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
Monitoring temporal and spatial variability in sandeel (Ammodytes hexapterus) abundance with pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) diets
Nearshore fish distributions in an Alaskan estuary in relation to stratification, temperature, and salinity
Mechanisms of population differentiation in marbled murrelets: historical versus contemporary processes
Biological effects of the 1997/98 ENSO in Cook Inlet, Alaska
Juvenile Marbled Murrelet nurseries and the productivity index
Populations and productivity of seabirds at South Marble Island, Glacier Bay, Alaska, during May-July, 1999
Sand lance: A review of biology and predator relations and annotated bibliography
Biology of the genus Ammodytes, the sand lances
Sand lance as cornerstone prey for predator populations
Implications of climate change for Alaska's seabirds
Maturation, fecundity, and intertidal spawning of Pacific sand lance in the northern Gulf of Alaska
Discovery of a new Kittlitz's murrelet nest: Clues to habitat selection and nest-site fidelity
Science and Products
Monitoring temporal and spatial variability in sandeel (Ammodytes hexapterus) abundance with pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) diets
Nearshore fish distributions in an Alaskan estuary in relation to stratification, temperature, and salinity
Mechanisms of population differentiation in marbled murrelets: historical versus contemporary processes
Biological effects of the 1997/98 ENSO in Cook Inlet, Alaska
Juvenile Marbled Murrelet nurseries and the productivity index
Populations and productivity of seabirds at South Marble Island, Glacier Bay, Alaska, during May-July, 1999
Sand lance: A review of biology and predator relations and annotated bibliography
Biology of the genus Ammodytes, the sand lances
Sand lance as cornerstone prey for predator populations
Implications of climate change for Alaska's seabirds
Maturation, fecundity, and intertidal spawning of Pacific sand lance in the northern Gulf of Alaska
Discovery of a new Kittlitz's murrelet nest: Clues to habitat selection and nest-site fidelity
*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