Danai Kontou
Postdoc Research Fellow @Leeds Uni 🇬🇧
PhD @Cambridge Uni 🎓 MRes @UCL
Aquatic Invasion Ecology, Population Genetics & Conservation💧🦠🐠🦞👽 🧬🔬
- If you are a bio grad and the child inside of you can't decide between the NHM (aka dinosaurs) and the Zoo, that's the MRes for you 😁🦒🦖
- Applications are open for UCL's M.Res. in Biodiversity, Evolution & Conservation, 2024 intake. Learn the latest scientific techniques for studying biodiversity jointly with UCL, the Natural History Museum, and ZSL. Details here: www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-...
- Reposted by Danai KontouExcited to launch the new improved Reproducible Code guide from @britishecologicalsociety.org @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social FREE online here! www.britishecologicalsociety.org//wp-content/... Amazing work by some very talented ECRs. We hope it’s useful!
- So grateful to have been invited to participate in this incredible project! A week that was inspiring, thought provoking and (so much) fun and a chance to meet and collaborate with some of the best people I have met in my academic career so far! 😊 Well done Inva-Team and see you all soon! 🫶🏻
- Reposted by Danai KontouLook to the past Our work (see below), together with those of other colleagues, is highlighted in the editorial of the last issue of @natrevbiodiv.nature.com and inspired its cover Thrilled and thankful to see that stuff @ebdonana.bsky.social www.nature.com/articles/s44...
- Fresh off the press! Our perspective in @natrevbiodiv.nature.com discusses the wealth of information on biodiversity contained in historical sources, and its integration for long-term ecological knowledge and biodiversity conservation. A thread on the paper and what led to it: rdcu.be/eEcIt
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- Obituary: Jane Goodall (1934-2025) Pioneer primatologist who inspired generations of scientists go.nature.com/48aWjRU
- A full week to end a full month of training, learning and planning. Excellent conversations with great people!🐟🦞 Couldn't think of a better way to celebrate a whole year since I finished my PhD...
- This week was full of training, workshops and seminars. @leopoldadrianus.bsky.social taught the group ecomorphology, @ecoinvasions.bsky.social gave an insightful lecture on context dependent invasion impacts
- Reposted by Danai Kontou🤔 coverage of our latest paper with @ecfreewoman.bsky.social @waterik.bsky.social (www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...) @forbes 🌳🍃 Read the story 👉 www.forbes.com/sites/suwann...
- Reposted by Danai KontouWe are so excited our newest paper led by @ecfreewoman.bsky.social @camplantsci.bsky.social is now out @pnas.org 🤩 Read it here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... 🌲 We followed a forest as it was logged to understand what happens to soil carbon at a molecular-scale. Here's what we learned. 1/n
- A great example of why we need a bit more than just monitoring to understand species introductions!
- Cooperation between ecologists and historians has allowed a robust reconstruction of the historical introduction of the Italian crayfish, Austropotamobius fulcisianus, to Spain in the late-16th century @ebdonana.bsky.social @um.es New OA paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
- Reposted by Danai KontouThe result of a huge amount of effort (by my co-authors) – "a comprehensive global assessment of the status and trends of alien species for major taxonomic groups (including Bacteria, Protozoa, fungi, plants, and animals) for IPBES regions." #BioInvasions onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
- Reposted by Danai KontouThere is still time to register for our annual meeting! #BESAG2025. ZSL London Zoo, 15/16th Sept. We have great workshops and keynote talks! prices for #ECRs too. Join us if you are interested in anything #aquatic #marine #freshwater 💧🌊🧪🌍🦠🐋🦈🦪🦐🦀🪼🦑 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/besag2025-...
- Reposted by Danai KontouFish are a critical source of accessible food - but non-native species disrupt ecological networks. This could have unprecedented outcomes for nutrient and toxin accumulation when aquatic food is consumed by humans, with socioeconomically variable outcomes doi.org/10.1016/j.tr...
- Reposted by Danai KontouRivers were historically regarded as gods - but freshwaters and the species within them are rapidly being destroyed. Here we show how traditional knowledge and sacred sites offer sanctuary and reprieve for both humans and nature in Indonesia. doi.org/10.1002/aqc.... @shoalorg.bsky.social
- Reposted by Danai Kontou🔔 New call for proposals! IUCN and the EC have launched the EU IAS Rapid-Response Fund. We are accepting proposals to address #invasivealienspecies in the EU. Apply now for grants to support the rapid eradication of species at an early stage of invasion. iucnsos.org/new-call-for...
- Reposted by Danai KontouGlobal stressors reduce biomass of both native & invasive plants, with invasive plants experiencing stronger negative effects. This study contradicts the notion that invasive spp are more tolerant (& that they could be a "salvation" for stressed ecosystems, as some pop media articles have claimed).
- Native Plant Species Are More Resistant Than Invasive Aliens to Escalating Environmental Change Factors 🔗 buff.ly/Qp19wTu
- What a great day! Really enjoyed leading the discussion for this workshop together with the rest of the @universityofleeds.bsky.social @josiesouth.bsky.social team, @matt-harwood96.bsky.social @emma-baker.bsky.social & James Hodson 🦞✨
- Reposted by Danai KontouAnd then all about invasive crayfish in Yorkshire as disease vectors by @matt-harwood96.bsky.social
- Reposted by Danai KontouThird session started with @emma-baker.bsky.social and James Hodson from the University of Leeds talking about predicting invasive crayfish impacts across time and space and under different temperature scenarios🦞
- Reposted by Danai KontouIn summary, by drawing untenable equivalencies between biological invasions & human migration, Ahmed & colleagues open the door for both intentional & unintentional misuse instead of preventing it We strongly recommend such comparisons should be avoided altogether. academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
- Reposted by Danai KontouA recent article in Biol Reviews by Ahmed et al (2025) warns against 'deleterious' comparisons between human migrations & biological invasions, yet makes a series of scientifically dubious comparisons, described as "potentially fruitful to explore". See our critique: academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
- As an ecologist who moved to the UK for studies during the worst of the Brexit chaos, seeing a peer-reviewed(!) article compare international scholars to invasive pests, brought back unpleasant memories. Words have power & it is important to speak up even if we simply need to spell out the obvious!
- A very diverse bunch of scholars - from across biology, conservation, and migration studies - wrote this piece on the very obvious, yet not quite obvious enough for some, dangers of comparing invasive species and human migration. academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...
- Reposted by Danai KontouThe African crayfish hunt continues, with some new friends & some old friends. Heavy rains mean record high flows in the Kruger National Park - how will that affect distribution and ecology? What a joy to be working with not one, but 3 members of your old team. @bioscienceleeds.bsky.social
- Reposted by Danai KontouHelp us save this beautiful place and the special things in it. We are creating a Yayasan to formally caretake Pergam forest & support the community to take ownership. Watch sanctuary here: vimeo.com/1077004302?s... Please support us before it’s too late: gofund.me/a6804101 @shoalorg.bsky.social
- Save This Species: The Bettas of Bangka Island - by @josiesouth.bsky.social therevelator.org/save-bettas-...
- Reposted by Danai KontouA reminder that registration is now open for our exciting annual group meeting! 🌍👾 Sign up using the link below, submit your abstract to present your research, and join us this June in Edinburgh to talk about all things #invasivespecies #ecology #policy #conservation #research #priorities! 👇
- Reposted by Danai Kontou📢We are also interested to hear from a wide range of backgrounds in #InvasiveSpecies management & research! If you would like to share your work with us please submit your abstract by May 13th (5 pm, BST), using our form 📝📩
- Don't forget to register & submit your abstract! We would love to see you there! 😁🏴
- 📢 REGISTRATION IS OPEN for our Annual Meeting! Sign up and join us using the link below⬇️ 📆Tue, June 10th, 2025 📍The Scotsman Hotel, Edinburgh We hope to see you all there to discuss #InvasiveSpecies #ecology #research & #sciencepolicy!
- Still time to share your workshop ideas!!! 💡📝 ➡️ forms.office.com/e/FMV66upCSy #invasivespecies #ecology #conservation
- 📢 CALL FOR WORKSHOPS Are you thinking of joining our SIG Meeting?👾 Do you have an exciting #workshop idea?💡 An interesting topic to discuss?🎤A new tool you would like to test/demonstrate?👩💻 Can it be delivered in 1 hr?⏱️ If you answered YES, let us know using our form:📝 forms.office.com/e/FMV66upCSy
- Reposted by Danai Kontou📢💧Aquatically-inclined AND keen on microbes? This year, we are partnering with 🦠 BES Microbial SIG 🦠 to bring you additional workshops & talks on marine and freshwater microbial ecology! Abstract submission + registration ⬇️: www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/besa...
- 📢 CALL FOR WORKSHOPS Are you thinking of joining our SIG Meeting?👾 Do you have an exciting #workshop idea?💡 An interesting topic to discuss?🎤A new tool you would like to test/demonstrate?👩💻 Can it be delivered in 1 hr?⏱️ If you answered YES, let us know using our form:📝 forms.office.com/e/FMV66upCSy
- Come and join us in beautiful Edinburgh 💙 More details and registration link available soon!
- ❗📆 Save the date for the BES Invasion Science Group 2025 meeting - bringing together academics, practitioners & policy makers to discuss all things #invasive #species #science & #management 🌍👾 📆When? Tue 10th June 📍Where? The Scotsman Hotel, Edinburgh Registration & Abstract submission to open 🔜
- Reposted by Danai KontouPrestigious journals make it hard for scientists who don’t speak English to get published. And we all lose out theconversation.com/prestigious-...
- Reposted by Danai KontouMultiple Stressors Simplify Freshwater Food Webs. Glob Change Biol, 31: e70114. doi.org/10.1111/gcb....
- Hello #ecology & #invasive #species research/policy community! 👾🌏 Following our friends from other great @britishecologicalsociety.org Special Interest Groups, the BES Invasion Science Group is now on BlueSky 🎉👇🏻 @bes-invasiongroup.bsky.social Join us as we prepare for our annual meeting (more 🔜)!
- A great article, now (thankfully) with an appropriate headline!
- Appreciate @theguardian.com moving quickly to improve the headline. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
- Reposted by Danai KontouWell-written essay by @mothyblackburn.bsky.social. I'm not a fan of the immigration metaphor applied to alien species, because it is co-opted by right-wing extremists to fuel racism, as well as by animal rights militants who label invasive species as 'refugees'. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
- Reposted by Danai KontouTo mark Women's History Month, and ahead of #IWD tomorrow, today we’re shining a light on some of our women scientists, as well as our faculty initiatives which support gender equality 👏 Thread 🧵👇
- When I was an undergrad, our lecturer in ecology once asked my class what is one of the most critical traits about the conservation of a species... After we listed any and all traits we could think of, he simply said: "Can you print it on a T-shirt and will that sell?"
- We Don't Give Uglier Animals The Love They Need — Leading to Conservation Concerns www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth... “Regardless of the threats to their survival, we love and often try to help animals we think are beautiful or cute. Others, not so much.” @discovermag.bsky.social 🐼🐸🐘🐊🦘🐠🐋🦈🦧🦂🦁🐍
- Reposted by Danai Kontou📢✨ Join us for this year #BESAG2025 annual meeting to discuss all things #freshwater and #marine science! Where: #ZSL, London (UK) @londonzoo.bsky.social When: 15th-16th September 2025 Tickets and registration available now: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/besag2025-... @britishecologicalsociety.org
- To the brave ladies who paved the way, to every brilliant woman dedicating her life to #science & to all the girls who dream big... Happy International #WomenInScienceDay! 💜 * Despite what certain administrations are trying to establish, we belong, we contribute, we are smart & we are many! ♀️💪🏻
- Such a beautiful theme! #BlueskyArtShow #Reflections 📍Limberlost Forest Reserve 🇨🇦
- Delighted to share the 1st of my #PhD chapters funded by @peterhousecam.bsky.social @camplantsci.bsky.social & @sse-evolution.bsky.social, with incredible colleagues from @trentuniversity.bsky.social @laurentianu.bsky.social & @queensuniv.bsky.social, now published 🔓 @royalsocietypublishing.org
- The article is free to read: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.... We sampled some beautiful #freshwater sites across the Canadian Shield in Ontario, many of which have been affected by the introduction of the #invasive spiny water flea, an incredibly damaging species of #zooplankton.
- Although spiny water flea impacts on aquatic food webs and community structure have been thoroughly studied in its introduced range, we explore how native zooplankton grazers that play a key role in maintaining water clarity 🩵 are adapting on a population level, both morphologically & genetically.
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View full threadWe also found evidence of higher genomic differentiation in regions likely associated with embryo development & environmental stress responses, across multiple invaded lakes, suggesting a repeatable adaptive response of a native prey species to an invasive predator! 🧬
