James Cloern
James (Jim) Cloern is a senior scientist emeritus at the U.S. Geological Survey's Water Resources Mission Area in Menlo Park, California.
James (Jim) Cloern is a senior scientist emeritus at the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California. His research over four decades addresses comparative ecology and biogeochemistry of estuaries to understand how they respond as ecosystems to climatic-hydrologic variability and human disturbance. His team investigation of San Francisco Bay included studies of primary production, nutrient cycling, algal and zooplankton community dynamics, ecosystem metabolism and food web dynamics, disturbance by introduced species, ecosystem restoration, and past and projected future responses to a changing climate. His career achievements have been recognized with selection as Fellows of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), and as recipient of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution B.H. Ketchum Award, Delta Science Program Brown-Nichols Achievement Award, ASLO Ruth Patrick Award, Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation Odum Lifetime Achievement Award, and Department of Interior's Distinguished Service Award. He is currently an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California, a member of the Delta Stewardship Council's Independent Science Board, and editor-in-chief of Limnology and Oceanography Letters.
Science and Products
Bivalve grazing can shape phytoplankton communities
Primary production in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: A science strategy to quantify change and identify future potential
Estuaries: Life on the edge: Chapter 19
Human activities and climate variability drive fast-paced change across the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems
Estuarine fish communities respond to climate variability over both river and ocean basins
Phytoplankton blooms in estuarine and coastal waters: Seasonal patterns and key species
California’s water: The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
USGS ecosystem research for the next decade: advancing discovery and application in parks and protected areas through collaboration
Comparative biogeochemistry-ecosystem-human interactions on dynamic continental margins
Phytoplankton primary production in the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems
It's time for bold new approaches to link delta science and policymaking
U.S. Geological Survey ecosystems science strategy—Advancing discovery and application through collaboration
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Bivalve grazing can shape phytoplankton communities
The ability of bivalve filter feeders to limit phytoplankton biomass in shallow waters is well-documented, but the role of bivalves in shaping phytoplankton communities is not. The coupled effect of bivalve grazing at the sediment-water interface and sinking of phytoplankton cells to that bottom filtration zone could influence the relative biomass of sinking (diatoms) and non-sinking phytoplanktonAuthorsLisa Lucas, James E. Cloern, Janet K. Thompson, Mark T. Stacey, Jeffrey K. KoseffPrimary production in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: A science strategy to quantify change and identify future potential
No abstract available.AuthorsApril Robinson, Amy Richey, James E. Cloern, Katharyn E. Boyer, Jon Burau, Elizabeth A. Canuel, John F. DeGeorge, Judith Z. Drexler, E. R. Howe, Ronald Kneib, Anke Mueller-Solger, James L. Pinckney, Robert J. Naiman, David H. Schoellhamer, Charles A. SimenstadEstuaries: Life on the edge: Chapter 19
No abstract available.AuthorsJames E. Cloern, Patrick L. Barnard, Erin Beller, John C. Callaway, Letitia Grenier, Edwin D. Grosholz, Robin Grossinger, Kathryn Hieb, James T. Holligaugh, Noah Knowles, Martha Sutula, Samuel Veloz, Kerstin Wasson, Alison WhippleHuman activities and climate variability drive fast-paced change across the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems
Time series of environmental measurements are essential for detecting, measuring and understanding changes in the Earth system and its biological communities. Observational series have accumulated over the past 2–5 decades from measurements across the world's estuaries, bays, lagoons, inland seas and shelf waters influenced by runoff. We synthesize information contained in these time series to devAuthorsJames E. Cloern, Paulo C. Abreu, Jacob Carstensen, Laurent Chauvaud, Ragnar Elmgren, Jacques Grall, Holly Greening, John O.R. Johansson, Mati Kahru, Edward T. Sherwood, Jie Xu, Kedong YinEstuarine fish communities respond to climate variability over both river and ocean basins
Estuaries are dynamic environments at the land–sea interface that are strongly affected by interannual climate variability. Ocean–atmosphere processes propagate into estuaries from the sea, and atmospheric processes over land propagate into estuaries from watersheds. We examined the effects of these two separate climate-driven processes on pelagic and demersal fish community structure along the saAuthorsFrederick V. Feyrer, James E. Cloern, Larry R. Brown, Maxfield Fish, Kathryn Hieb, Randall BaxterPhytoplankton blooms in estuarine and coastal waters: Seasonal patterns and key species
Phytoplankton blooms are dynamic phenomena of great importance to the functioning of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. We analysed a unique (large) collection of phytoplankton monitoring data covering 86 coastal sites distributed over eight regions in North America and Europe, with the aim of investigating common patterns in the seasonal timing and species composition of the blooms. The spring bloAuthorsJacob Carstensen, Riina Klais, James E. CloernCalifornia’s water: The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
The Delta is the deteriorating, fragile hub of California’s water supply system. Critical decisions about its future are pending. This publication is part of a briefing kit that highlights the state’s most pressing water management issues in nine key areas: Climate change and waterManaging droughtsPaying for waterPreparing for floodsThe Sacramento-San Joaquin DeltaStoring waterWater for citiesWateAuthorsJeffrey Mount, Ellen Hanak, Jay Lund, James E. Cloern, William Fleenor, Brian Gray, Wim Kimmerer, Peter MoyleUSGS ecosystem research for the next decade: advancing discovery and application in parks and protected areas through collaboration
Ecosystems within parks and protected areas in the United States and throughout the world are being transformed at an unprecedented rate. Changes associated with natural hazards, greenhouse gas emissions, and increasing demands for water, food, land, energy and mineral resources are placing urgency on sound decision making that will help sustain our Nation’s economic and environmental well-being (AuthorsCharles van Riper, James D. Nichols, G. Lynn Wingard, Jeffrey L. Kershner, James E. Cloern, Robert B. Jacobson, Robin P. White, Anthony D. McGuire, Byron K. Williams, Guy Gelfenbaum, Carl D. ShapiroComparative biogeochemistry-ecosystem-human interactions on dynamic continental margins
The ocean’s continental margins face strong and rapid change, forced by a combination of direct human activity, anthropogenic CO2-induced climate change, and natural variability. Stimulated by discussions in Goa, India at the IMBER IMBIZO III, we (1) provide an overview of the drivers of biogeochemical variation and change on margins, (2) compare temporal trends in hydrographic and biogeochemicalAuthorsLisa A. Levin, Kon-Kee Liu, Kay-Christian Emeis, Denise L. Breitburg, James Cloern, Curtis Deutsch, Michele Giani, Anne Goffart, Eileen E. Hofmann, Zouhair Lachkar, Karin Limburg, Su-Mei Liu, Enrique Montes, Wajih Naqvi, Olivier Ragueneau, Christophe Rabouille, Santosh Kumar Sarkar, Dennis P. Swaney, Paul Wassman, Karen F. WishnerPhytoplankton primary production in the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems
Estuaries are biogeochemical hot spots because they receive large inputs of nutrients and organic carbon from land and oceans to support high rates of metabolism and primary production. We synthesize published rates of annual phytoplankton primary production (APPP) in marine ecosystems influenced by connectivity to land – estuaries, bays, lagoons, fjords and inland seas. Review of the scientific lAuthorsJames E. Cloern, S.Q. Foster, A.E. KlecknerIt's time for bold new approaches to link delta science and policymaking
California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta is widely recognized as a highly damaged ecosystem. The Delta is also emblematic of a growing sense worldwide that society needs to do a better job of using scientific knowledge to guide conservation and resource management policies. Fortunately, we now have an unprecedented opportunity to get it right in building structures that support effective science–AuthorsJames E. Cloern, Ellen HanakU.S. Geological Survey ecosystems science strategy—Advancing discovery and application through collaboration
Executive SummaryEcosystem science is critical to making informed decisions about natural resources that can sustain our Nation’s economic and environmental well-being. Resource managers and policymakers are faced with countless decisions each year at local, regional, and national levels on issues as diverse as renewable and nonrenewable energy development, agriculture, forestry, water supply, andAuthorsByron K. Williams, G. Lynn Wingard, Gary Brewer, James E. Cloern, Guy Gelfenbaum, Robert B. Jacobson, Jeffrey L. Kershner, Anthony D. McGuire, James D. Nichols, Carl D. Shapiro, Charles van Riper, Robin P. White