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
The Great Auk [Book review]
Dietary restriction causes chronic elevation of corticosterone and enhances stress response in red-legged kittiwake chicks
Corticosterone facilitates begging and affects resource allocation in the black-legged kittiwake
Juvenile groundfish habitat in Kachemak Bay, Alaska, during late summer
Survival of adult murres and kittiwakes in relation to forage fish abundance
Nearshore fish distributions in an Alaskan estuary in relation to stratification, temperature, and salinity
Ecology and demographics of Pacific sand lance, Ammodytes hexapterus Pallas, in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Monitoring seabird populations in areas of oil and gas development on the Alaskan Continental Shelf: A computerized pelagic seabird atlas for Alaska
Temporal variability in abundance of Marbled Murrelets at sea in southeast Alaska
Historic and current use of Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, by Belugas, Delphinapterus leucas
Monitoring temporal and spatial variability in sandeel (Ammodytes hexapterus) abundance with pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) diets
Mechanisms of population differentiation in marbled murrelets: historical versus contemporary processes
Science and Products
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The Great Auk [Book review]
Human obsession with the Great Auk or Garefowl Pinguinus impennis is what this book is about, and it further fuels the fire of our fascination. As Fuller concludes in his introduction: ‘The Great Auk, large and plump, has tempted man since the dawn of history. Whatever the precise reasons for its hold on his imagination, it is a hold that has lasted, and even 150 years after the bird’s apparent deAuthorsJohn F. PiattDietary restriction causes chronic elevation of corticosterone and enhances stress response in red-legged kittiwake chicks
Release of corticosterone in hungry kittiwake chicks facilitates begging and allows them to restore depleted energy reserves by increasing parental food provisioning. However, in order to avoid detrimental effects of chronic elevation of corticosterone, chicks might suppress adrenocortical activity in response to prolonged food shortages. In this study we examined temporal dynamics of corticosteroAuthorsA.S. Kitaysky, E.V. Kitaiskaia, J.C. Wingfield, John F. PiattCorticosterone facilitates begging and affects resource allocation in the black-legged kittiwake
Parent black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and their dependent chicks respond to food shortages by increasing circulating levels of corticosterone. To examine the behavioral significance of corticosterone release, we experimentally increased levels of circulating corticosterone in parents and chicks up to the levels observed during food shortages. We found that corticosterone-implanted chicAuthorsAlexander S Kitaysky, John C. Wingfield, John F. PiattJuvenile groundfish habitat in Kachemak Bay, Alaska, during late summer
We investigated the habitat of juvenile groundfishes in relation to depth, water temperature, and salinity in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Stations ranging in depth from 10 to 70 m and with sand or mud-sand substrates were sampled with a small-meshed beam trawl in August-September of 1994 to 1999. A total of 8,201 fishes were captured, comprising at least 52 species. Most fishes (91%) had a total lengthAuthorsAlisa A. Abookire, John F. Piatt, Brenda L. NorcrossSurvival of adult murres and kittiwakes in relation to forage fish abundance
Some seabird populations damaged by the Exxon Valdez oil spill continue to decline or are not recovering. In order to understand the ultimate cause of seabird population fluctuations, we must measure productivity, recruitment, and adult survival. Recent APEX studies focused on measuring productivity only. Recruitment measurement demands an unrealistic study duration. We propose to augment currentAuthorsJohn F. PiattNearshore fish distributions in an Alaskan estuary in relation to stratification, temperature, and salinity
Fish were sampled with beach seines and small-meshed beam trawls in nearshore ( < 1 km) and shallow ( < 25 m) habitats on the southern coast of Kachemak Bay, Cook Inlet, Alaska, from June to August, 1996-1998. Fish distributions among habitats were analysed for species composition, catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) and frequency of occurrence. Two oceanographically distinct areas of Kachemak Bay were sAuthorsAlisa A. Abookire, John F. Piatt, Martin D. RobardsEcology and demographics of Pacific sand lance, Ammodytes hexapterus Pallas, in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Distinct sand lance populations occur within the relatively small geographic area of Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska. Marked meso-scale differences in abundance, growth, and mortality exist as a consequence of differing oceanographic regimes. Growth rate within populations (between years) was positively correlated with temperature. However, this did not extend to inter-population comparisons where differAuthorsMartin D. Robards, John F. PiattMonitoring seabird populations in areas of oil and gas development on the Alaskan Continental Shelf: A computerized pelagic seabird atlas for Alaska
Seabirds are the most visible and vulnerable victims of oil pollution in marine waters. As demonstrated by the "Exxon Valdez" spill (Piatt et al. 1990), we cannot predict when or where an accident leading to pollution might occur in Alaska, or where oil will eventually end up traveling from a point source of pollution. It is therefore prudent to document the abundance and distribution of seabirdsAuthorsJohn F. Piatt, R. Glenn FordTemporal variability in abundance of Marbled Murrelets at sea in southeast Alaska
We examined effects of season, time of day, tide stage, tidal oscillation, and sea surface temperature on Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus) abundance and distribution at sea. We also evaluated whether constraining surveys to specific time periods or tide stages would reduce temporal variability in counts. Murrelets were surveyed daily from small boats and from shore in Auke Bay and FritzAuthorsSuzann G. Speckman, Alan M. Springer, John F. Piatt, Dana ThomasHistoric and current use of Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska, by Belugas, Delphinapterus leucas
Dedicated at-sea surveys for marine birds and mammals conducted in lower Cook Inlet in late July and early August from 1995–99 failed to locate any belugas, Delphinapterus leucas. Surveys covered a total of 6,249 linear km and were conducted in both nearshore and offshore habitats. Sightings included 791 individual marine mammals of 10 species. Both historical data and local knowledge indicate thaAuthorsSuzann G. Speckman, John F. PiattMonitoring temporal and spatial variability in sandeel (Ammodytes hexapterus) abundance with pigeon guillemot (Cepphus columba) diets
We evaluated pigeon guillemots (Cepphus columba) as monitors of nearshore fish abundance and community composition during 1995-1999 at Kachemak Bay, Alaska. We studied the composition of chick diets at 10 colonies and simultaneously measured fish abundance around colonies with beach seines and bottom trawls. Sandeels (Ammodytes hexapterus) formed the majority of the diet at one group of colonies.AuthorsMichael A. Litzow, John F. Piatt, Alisa A. Abookire, A.K. Prichard, Martin D. RobardsMechanisms of population differentiation in marbled murrelets: historical versus contemporary processes
Mechanisms of population differentiation in highly vagile species such as seabirds are poorly understood. Previous studies of marbled murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus; Charadriiformes: Alcidae) found significant population genetic structure, but could not determine whether this structure is due to historical vicariance (e.g., due to Pleistocene glaciers), isolation by distance, drift or selectiAuthorsB.C. Congdon, John F. Piatt, Kathy Martin, Vicki L. Friesen - News
*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