Justin Gerlach

@jstgerlach

Species discovery, conservation and teaching

I am a university teacher with independent research interests, which are summarised below. My teaching is focussed on two key aspects: the vital importance of biology in our future, and the need for good science writing. For more than 25 years I have taught undergraduates at Cambridge University, covering whole organism biology courses (including those relevant to evolution, physiology, behaviour and ecology).Over the years I have developed a special focus on bringing students up to the highest standards of science writing. My aim is to ensure that they are the best possible communicators and that their writing is based on both the classic works and the very latest information. From our very first supervision I direct my students to the most recent papers relevant to their courses. Other pages on this website provide advice to new students and to potential applicants.

Research and Conservation Interests

My research interests can be summarised as discovery and conservation of species, and their evolution.In 2017 I surveyed the surviving populations and am now investigating the impacts of introduced predators, especially the flatworm menace and the impacts of tree snail extinction on forest health.My research on taxonomy, ecology, evolution and conservation has been particularly focussed on islands and has covered fungi, plants and animals, especially molluscs, reptiles and bats. I have particular interests in Madagascar, Seychelles and French Polynesia, and in snails and amazing tortoises that hunt birds!

I have been evaluating the status of the world's invertebrates through my role as Chair of the IUCN/SSC Terrestrial and Freshwater Invertebrate Red List Authority.I have also had an interest in climate change, studying several affected species and founding the Climate Change Working Group of the IUCN SSC Amphibian Specialist Group. In 2013 I became active in Partula snail conservation after a gap of 20 years. These snails are emblematic of the biodiversity crisis, with 51 of the French Polynesian species being driven to extinction within two decades. 12 species may survive in the wild and a further 11 survive only in captivity. In 2021 I was involved in the discovery that a population of giant tortoises actually hunt birds, again this has brought me back to studying a group of animals I worked on for many years (see below).

Other conservation projects have included breeding giant tortoises, recovery of the Seychelles sheath-tailed bat and establishment of the Silhouette Island National Park.

With Sir David Attenborough, patron of the Giant Tortoise Conservation Project