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
Spatiotemporal predictability of schooling and nonschooling prey of Pigeon Guillemots
Energy density and variability in abundance of pigeon guillemot prey: Support for the quality-variability trade-off hypothesis
Field guide to identifying Kittlitz's Murrelet forage fish
Identifying marine bird distribution and evaluating visitor impacts
A genetic study to aid in restoration of murres, guillemots and murrelets to the Gulf of Alaska
Population status of Kittlitz's and Marbled Murrelets and surveys for other marine bird and mammal species in the Kenai Fjords area, Alaska
Inventory of marine and estuarine fishes in southeast and central Alaska National Parks
Protocols for long-term monitoring of seabird ecology in the Gulf of Alaska
Variation in plumage, molt, and morphology of the Whiskered Auklet (Aethia pygmaea) in Alaska
Advection, pelagic food webs and the biogeography of seabirds in Beringia
Deciphering the social structure of Marbled Murrelets from behavioral observations at sea
Ecology of selected marine communities in Glacier Bay: Zooplankton, forage fish, seabirds and marine mammals
Science and Products
Spatiotemporal predictability of schooling and nonschooling prey of Pigeon Guillemots
Energy density and variability in abundance of pigeon guillemot prey: Support for the quality-variability trade-off hypothesis
Field guide to identifying Kittlitz's Murrelet forage fish
Identifying marine bird distribution and evaluating visitor impacts
A genetic study to aid in restoration of murres, guillemots and murrelets to the Gulf of Alaska
Population status of Kittlitz's and Marbled Murrelets and surveys for other marine bird and mammal species in the Kenai Fjords area, Alaska
Inventory of marine and estuarine fishes in southeast and central Alaska National Parks
Protocols for long-term monitoring of seabird ecology in the Gulf of Alaska
Variation in plumage, molt, and morphology of the Whiskered Auklet (Aethia pygmaea) in Alaska
Advection, pelagic food webs and the biogeography of seabirds in Beringia
Deciphering the social structure of Marbled Murrelets from behavioral observations at sea
Ecology of selected marine communities in Glacier Bay: Zooplankton, forage fish, seabirds and marine mammals
*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