Athanasios Nikolaou
@thanasisnikolaou.bsky.social
PhD Student at the Department of Marine Sciences @uaegean, Greece | Passionate about advancing #EcosystemBasedManagement (EBM) for improved #MarineConservation
Pinned
Our article “What do we know about the state of European seas?” is now out in @consletters.bsky.social. In this study, we used all available #MSFD assessments to unveil the status of European Seas. @drangelborja.bsky.social @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
Find the article link at the post’s end.
Find the article link at the post’s end.
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
Same area, but now with the pressure visible: longlines, ropes and other fishing gear litter entangling gorgonians and covering the seabed. Chronic ghost fishing and structural damage that we urgently need to address.
#marinelitter #ghostfishing #MPA #conservation @thanasisnikolaou.bsky.social
#marinelitter #ghostfishing #MPA #conservation @thanasisnikolaou.bsky.social
November 27, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Same area, but now with the pressure visible: longlines, ropes and other fishing gear litter entangling gorgonians and covering the seabed. Chronic ghost fishing and structural damage that we urgently need to address.
#marinelitter #ghostfishing #MPA #conservation @thanasisnikolaou.bsky.social
#marinelitter #ghostfishing #MPA #conservation @thanasisnikolaou.bsky.social
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
Clip from the Tokmakia plateau (NE Lesvos): a mesophotic coralligenous reef with dense red gorgonians and complex bioconstructions. This is the kind of “animal forest” habitat our work focuses on documenting and conserving.
#coralligenous #gorgonians #oceans @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
#coralligenous #gorgonians #oceans @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
November 27, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Clip from the Tokmakia plateau (NE Lesvos): a mesophotic coralligenous reef with dense red gorgonians and complex bioconstructions. This is the kind of “animal forest” habitat our work focuses on documenting and conserving.
#coralligenous #gorgonians #oceans @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
#coralligenous #gorgonians #oceans @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
🪸New paper out on mesophotic coralligenous reefs in the NE Aegean. We used side-scan sonar + ROV surveys to map gorgonian assemblages and quantify the impact of marine litter in a Natura 2000 site.
Open access: www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13...
#marinebiology #Mediterranean #Natura2000 #NEMOTools
Open access: www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13...
#marinebiology #Mediterranean #Natura2000 #NEMOTools
November 27, 2025 at 9:04 AM
🪸New paper out on mesophotic coralligenous reefs in the NE Aegean. We used side-scan sonar + ROV surveys to map gorgonian assemblages and quantify the impact of marine litter in a Natura 2000 site.
Open access: www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13...
#marinebiology #Mediterranean #Natura2000 #NEMOTools
Open access: www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13...
#marinebiology #Mediterranean #Natura2000 #NEMOTools
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
What have we learnt this week❓❓
To summarise #ebm means understanding how much the ecosystem can endure, how much we can pull on different strings, where we need to be careful, and where we need to strengthen the web. 🕸️🕸️
Ecosystem knowledge is […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
To summarise #ebm means understanding how much the ecosystem can endure, how much we can pull on different strings, where we need to be careful, and where we need to strengthen the web. 🕸️🕸️
Ecosystem knowledge is […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
November 21, 2025 at 10:00 AM
What have we learnt this week❓❓
To summarise #ebm means understanding how much the ecosystem can endure, how much we can pull on different strings, where we need to be careful, and where we need to strengthen the web. 🕸️🕸️
Ecosystem knowledge is […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
To summarise #ebm means understanding how much the ecosystem can endure, how much we can pull on different strings, where we need to be careful, and where we need to strengthen the web. 🕸️🕸️
Ecosystem knowledge is […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
If the #ocean is like a spider web🕸️, then our human activities are like pulling on the different strings which puts pressure on the structure as a whole. Therefore we need to understand the bigger picture to ensure ecosystems can recover and function […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
November 19, 2025 at 10:00 AM
If the #ocean is like a spider web🕸️, then our human activities are like pulling on the different strings which puts pressure on the structure as a whole. Therefore we need to understand the bigger picture to ensure ecosystems can recover and function […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
The #ocean provides for all of us, but that is not the end of the story. We are part of the ecosystem and we need to respect that. The fish 🐟 we eat, the corals 🪸 that protect our coast, with our actions we influence them, harm them and in doing so can harm ourselves.
November 17, 2025 at 7:00 AM
The #ocean provides for all of us, but that is not the end of the story. We are part of the ecosystem and we need to respect that. The fish 🐟 we eat, the corals 🪸 that protect our coast, with our actions we influence them, harm them and in doing so can harm ourselves.
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
By managing all human activities together, we can find smarter, more effective ways to protect and restore our oceans. 🌊 This ensures the sea can keep providing all the things we rely on: the food we eat, the air we breathe, and places for recreation, for […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
November 14, 2025 at 10:06 AM
By managing all human activities together, we can find smarter, more effective ways to protect and restore our oceans. 🌊 This ensures the sea can keep providing all the things we rely on: the food we eat, the air we breathe, and places for recreation, for […]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
[Original post on fediscience.org]
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
On #WorldScienceDay 🌊 meet Tikta, #GES4SEAS project software to assess risks and impacts from cumulative pressures and map the environmental status of sea. Name is inspired by Tiktaalik a Greenland word as it can be used for both marine and terrestrial assessments.
👉 www.ges4seas.eu #MarineEcology
👉 www.ges4seas.eu #MarineEcology
November 10, 2025 at 2:50 AM
On #WorldScienceDay 🌊 meet Tikta, #GES4SEAS project software to assess risks and impacts from cumulative pressures and map the environmental status of sea. Name is inspired by Tiktaalik a Greenland word as it can be used for both marine and terrestrial assessments.
👉 www.ges4seas.eu #MarineEcology
👉 www.ges4seas.eu #MarineEcology
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
When the ocean heats up, urchin love life cools down. New Hakai-linked study shows that even modest, non-lethal warming can suppress purple sea urchin reproduction — a twist that could temporarily help kelp forests recover. But both kelp and urchins feel the heat.
🔗 tinyurl.com/2s46j5v8
🔗 tinyurl.com/2s46j5v8
November 3, 2025 at 7:09 PM
When the ocean heats up, urchin love life cools down. New Hakai-linked study shows that even modest, non-lethal warming can suppress purple sea urchin reproduction — a twist that could temporarily help kelp forests recover. But both kelp and urchins feel the heat.
🔗 tinyurl.com/2s46j5v8
🔗 tinyurl.com/2s46j5v8
New paper shows functional extinction of two coral species in the Florida Keys, adding to the growing list of marine extinctions and highlighting climate change as the main threat to biodiversity.
October 27, 2025 at 6:58 PM
New paper shows functional extinction of two coral species in the Florida Keys, adding to the growing list of marine extinctions and highlighting climate change as the main threat to biodiversity.
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
🌊 Curious about what’s driving marine #Extinctions?
Dive into this AI-created #podcast based on our recent paper! Discover global extinction hotspots, key drivers, and the species most at risk. 🎧🐠
#MarineEcology #OceanScience #ClimateChange 🧪 🌍 🌐
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cInl...
Dive into this AI-created #podcast based on our recent paper! Discover global extinction hotspots, key drivers, and the species most at risk. 🎧🐠
#MarineEcology #OceanScience #ClimateChange 🧪 🌍 🌐
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cInl...
Marine extinctions and their drivers
YouTube video by Natural Science Deep Dive
www.youtube.com
October 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
🌊 Curious about what’s driving marine #Extinctions?
Dive into this AI-created #podcast based on our recent paper! Discover global extinction hotspots, key drivers, and the species most at risk. 🎧🐠
#MarineEcology #OceanScience #ClimateChange 🧪 🌍 🌐
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cInl...
Dive into this AI-created #podcast based on our recent paper! Discover global extinction hotspots, key drivers, and the species most at risk. 🎧🐠
#MarineEcology #OceanScience #ClimateChange 🧪 🌍 🌐
www.youtube.com/watch?v=cInl...
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
Do you want to learn about the method of choosing tools to support Ecosystem-Based Management and marine ecosystem managers? See our #GES4SEAS policy brief here:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
It contains our tool SEAS4GES that can be used by you in taking management decisions
RT!
#MarineEcology
#Research
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
It contains our tool SEAS4GES that can be used by you in taking management decisions
RT!
#MarineEcology
#Research
September 29, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Do you want to learn about the method of choosing tools to support Ecosystem-Based Management and marine ecosystem managers? See our #GES4SEAS policy brief here:
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
It contains our tool SEAS4GES that can be used by you in taking management decisions
RT!
#MarineEcology
#Research
doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
It contains our tool SEAS4GES that can be used by you in taking management decisions
RT!
#MarineEcology
#Research
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
🔍 Has anyone come across transparent antifouling coatings for u/w camera lenses?
We’re looking for something commercially available in the EU, safe for static u/w cameras that will keep lenses clear without frequent manual cleaning.
Any leads, experiences, or suppliers would be very welcome! 🌊📷
We’re looking for something commercially available in the EU, safe for static u/w cameras that will keep lenses clear without frequent manual cleaning.
Any leads, experiences, or suppliers would be very welcome! 🌊📷
September 19, 2025 at 11:31 AM
🔍 Has anyone come across transparent antifouling coatings for u/w camera lenses?
We’re looking for something commercially available in the EU, safe for static u/w cameras that will keep lenses clear without frequent manual cleaning.
Any leads, experiences, or suppliers would be very welcome! 🌊📷
We’re looking for something commercially available in the EU, safe for static u/w cameras that will keep lenses clear without frequent manual cleaning.
Any leads, experiences, or suppliers would be very welcome! 🌊📷
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
💨 New study suggests a high amount of inhalable small #microplastics (as much as 68,000 per day) in indoor environments, especially in cars. This highlights the urgent need to reduce our usage of plastics, which are a source of this diffuse form of air pollution.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Humans inhale as much as 68,000 microplastic particles daily, study finds
Particles are small enough to burrow into lungs, says report, with health impacts ‘more substantial than we realize’
www.theguardian.com
August 29, 2025 at 9:30 AM
💨 New study suggests a high amount of inhalable small #microplastics (as much as 68,000 per day) in indoor environments, especially in cars. This highlights the urgent need to reduce our usage of plastics, which are a source of this diffuse form of air pollution.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
New global synthesis: 1,535 established #non-native #fish across 193 countries. Aquarium trade, aquaculture & corridors dominate; competition & predation drive impacts. Calls for pathway-focused biosecurity. doi.org/10.1111/gcb....
#MarineEcology #AquaticEcology #bioinvasions #InvasiveSpecies
#MarineEcology #AquaticEcology #bioinvasions #InvasiveSpecies
A Global Account of Established Non‐Native Fish Species
This study compiles the most complete global database of non-native fish species that have successfully established themselves in new freshwater and marine environments. It documents 1535 species acr...
doi.org
August 26, 2025 at 9:31 AM
New global synthesis: 1,535 established #non-native #fish across 193 countries. Aquarium trade, aquaculture & corridors dominate; competition & predation drive impacts. Calls for pathway-focused biosecurity. doi.org/10.1111/gcb....
#MarineEcology #AquaticEcology #bioinvasions #InvasiveSpecies
#MarineEcology #AquaticEcology #bioinvasions #InvasiveSpecies
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
'Notably, 11 out of 24 state features/criteria were not assessed in over half of the ecoregions' - my PhD work is evaluating methods for estimating thresholds for good status to address gaps in state assessments e.g., for GES under the #MSFD and #UKMS
Our article “What do we know about the state of European seas?” is now out in @consletters.bsky.social. In this study, we used all available #MSFD assessments to unveil the status of European Seas. @drangelborja.bsky.social @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
Find the article link at the post’s end.
Find the article link at the post’s end.
August 6, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
The #EU collectively failed to deliver #GoodEnvironmentalStatus in its seas. Bold, binding action across all sectors—strong #MPAs, pollution controls, fishing reform—is urgently needed to halt biodiversity loss and restore European Seas.
#MarineEcology #MarineConservation #MSFD #GES4SEAS 🌐🌍🧪🌊🦈🐬🐋
#MarineEcology #MarineConservation #MSFD #GES4SEAS 🌐🌍🧪🌊🦈🐬🐋
August 3, 2025 at 7:41 AM
The #EU collectively failed to deliver #GoodEnvironmentalStatus in its seas. Bold, binding action across all sectors—strong #MPAs, pollution controls, fishing reform—is urgently needed to halt biodiversity loss and restore European Seas.
#MarineEcology #MarineConservation #MSFD #GES4SEAS 🌐🌍🧪🌊🦈🐬🐋
#MarineEcology #MarineConservation #MSFD #GES4SEAS 🌐🌍🧪🌊🦈🐬🐋
Our article “What do we know about the state of European seas?” is now out in @consletters.bsky.social. In this study, we used all available #MSFD assessments to unveil the status of European Seas. @drangelborja.bsky.social @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
Find the article link at the post’s end.
Find the article link at the post’s end.
August 3, 2025 at 5:14 AM
Our article “What do we know about the state of European seas?” is now out in @consletters.bsky.social. In this study, we used all available #MSFD assessments to unveil the status of European Seas. @drangelborja.bsky.social @skatsanevakis.bsky.social
Find the article link at the post’s end.
Find the article link at the post’s end.
Summer sampling in Cyprus.
July 24, 2025 at 7:05 AM
Summer sampling in Cyprus.
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
Impacts of marine heatwaves on biodiversity and ecosystem services: our new paper in Nature Reviews Biodiversity is out!
doi.org/10.1038/s443.... @natrevbiodiv.nature.com @uwaoceans.bsky.social @filbeek.bsky.social @dansmale1.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1038/s443.... @natrevbiodiv.nature.com @uwaoceans.bsky.social @filbeek.bsky.social @dansmale1.bsky.social
July 9, 2025 at 1:36 PM
Impacts of marine heatwaves on biodiversity and ecosystem services: our new paper in Nature Reviews Biodiversity is out!
doi.org/10.1038/s443.... @natrevbiodiv.nature.com @uwaoceans.bsky.social @filbeek.bsky.social @dansmale1.bsky.social
doi.org/10.1038/s443.... @natrevbiodiv.nature.com @uwaoceans.bsky.social @filbeek.bsky.social @dansmale1.bsky.social
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
Very clear, well-explained introduction to the current situation with coral reefs globally
‘It’s death by a thousand cuts’: marine ecologist on the collapse of coral reefs.
More than anything #climate and #biodiversity crises make me angry. As few people are largely responsible, while all pay the price, mostly those least responsible.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
More than anything #climate and #biodiversity crises make me angry. As few people are largely responsible, while all pay the price, mostly those least responsible.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘It’s death by a thousand cuts’: marine ecologist on the collapse of coral reefs
David Obura believes humans have been using nature for free, and tipping points at some reefs have already passed
www.theguardian.com
June 25, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Very clear, well-explained introduction to the current situation with coral reefs globally
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
🏖️ Beach access is a right, not a luxury. Our new study led by @stamatiadouv.bsky.social reveals €57M lost yearly in Greece because many #wheelchair users are excluded from the coast. Time to invest in truly inclusive beaches.
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
#MarineEcology #EcosystemServices #GES4SEAS 🧪🌍🌐
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
#MarineEcology #EcosystemServices #GES4SEAS 🧪🌍🌐
June 24, 2025 at 5:26 PM
🏖️ Beach access is a right, not a luxury. Our new study led by @stamatiadouv.bsky.social reveals €57M lost yearly in Greece because many #wheelchair users are excluded from the coast. Time to invest in truly inclusive beaches.
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
#MarineEcology #EcosystemServices #GES4SEAS 🧪🌍🌐
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.ma...
#MarineEcology #EcosystemServices #GES4SEAS 🧪🌍🌐
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
"Estimated globally for the period 1851–2016, the modern extinction rate for freshwater fishes stands at 33.47 extinctions per million species-years (E/MSY), more than 100 times greater than the natural background extinction rate of 0.33 E/MSY". 🌍
Global Patterns and Drivers of Freshwater Fish Extinctions: Can We Learn From Our Losses?
🔗 buff.ly/1ljgy5X
🔗 buff.ly/1ljgy5X
June 8, 2025 at 6:23 PM
"Estimated globally for the period 1851–2016, the modern extinction rate for freshwater fishes stands at 33.47 extinctions per million species-years (E/MSY), more than 100 times greater than the natural background extinction rate of 0.33 E/MSY". 🌍
Reposted by Athanasios Nikolaou
2nd day of #GES4SEAS meeting, with this extraordinary team and practitioners. Thanks for the work doing
#research
#science
#MarineEcology
#research
#science
#MarineEcology
May 21, 2025 at 11:08 AM
2nd day of #GES4SEAS meeting, with this extraordinary team and practitioners. Thanks for the work doing
#research
#science
#MarineEcology
#research
#science
#MarineEcology