Title: Associate Wildlife Ecologist and Bat Biologist
Company: H. T. Harvey & Associates
Location: Saratoga, California, United States
David Stanley Johnston, associate wildlife ecologist and bat biologist at H. T. Harvey & Associates, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Scientists for dedication, achievements, and leadership in ecology and biology.
With over five decades in ecology and biology, Dr. Johnston has built a distinguished career in ecological education and consulting, focusing on bat ecology. Since 1997, he has been an associate wildlife ecologist and bat biologist at H. T. Harvey & Associates. His past roles include lecturer at Santa Clara University from 2002 to 2004, adjunct at San Jose State University in the 1990s, and executive director of the Youth Science Institute from 1979 to 1995. He has also made significant contributions as a co-author to several publications in the field, including “Bat Foraging Response to Introduced Fish in the Sierra Nevada” in 2021, “Final Caltrans Bat Mitigation: A Guide to Developing Feasible and Effective Solutions” in 2019, “Resource Ephemerality Drives Social Foraging in Bats” in 2018, and “Sustainability of Utility-Scale Solar Energy – Critical Ecological Concepts” in 2017. Additional works include studies on bat and bird mortality and habitat response in relation to solar and wind developments, with several key publications from 2013 to 2016.
Reflecting on his career, Dr. Johnston has worked on prominent commercial projects, including a notable assignment for Richard Branson, assisting with the siting of wind and solar energy on Necker Island. He also served as president of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, overseeing its 5,000 members and leading annual contributions of $10,000 to support the successful protection of Mono Lake. In addition, he chaired the Library Committee for the Montalvo Arts Center, held roles with the American Society of Mammalogists and North American Society of Bat Research, and currently chairs the science communication committee for GBatNet. He is also dedicated to habitat restoration, growing plants from watershed cuttings in a self-built greenhouse to enrich local biodiversity. He also advocates for using native flora in city parks to support diverse wildlife, including birds and bats.
Dr. Johnston’s research on bats has also led to the discovery of a new species and its designation as the only state-recognized bat, achieved in collaboration with a young advocate and a state senator. His studies reveal that bats in stable climates focus on a few prey types, while those in variable environments like deserts adapt their diets nightly. He has received a National Science Foundation grant to observe bats with 3D thermal cameras and hosted the 2015 North American Society for Bat Research Conference. Laying a strong educational foundation, he earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from California Polytechnic State University, a master’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology from San Jose State University, and a PhD in biology from York University, completed in 1997.
Looking to the future, he is organizing Year of the Bats 2026, an international event with 31 participating countries under the Global Union of Bat Diversity Networks, where he is on the science communications committee. With over 240 members, they are creating a public art catalog, hosting webinars, and launching “Team Chiroptera” to involve students in bat research. Additionally, he is advancing bat conservation using specialized technology to assess the effects of wind turbines on bat populations.
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