Javier Juste Ballesta

I am mainly interested in bats' evolution and ecology. Throughout my career, I have enjoyed participating and leading field expeditions from temperate to tropical regions worldwide. My contributions focus on the understanding of the ecology and evolution, mainly of bats, and particularly the reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships and the identification of cryptic species through the use of morphological and DNA markers. I have also collaborated continuously with the ISCIII in the study of bats' viruses and their coevolution processes in the last 15 years or so. In parallel, I have always kept interested in the conservation of biodiversity not only of bats but also on the dynamic of the conflict between conservation and human activities. This has resulted in my collaboration with the UN system (FAO; UNDP, UNESCO, etc.) for years and my participation in IUCN working groups and in other international organizations such as Eurobats (UNEP) and Bat-Life and the Spanish Bat Society.