Justin Welbergen

Professor Justin Welbergen is a Professor of Animal Ecology at the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment (Western Sydney University), leading the Lab of Animal Ecology. His research focuses on evolutionary ecology, climate change impacts, and conservation biology, with emphasis on birds and bats. He holds leadership roles, including President of the Australasian Bat Society and advisory positions on wildlife management and conservation.

Welbergen earned his PhD in Zoology from the University of Cambridge under Prof. Nick Davies FRS. He has held prestigious fellowships at UK and Australian institutions before joining Western Sydney University in 2014. His work integrates field studies, climate science, and conservation policy, addressing challenges like extreme weather events, biodiversity refugia, and human-wildlife conflict.

Research interests include:

• Ecological and evolutionary responses to environmental change
• Animal communication and mimicry (e.g., lyrebirds, ghost bats)
• Climate-driven mortality in flying-foxes
• Conservation strategies for endangered species (e.g., Christmas Island flying-fox)
• Ecological roles of bats in pollination and seed dispersal

His articles highlight trends in:

• Mechanisms of animal adaptation to climate extremes
• Urban ecology and human-wildlife coexistence
• Global threats to bat populations (e.g., white-nose syndrome)
• Technological advances in wildlife monitoring (drones, camera traps)

Awards:

• Runner-up, Thomas Henry Huxley Award (2006)
• Elected Australasian Bat Society President (2016)
• Advisory roles in federal and state conservation initiatives

Grants & Projects: Over 20 funded projects since 2011, including studies on flying-fox thermal tolerance, Christmas Island biodiversity, and cultural evolution in lyrebirds. Recent grants focus on acoustic monitoring, climate refugia, and bat-virus interactions.

Labs & Teams: Leads the Animal Ecology Lab, collaborating with global networks in Australia, the US, and Europe. Active in fieldwork across rainforests, urban areas, and island ecosystems.