J Iwan Jones

Professor J Iwan Jones is the Head of the River Communities Group at Queen Mary University of London's School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences. His research focuses on aquatic ecosystems, biomonitoring, and the impacts of anthropogenic stressors like microplastics, sediment pollution, and invasive species. He has led major grants including DNAquaNet (EUR146,000) and studies on microplastic pollution in freshwater environments. His work integrates field experiments, long-term datasets, and novel genetic tools to assess ecological health.

Key research interests include fine sediment impacts on stream invertebrates, the ecological effects of microplastics, and the recovery of aquatic ecosystems from pollution. He has pioneered the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for biomonitoring and contributed to policy-relevant studies for the UK government.

Grants include multi-million-pound projects with DEFRA and NERC, focusing on agricultural pollution mitigation, mine water contamination, and invasive species dynamics. His supervision has guided PhD students in topics like sediment toxicity and microplastic interactions.

Publications span over 20 years, with recent work emphasizing microplastic effects, zebra mussel invasions, and biodiversity trends in dry rivers. His datasets, such as time series of macroinvertebrate abundances, provide foundational resources for ecological research.