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
Extreme reduction in nutritional value of a key forage fish during the Pacific marine heatwave of 2014–2016
Monitoring and conservation of Japanese Murrelets and related seabirds in Japan
Biogeography of pelagic food webs in the North Pacific
Biological responses of Crested and Least auklets to volcanic destruction of nesting habitat in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Avian predator buffers against variability in marine habitats with flexible foraging behavior
Regionalizing indicators for marine ecosystems: Bering Sea–Aleutian Island seabirds, climate, and competitors
Tracing biogeochemical subsidies from glacier runoff into Alaska's coastal marine food webs
Puffins reveal contrasting relationships between forage fish and ocean climate in the North Pacific
Influence of glacier runoff on ecosystem structure in Gulf of Alaska fjords
Timing of ice retreat alters seabird abundances and distributions in the southeast Bering Sea
Techniques for monitoring Brachyramphus murrelets: A comparison of radar, autonomous acoustic recording and audio‐visual surveys
Testing the effectiveness of automated acoustic sensors for monitoring vocal activity of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus
Science and Products
Extreme reduction in nutritional value of a key forage fish during the Pacific marine heatwave of 2014–2016
Monitoring and conservation of Japanese Murrelets and related seabirds in Japan
Biogeography of pelagic food webs in the North Pacific
Biological responses of Crested and Least auklets to volcanic destruction of nesting habitat in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Avian predator buffers against variability in marine habitats with flexible foraging behavior
Regionalizing indicators for marine ecosystems: Bering Sea–Aleutian Island seabirds, climate, and competitors
Tracing biogeochemical subsidies from glacier runoff into Alaska's coastal marine food webs
Puffins reveal contrasting relationships between forage fish and ocean climate in the North Pacific
Influence of glacier runoff on ecosystem structure in Gulf of Alaska fjords
Timing of ice retreat alters seabird abundances and distributions in the southeast Bering Sea
Techniques for monitoring Brachyramphus murrelets: A comparison of radar, autonomous acoustic recording and audio‐visual surveys
Testing the effectiveness of automated acoustic sensors for monitoring vocal activity of Marbled Murrelets Brachyramphus marmoratus
*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