Roberto Novella Fernandez

Dr. Roberto Novella Fernandez is a Researcher at the Department of Global Change Ecology, University of Würzburg, Germany, within the School of Ecology. He previously held a PostDoctoral Researcher position at the Technical University of Munich (2021–2023) in the Terrestrial Ecology Research Group (School of Life Sciences). His research focuses on biogeographic processes, ecological interactions, and climate change impacts on biodiversity, particularly in bats and dragonflies. He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences from the University of Southampton (2016–2020), an MSc in Terrestrial Ecology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (2014–2015), and a BSc in Environmental Biology (2010–2014) from the same institution, where he received the Best Academic Record Award.

Dr. Novella Fernandez's work bridges community ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology. Key research themes include: 1) Biotic interactions shaping species distributions (e.g., bat assemblages), 2) Climate change effects on species ranges and phenology, 3) Ecological trait analysis in dragonflies and bats, and 4) Methodological advancements in ecological sampling and modeling. His recent studies explore how traits like coloration and morphological features influence community assembly under varying environmental conditions.

His publications (2020–2024) highlight contributions to understanding: a) Dragonfly trait-based community ecology, b) Bat dietary niche modeling, c) Large-scale biogeographic avoidance patterns, and d) Improved sampling protocols for invertebrates. These works emphasize integrative approaches combining field data, genomic tools, and spatial modeling.

• Awards: Vincent Weir Scientific Award 2022 (Bat Conservation Trust), FPU PhD scholarship (Spanish Ministry of Education), and Best BSc Academic Record.
• Grants: COST Action STSM grant (2020), Autonomous University of Barcelona collaboration grant (2014).

He collaborates with Prof. Christian Hof and leads projects on global change ecology within the Würzburg research group. His current work addresses how thermal adaptation and habitat changes affect species' distributions and community dynamics.