Wenfei Liao
@wenfeiliao.bsky.social
PhD, urban ecologist & entomologist 🐞 at the University of Helsinki, doing research on #aquatic #biodiversity #conservation in #urban #ponds
This month’s #PhotoOfTheMonth was kindly submitted by Carla Corazza and features a historic #retting #pond from #Italy. These ponds were once used to rett #hemp (Cannabis sativa) for textiles and sailing equipment, and many survive today as valuable stepping stones for #freshwater #biodiversity!
EPCN Photo of the Month is from #Italy, submitted by Davide Taurozzi. A #temporary #pond at over 1,600 m in the Monti della Laga National Park, highlighting the remarkable diversity of European #mountain #freshwater habitats. 🏔️💧 Submissions are now open for next month’s Photo of the Month! 📸
New publication: Prototype of a global model for regulating ecosystem services of inland #wetlands. #eutrophication #greenhousegases #climatechange doi.org/10.1016/j.sc...
This month’s selected photo was taken in #Italy and kindly submitted by @valentinadb.bsky.social. A #temporary #meadow #pond: small, seasonal #wetlands like these provide valuable habitats for #freshwater #biodiversity. 🌿💧 Submissions are now open for next month’s Photo of the Month! 📸
The 50th Anniversary of BBClub: Meeting in Ireland Last week, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our beloved Balfour-Browne Water Beetle Club in Ireland. Our club was established by Jack Balfour-Browne in 1976 and is named after Frank Balfour-Browne, who promoted the research of water beetles.…
The 50th Anniversary of BBClub: Meeting in Ireland
Last week, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of our beloved Balfour-Browne Water Beetle Club in Ireland. Our club was established by Jack Balfour-Browne in 1976 and is named after Frank Balfour-Browne, who promoted the research of water beetles. Our organiser of this year's BBClub meeting in Ireland, Brian Nelson, made a special gift based on some interesting photos of previous meetings to celebrate the 50th anniversary of BBClub (
wenfeiliao.wordpress.com
In #urban ponds, each plant, animal, and microorganism is a tool that helps the #ecosystem function well. Urban #ponds can be home to many #plants and #animals when they are in good condition. Read my blog to find out who we can encounter in urban ponds 😃 wenfeiliao.wordpress.com/2026/05/12/s...
Small Ponds, Big Impact: Discovering Urban Nature Part 2
Biodiversity in urban ponds Biodiversity is like a toolbox: the more tools we have, the better we can fix problems. In a pond, each plant, animal, and microorganism is a tool that helps the ecosyst…
wenfeiliao.wordpress.com
This month’s selected photo was taken in #Italy and kindly submitted by @valerioviligiardi.bsky.social. A large #water body in the Castelporziano Estate, a protected Mediterranean reserve, framed by wetland vegetation. 🌿💧 Submissions are now open for next month’s Photo of the Month! 📸
Join the first EPCN webinar of 2026 [UPDATED]! 🌿💧 📅 22 May | ⏰ 16:00 CET Topic: Mountain ponds Featuring the new EPCN Mountain Pond WG by @lfehlinger.bsky.social & a talk on climate change impacts (CIMaE Project). To register, please fill in the form: forms.gle/x8rz2t718A48... #ponds #webinar
Urbanisation alone may not reduce #biodiversity in #urban #ponds. A new study finds that water chemistry (pH, temperature, nutrients) drives #diatom diversity, with functional traits offering key insights for #biomonitoring and #conservation in urban waters. Read more here: doi.org/10.1002/lno....
doi.org
This week I gave a public talk organised by The Science Basement @sciencebasementpod.bsky.social at the Oodi Library in downtown Helsinki. I am turning it into blog posts for a wider audience. What on earth are urban ponds? Why do they matter? Click & read 😉 wenfeiliao.wordpress.com/2026/04/17/s...
Small Ponds, Big Impact: Discovering Urban Nature Part 1
What are urban ponds and why do they matter? This week, I gave a public talk organised by the Science Basement at the Oodi Library in downtown Helsinki. I decided to turn the content into a series …
wenfeiliao.wordpress.com
Helsingin yliopiston uusi tutkimus osoittaa, kuinka taitavasti tämä suurpeto tasapainoilee ihmisen muokkaamien alueiden ja luonnonympäristöjen välillä. #[www.helsinki.fi/fi/uutiset/e...
Ilves kulkee omilla ehdoillaan metsien mosaiikissa | Helsingin yliopisto
Ilves liikkuu ketterästi Suomen vaihtelevassa elinympäristöjen mosaiikissa, mutta suosii silti selvästi lahopuuta sisältäviä metsiä ja maastoltaan vaihtelevia alueita. Helsingin yliopiston uusi tutkimus osoittaa, kuinka taitavasti tämä suurpeto tasapainoilee ihmisen muokkaamien alueiden ja luonnonympäristöjen välillä.
helsinki.fi
I collect images of beaver marks as great examples of beaver art 🦫
Our paper on how #WaterQuality affects #diatom #diversity in #urban #ponds is out! Incorporating #taxonomic and #functional diversity into #biomonitoring improves detection of ecological risks. @castanedagomez.bsky.social Thanks @koneensaatio.fi for funding the research 🙏 doi.org/10.1002/lno....
Water physical and chemical properties override urbanization in shaping diatom taxonomic and functional diversity in urban ponds
Urban ponds are increasingly exposed to both local environmental changes and regional urbanization pressures, which threaten aquatic biodiversity, making it urgent to understand drivers of freshwater....
doi.org
The site hosts amphibian life: here’s a glimpse of the species supported by this pond. 🐸 • Bufo bufo • Rana temporaria • Mesotriton alpestris • Alytes obstetricans Small water bodies such as this one play a key role in providing breeding habitats.
This month’s photo was taken in #Switzerland and submitted by Julie Fahy. Hidden beneath a blanket of snow, this small #pond in the Jura mountains was created to support #amphibians, barely visible except for a fence and emerging stems of #Typha. ❄️ Submissions are open for next month's photo! 📸
Clean water is the foundation of life in freshwater, but it has become an increasingly scarce resource. 💦 Without it, we have no hope of reversing the declines in freshwater biodiversity. How we are putting evidence into practice to bring clean water back to landscapes ⬇️
Bring back clean water to bring back freshwater life - Freshwater Habitats Trust
Bringing back clean water to our landscapes is fundamental to reversing freshwater biodiversity loss.
freshwaterhabitats.org.uk
Send your pond photos, along with your name and a short description, to european@pond-conservation.net. • Deadline: March 22nd 🗓️ • Maximum 3 photos per person • You must own the rights to the image • By submitting, you agree to publication on EPCN platforms
This month’s photo was taken in #Estonia and kindly submitted by Henn Timm. A #pasture #pond in the hills: a reminder of the #biodiversity value of small #water bodies in #rural landscapes. 🌿💧 Submissions are now open for next month’s Photo of the Month! 📸 #wetland #conservation
Soon, thousands of #toads, #frogs, and #newts will be migrating again. To ensure their safe arrival, many volunteers are setting up toad fences, carrying the animals across roads, or creating alternative breeding #ponds. Want to help too? Find all the information here: www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pf...
Aktion Krötenwanderung 2026 - NABU
In der ganzen Republik sind Naturschutzgruppen Jahr für Jahr aktiv, stellen Fangzäune auf und tragen Kröten über die Straße und legen Ersatzlaichgewässer an. Dabei sind sie auf viele helfende Hände an...
nabu.de
NABU@nabu.de · 7mo ago🐸Bald wandern wieder tausende #Kröten, Frösche und Molche. Damit sie sicher ankommen, stellen viiiele Freiwillige Krötenzäune auf, tragen die Tiere über die Straße oder legen Ersatzlaichgewässer an.🫶 💪Du willst auch helfen? Alle Infos und aktive Gruppen in deiner Nähe: www.nabu.de/tiere-und-pf...
This month’s selected photo was taken in Germany and kindly submitted by @marlene-paetzig.bsky.social. Even under a blanket of #snow, #ponds remain an essential part of European landscapes. Thank you for sharing! ❄️💧 Submissions are now open for next month’s Photo of the Month! 📸
(Mountain) Pond lovers, we are looking for you! Within the EPCN, we are organising a new working group on mountain ponds 💙🏔️ If you are interested to join or listen to the presentations, join our kick-off meeting on 29th of October! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
EPCN Mountain Ponds Working Group
We are planning to bring a new mountain ponds working group to life within the network of the EPCN (European Pond Conservation Network). For this purpose, we call a meeting for all people that are int...
docs.google.com
Teemme lyhyen kyselyn (5-10 minuuttia) selvittääksemme, miten eri #sidosryhmät kokevat #kaupunkilampien #luonnon #monimuotoisuuden arvon. Skannaa QR-koodi tai avaa linkki ( forms.gle/tBV4zunkfYEp... ) ja vastaa kyselyyn 🦆🐸 🌺
We are conducting a short survey (5–10 minutes) to explore how different #stakeholders perceive the value of #biodiversity in #urban #ponds. 🦆🐸🪷Scan the QR-code or click the link ( forms.gle/tBV4zunkfYEp... ) to participate in our survey. Thank you 😊
We are conducting a short survey (5–10 minutes) to explore how different #stakeholders perceive the value of #biodiversity in #urban #ponds. 🦆🐸🪷Scan the QR-code or click the link ( forms.gle/tBV4zunkfYEp... ) to participate in our survey. Thank you 😊
Teemme lyhyen kyselyn (5-10 minuuttia) selvittääksemme, miten eri #sidosryhmät kokevat #kaupunkilampien #luonnon #monimuotoisuuden arvon. Skannaa QR-koodi tai avaa linkki ( forms.gle/tBV4zunkfYEp... ) ja vastaa kyselyyn 🦆🐸 🌺
This new map provides a global view of the distribution of a multitude of aquatic ecosystems, including various wetlands. It's a pretty big step forward, and I look forward to seeing how it will be used e.g. to study wetland greenhouse gases. essd.copernicus.org/articles/17/...
Mapping the world's inland surface waters: an upgrade to the Global Lakes and Wetlands Database (GLWD v2)
Abstract. In recognition of the importance of inland waters, numerous datasets mapping their extents, types, or changes have been created using sources ranging from historical wetland maps to real-tim...
essd.copernicus.org
