John Piatt, Ph.D.
Seabirds, marine food webs and impact of climate change on marine ecosystems
My research has been conducted mostly in the north Pacific and Atlantic oceans, with a focus on studies of seabird biology at colonies and ecological factors that influence seabird populations and distribution at sea. Research topics also include feeding ecology of seabirds (especially Auks), forage fish (such as capelin and sand lance), groundfish, marine mammals, food webs, oceanography, marine ecosystems; and threats to seabirds from climate change, heatwaves, overfishing, net bycatch, and oil spills.
Professional Experience
1987-Present Sr Scientist, USGS Alaska Science Center, AK
1982-1987 Res. Assoc., Nfld. Inst. for Cold Ocean Sci., MUN, NL
1978-1981 Fish. Obs./Wildl. Biol., DFO Canada/MacLaren Marex, NL
1974-1977 Res. Asst., Chemistry & Biochemistry Departments, MUN, NL
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 1987 Marine Biology, Memorial Univ. of Newfoundland (MUN), Canada
B.Sc. (Honours) 1977 Biochemistry, MUN, Canada
Affiliations and Memberships*
Member (2021): Am. Assoc. Adv. Sci., Am. Ornith. Soc., Pac. Seabird Grp., Am. Fish. Soc.
Editorial, Boards, Panels and Offices
Editor, Marine Ecology Progress Series (2007-2021)
Assoc. Editor, The Auk (2006-2013)
Chairman (1993-1994), Pacific Seabird Group (Research and Conservation)
Board or Science Panel service to North Pacific Research Board (2004-2011), Sound Experience (2014-2018), CA Fish & Game Commission (2003-2006), NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center (2000-2002)
Board or Science Panel service to Steller Sea Lion Recovery Team Advisory Panel (1999-2001), Cook Inlet Keepers (1996-2003), Alaska Sea Life Center (1995-1999)
Affiliate Professor – U. Washington (UW, 2004-2020); Oregon State U. (OSU, 2011-2015), MUN (1992-1996)
Visiting Scholar – UW (1997-1998)
Invited Scholar - Norwegian Inst. Nature Res., Norway (1991)
Supervisor for 3 PhD, 13 MSc students at 9 univ. in the UK (Glasgow, Durham), Canada (MUN, U.Vic), & the U.S. (UW, U.Alaska, UCSC, OSU)
Ext. examiner for 6 PhD. & 2 MSc theses (CAN, US, AUS)
Honors and Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award (2016), Pacific Seabird Group
US DOI, Secretary, Award for Exceptional Service (1990)
US DOI, Secretary, Award for Extraordinary Contributions (2011)
USGS, Director, Certificate of Appreciation (2011)
USGS, Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Contributions (2006)
USGS, Special Act Service Award (1997)
USFS, Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Service (1997)
USGS Quality (Step) Awards (2) for Exceptional Performance
USGS/NBS/FWS Performance/Star Awards (24 during 1987-2020) for Outstanding Achievement
USFWS, Regional Director, Special Action Award (1990)
Science and Products
Response of common murres to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill and long-term changes in the Gulf of Alaska marine ecosystem
Seabirds in Alaska
ENSO events in the northern Gulf of Alaska, and effects on selected marine fisheries
Deposition and persistence of beachcast seabird carcasses
Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet in North America: An overview
Increasing frequency of plastic particles ingested by seabirds in the subarctic North Pacific
Abundance, distribution and population status of Marbled Murrelets in Alaska
Water over the bridge
Oceanic, shelf and coastal seabird assemblages at the mouth of a tidally-mixed estuary (Cook Inlet, Alaska)
Phylogeny and evolution of the auks (subfamily Alcinae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences
Morphological and genetic divergence among Alaskan populations of Brachyramphus murrelets
Postbreeding dispersal and drift-net mortality of endangered Japanese Murrelets
Science and Products
Response of common murres to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill and long-term changes in the Gulf of Alaska marine ecosystem
Seabirds in Alaska
ENSO events in the northern Gulf of Alaska, and effects on selected marine fisheries
Deposition and persistence of beachcast seabird carcasses
Ecology and conservation of the Marbled Murrelet in North America: An overview
Increasing frequency of plastic particles ingested by seabirds in the subarctic North Pacific
Abundance, distribution and population status of Marbled Murrelets in Alaska
Water over the bridge
Oceanic, shelf and coastal seabird assemblages at the mouth of a tidally-mixed estuary (Cook Inlet, Alaska)
Phylogeny and evolution of the auks (subfamily Alcinae) based on mitochondrial DNA sequences
Morphological and genetic divergence among Alaskan populations of Brachyramphus murrelets
Postbreeding dispersal and drift-net mortality of endangered Japanese Murrelets
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government