Christian E Zimmerman, Ph.D.
Actionable science to inform decision makers, managers, and the public
Biography
Education
Ph.D. 2000 Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR Fishery Science
M.S. 1996 Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR Fishery Science
B.S. 1992 Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA Fishery Biology
Professional Experience
2017 - Present Center Director, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2015 - 2017 Chief, Water and Interdisciplinary Studies Office, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2001 - 2015 Research Fishery Biologist, USGS, Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2002 - Present Chair Scientific and Technical Committee, Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim Sustainable Salmon Initiative, Anchorage, Alaska
2000 - 2001 Scientist, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
1997 - 2000 Graduate Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
1995 - 1997 Fishery Biologist, U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis, Oregon
1993 - 1995 Graduate Research Assistant, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon
1992 Fishery Biologist, Thomas R. Payne and Associates/Pacific Land and Water Resources Consultants, Arcata, California
1991 Teaching Assistant, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California
1990 - 1991 Research Assistant, Institute of Limnology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
1989 - 1990 Biological Technician, Redwood National Park, Arcata, California
Professional Activities and/or Memberships
American Fisheries Society
American Institute of Research Fishery Biologists – Fellow and Alaska District Director
Society for Freshwater Science
Science and Products
Collaborative Science for Priority Information Needs
One of the primary missions of the USGS is to address the science needs of Department of Interior bureaus, particularly those that manage natural resources and lands. This mission is fulfilled through the research and other activities of USGS scientists but also specifically through three USGS nationally-funded programs listed below.
Outer Continental Shelf Program
This is a nation-wide collaborative program, supported by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, through which USGS and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management staff address priority research needs identified by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. On this page, we highlight research taking place in Alaska as part of this program.
Science Support Program and Quick Response Program
This is a nation-wide collaborative program, supported by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, through which USGS and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff address priority research needs identified by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. On this page, we highlight research taking place in Alaska as part of this program.
Natural Resources Preservation Program
This is a nation-wide collaborative program, supported by the USGS Ecosystems Mission Area, through which USGS and National Park Service staff address priority research needs identified by the National Park Service. On this page, we highlight research taking place in Alaska as part of this program.
Arctic Lake Food Webs
From 2011 to 2013 we investigated freshwater food webs of Arctic Coastal Plain lakes in Alaska to improve our understanding how Arctic freshwater food webs may respond to landscape change the warmer, drier future.
Ecosystem Shifts in Arctic Seas
In addition to the direct effects of sea ice loss on walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) that use ice as a platform, the decline of Arctic sea ice is predicted to promote a fundamental ecosystem shift from benthic animals that forage on the sea floor to pelagic animals that forage near the sea surface.
Lake Trout Biochronologies as Long-term Climate and Productivity Indicators in Alaska Lake Ecosystems
High latitude ecosystems are among the most vulnerable to long-term climate change, yet continuous, multidecadal indicators by which to gauge effects on biology are scarce, especially in freshwater environments.
Primary Production Sources and Bottom-up Limitations in Nearshore Ecosystems
Kelp forests are among the world’s most productive habitats, but recent evidence suggests that production is highly variable.
Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Ecology
Permafrost thaw is leading to a myriad of changes in physical and chemical conditions throughout the Arctic.
Effect of Elodea spp. on Fish Performance Mediated Through Food Web Interactions
The potential for invasive species introductions in Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems is growing as climate change manifests and human activity increases in high latitudes.
Sockeye Salmon Migrating at the Northern Edge of Their Distribution
The physiological challenge for anadromous fish to migrate upriver to spawn and complete their life cycle is influenced by river temperature.
Assessing heat stress in migrating Yukon River Chinook Salmon
We will examine evidence of heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) using heat shock proteins and gene expression.
USGS permafrost research determines the risks of permafrost thaw to biologic and hydrologic resources
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in collaboration with university, Federal, Tribal, and independent partners, conducts fundamental research on the distribution, vulnerability, and importance of permafrost in arctic and boreal ecosystems. Scientists, land managers, and policy makers use USGS data to help make decisions for development, wildlife...
Waldrop, Mark P.; Anderson, Lesleigh; Dornblaser, Mark; Erikson, Li H.; Gibbs, Ann E.; Herman-Mercer, Nicole M.; James, Stephanie R.; Jones, Miriam C.; Koch, Joshua C.; Leewis, Mary-Cathrine; Manies, Kristen L.; Minsley, Burke J.; Pastick, Neal J.; Patil, Vijay; Urban, Frank; Walvoord, Michelle A.; Wickland, Kimberly P.; Zimmerman, Christian
Lake trout growth is sensitive to spring temperature in southwest Alaska lakes
In high‐latitude lakes, air temperature is an important driver of ice cover thickness and duration, which in turn influence water temperature and primary production supporting lake consumers and predators. In lieu of multidecadal observational records necessary to assess the response of lakes to long‐term warming, we used otolith‐based growth...
von Biela, Vanessa R.; Black, Bryan A.; Young, Daniel B.; van der Sleen, Peter; Bartz, Krista K.; Zimmerman, Christian E. Interaction between watershed features and climate forcing affects habitat profitability for juvenile salmon
Opportunities for growth and survival of aquatic organisms are spatially and temporally variable as habitat conditions across watersheds respond to interacting climatic, geomorphic, and hydrologic conditions. As conservation efforts often focus on identifying and protecting critical habitats, it is important to understand how this spatial and...
Walsworth, Timothy E.; Baldock, Jeffrey R; Zimmerman, Christian E.; Schindler, Daniel E. A manipulative thermal challenge protocol for adult salmonids in remote field settings
Manipulative experiments provide stronger evidence for identifying cause-and-effect relationships than correlative studies, but protocols for implementing temperature manipulations are lacking for large species in remote settings. We developed an experimental protocol for holding adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and exposing them to...
Donnelly, Daniel S.; von Biela, Vanessa R.; McCormick, Stephen D.; Laske, Sarah M.; Carey, Michael P.; Waters, Shannon C.; Bowen, Lizabeth; Brown, Randy J; Larson, Sean; Zimmerman, Christian E. Transcriptomic response to elevated water temperatures in adult migrating Yukon River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) declines are widespread and may be attributed, at least in part, to warming river temperatures. Water temperatures in the Yukon River and tributaries often exceed 18°C, a threshold commonly associated with heat stress and elevated mortality in Pacific salmon. Untangling the complex web of direct and...
Bowen, Lizabeth; von Biela, Vanessa R.; McCormick, Stephen D.; Regish, Amy M.; Waters, Shannon C.; Durbin-Johnson, Blythe; Britton, Monica; Settles, Matt; Donnelly, Daniel S.; Laske, Sarah M.; Carey, Michael P.; Brown, Randy J; Zimmerman, Christian E. Evidence of prevalent heat stress in Yukon River Chinook salmon
Migrating adult Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are sensitive to warm water (>18 °C), with a range of consequences from decreased spawning success to early mortality. We examined the proportion of Yukon River Chinook salmon (O. tshawytscha) exhibiting evidence of heat stress to assess the potential that high temperatures contribute to...
von Biela, Vanessa R.; Bowen, Lizabeth; McCormick, Stephen D.; Carey, Michael P.; Donnelly, Daniel S.; Waters, Shannon C.; Regish, Amy M.; Laske, Sarah M.; Brown, Randy J; Larson, Sean; Zuray, Stan; Zimmerman, Christian E. Permafrost hydrology drives the assimilation of old carbon by stream food webs in the Arctic
Permafrost thaw in the Arctic is mobilizing old carbon (C) from soils to aquatic ecosystems and the atmosphere. Little is known, however, about the assimilation of old C by aquatic food webs in Arctic watersheds. Here, we used C isotopes (δ13C, Δ14C) to quantify C assimilation by biota across 12 streams in arctic Alaska. Streams spanned watersheds...
O'Donnell, Jonathon A; Carey, Michael P.; Koch, Joshua C.; Xu, Xiaomei; Poulin, Brett; Walker, Jennifer; Zimmerman, Christian E. Surface water connectivity controls fish food web structure and complexity across local- and meta-food webs in Arctic Coastal Plain lakes
The need for theories that address food web assembly and complexity over multiple spatial scales are critical to understanding their stability and persistence. In a meta-food web – an integrated network of local food webs – spatial heterogeneity in physical processes may have profound effects on food web function and energy flow. In the Arctic,...
Laske, Sarah M.; Rosenberger, Amanda E.; Wipfli, Mark S.; Zimmerman, Christian E. Circumpolar patterns of Arctic freshwater fish biodiversity: A baseline for monitoring
1. Climate change, biological invasions, and anthropogenic disturbance pose a threat to the biodiversity and function of Arctic freshwater ecosystems. Understanding potential changes in fish species distribution and richness is necessary, given the great importance of fish to the function of freshwater ecosystems and as a resource to humans....
Laske, Sarah M.; Amundsen, Per-Arne; Christoffersen, Kirsten; Erkinaro, Jaakko; Guðbergsson, Guðni; Hayden, Brian; Heino, Jani; Holmgren, Kerstin; Kahilainen, Kimmo K.; Lento, Jennifer; Orell, Panu; Östergren, Johan; Power, Michael; Rafikov, Ruslan; Romakkaniemi, Atso; Svenning, Martin-A.; Swanson, Heidi K.; Whitman, Matthew; Zimmerman, Christian E. Energy depletion and stress levels of Sockeye Salmon migrating at the northern edge of their distribution
The physiological challenge for anadromous fish to migrate upriver is influenced by river temperature, but the impacts of river temperature can be difficult to predict due to an incomplete understanding of how temperature influences migration costs, especially in high‐latitude (>60°N) ecosystems. To assess temperature influences on migrating...
Carey, Michael P.; Keith, Kevin D.; Schelske, Merlyn; Lean, Charlie; McCormick, Stephen D.; Regish, Amy M.; Zimmerman, Christian E. Energy allocation and feeding ecology of juvenile chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) during transition from freshwater to saltwater
Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) populations near their northern range extent in the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim region of Alaska have undergone major changes in population trajectory and illuminated the lack of basic information on juvenile ecology. This study fills information gaps on the early life history of chum salmon at northern latitudes....
Burril, Sean E.; von Biela, Vanessa R.; Hillbruber, Nicola; Zimmerman, Christian E. Generalist feeding strategies in Arctic freshwater fish: A mechanism for dealing with extreme environments
Generalist feeding strategies are favoured in stressful or variable environments where flexibility in ecological traits is beneficial. Species that feed across multiple habitat types and trophic levels may impart stability on food webs through the use of readily available, alternative energy pools. In lakes, generalist fish species may take...
Laske, Sarah M.; Rosenberger, Amanda E.; Wipfli, Mark S.; Zimmerman, Christian E.