David Bellwood is a leading expert on the evolution and ecology of reef fishes. The central theme of his research is to understand the functional role that fishes play on coral reefs, and how reefs have changed through evolutionary time. His research themes include ecology, functional morphology, molecular phylogenetics, and palaeontology. At larger scales, he has made major contributions to our understanding of biogeography and the conservation of coral reefs, particularly the origin and maintenance of biodiversity hotspots, reef resilience, and the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function.