of the native planktonic calanoid copepod C. lucasi. Competition between C. lucasi and S. pallidus is the most compelling explanation for the reduction in importance of the native calanoid copepod species. Skistodiaptomus pallidus appears to have undergone a “boom-and-bust” cycle in Lake Kereta, increasing in relative abundance in the first three years following establishment, before declining in importance

Identifying invertebrate invasions using morphological and molecular analyses: North American Daphnia ‘pulex’ in New Zealand fresh waters

We used a DNA barcoding approach to identify specimens of the Daphnia pulex complex occurring in New Zealand lakes, documenting the establishment of non-indigenous North American Daphnia 'pulex'. Morphological delineation of species in this complex is problematic due to a lack of good morphological traits to distinguish the species, as there is a relatively high degree of morphological stasis within the group through evolutionary time. Accordingly, genetic analyses were used to determine the specific identity and likely geographic origin of this species. Morphologically, individuals most closely resembled Daphnia pulicaria or Daphnia pulex sensu lato, which cannot be separated morphologically. Furthermore, each of these taxa comprises separate species in North America and Europe, despite carrying the same names. We identified individuals using a 658 bp nucleotide portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (COI) as North American Daphnia 'pulex', being distinct from European Daphnia pulex sensu stricto and D. pulicaria from Europe or North America. Cellulose allozyme electrophoresis was used to confirm that individuals were not hybrids with D. pulicaria. North American Daphnia 'pulex' in New Zealand were first recorded in New Zealand from South Island lakes that are popular for overseas recreational fishers, indicating a possible source of introduction for this species (e.g. on/in fishing gear). Our study provides an additional example of how genetic techniques can be used for the accurate identification of non-indigenous taxa, particularly when morphological species determination is not possible. The growth of global databases such as GenBank and Barcode of Life Datasystems (BOLD) will further enhance this identification capacity

“We don’t believe you want a genuine partnership”: University work with communities

‘Community engagement’ has been slow to become a legitimate part of the work of Higher Education Institutions in the UK, and the extent to which different universities subscribe to this agenda is variable. This paper will draw on one part of a large five-University project on ‘knowledge transfer’ from Universities to the community around urban regeneration. We will describe of the participative processes of developing collaborative projects. Different stakeholder interests, as well as barriers to effective collaboration will be explored and discussed in terms of a model of organisational resource maximisation. The implications for embedding community work into Universities will be examined

Birley Fields development: impact on the local community; health and wellbeing

Belgium Herbarium image of Meise Botanic Garden

Games for participation and conscientisation

Information sharing and group processes are dominated by words - spoken and written words. This session will explore how different kinds of games can be used to stimulate ideas, encourage participation and discussion and lead to awareness. We will offer session participants the opportunity to take part in 2 games and share experiences about their strengths and weaknesses for community engagement and conscientisation. Each game has been developed by the community psychology team at Manchester Metropolitan University from collaborative projects on community cohesion and health inequalities. The games can be played by 4-10 players. They are not simulations and will not require role playing, although they will be fun and participative

"We don't believe you want a genuine partnership": universities work with communities

‘Community engagement’ has been slow to become a legitimate part of the work of Higher Education Institutions in the UK, and the extent to which different universities subscribe to this agenda is variable. This paper will draw on one part of a large five-University project on ‘knowledge transfer’ from Universities to the community around urban regeneration. We will describe of the participative processes of developing collaborative projects. Different stakeholder interests, as well as barriers to effective collaboration will be explored and discussed in terms of a model of organisational resource maximisation. The implications for embedding community work into Universities will be examined