Infograph describing the effects of North Pacific marine heatwave on ocean food webs.
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
Tidewater Glacier Influence on Marine Ecosystems
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Alaska Seabirds
Cook Inlet Seabird and Forage Fish Study
Detecting Long-term Changes in Forage Fish Populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Seabird Die-offs in Alaska
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
Use and History of the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD)
Tracking Data for Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Condition of Forage Fish in Prince William Sound During the Marine Heatwave
NPPSD Sampling Effort Maps
Alaska Forage Fish Database (AFFD)
Seabird Diet Data Collected on Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska
Gridded Seabird Density Estimates in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Assessing the Status and Trends of Seabirds and Forage Fish in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Tracking Data for Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Pelagic Forage Fish Distribution Abundance and Body Condition
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD)
Kasatochi Crested and Least Auklet Survey Data, 1996-2016
Inshore Catch Data for Capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the Gulf of Alaska 1996-2017
Data Associated With Algal Toxin Testing of Common Murres (Uria aalge) and Forage Fish in Alaska, 2015-2017
Data from Common Murre Die-off Surveys and Necropsies Following the North Pacific Marine Heatwave, 2015-2016
Pacific Sand Lance Energy Density, Length, and Age, Prince William Sound, Alaska, 2012-2016
Infograph describing the effects of North Pacific marine heatwave on ocean food webs.
Fig 1 map showing total sampling effort (strip transects) of marine bird surveys at sea in the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD).
Fig 1 map showing total sampling effort (strip transects) of marine bird surveys at sea in the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD).
USGS Scientist Sarah Schoen with a plankton sample to test for harmful algal bloom toxins in Cook Inlet, Alaska.
USGS Scientist Sarah Schoen with a plankton sample to test for harmful algal bloom toxins in Cook Inlet, Alaska.
USGS scientist Sarah Schoen gets ready to deploy a net in Cook Inlet to collect plankton samples to test for harmful algal bloom toxins.
USGS scientist Sarah Schoen gets ready to deploy a net in Cook Inlet to collect plankton samples to test for harmful algal bloom toxins.
Short-tailed Albatross taking off
Kittlitz’s Murrelets flying near glacier in Northwestern Fjord, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.
Kittlitz’s Murrelets flying near glacier in Northwestern Fjord, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.
Predator disturbance contributed to Common Murre Uria aalge breeding failures in Cook Inlet, Alaska following the 2014–2016 Pacific marine heatwave
Quantifying spatiotemporal variation of nearshore forage fish schools with aerial surveys in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Monitoring long-term changes in forage fish distribution, abundance and body condition in Prince William Sound
Joint spatiotemporal models to predict seabird densities at sea
Lingering impacts of the 2014-2016 northeast Pacific marine heatwave on seabird demography in Cook Inlet, Alaska (USA)
African penguins and localized fisheries management: Response to Butterworth and Ross-Gillespie
Another bad year for seabirds on Gull Island
Kittlitz’s murrelet seasonal distribution and post-breeding migration from the Gulf of Alaska to the Arctic Ocean
South Africa's experimental fisheries closures and recovery of the endangered African penguin
Integrating seabird dietary and groundfish stock assessment data: Can puffins predict pollock spawning stock biomass in the North Pacific?
Monitoring the recovery of seabirds and forage fish following a major ecosystem disruption in Lower Cook Inlet
Ecosystem response persists after a prolonged marine heatwave
Science and Products
Tidewater Glacier Influence on Marine Ecosystems
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins in Alaska Seabirds
Cook Inlet Seabird and Forage Fish Study
Detecting Long-term Changes in Forage Fish Populations in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Seabird Die-offs in Alaska
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database
Use and History of the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD)
Tracking Data for Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Condition of Forage Fish in Prince William Sound During the Marine Heatwave
NPPSD Sampling Effort Maps
Alaska Forage Fish Database (AFFD)
Seabird Diet Data Collected on Middleton Island, Gulf of Alaska
Gridded Seabird Density Estimates in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Assessing the Status and Trends of Seabirds and Forage Fish in Lower Cook Inlet, Alaska
Tracking Data for Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris)
Pelagic Forage Fish Distribution Abundance and Body Condition
North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD)
Kasatochi Crested and Least Auklet Survey Data, 1996-2016
Inshore Catch Data for Capelin (Mallotus villosus) in the Gulf of Alaska 1996-2017
Data Associated With Algal Toxin Testing of Common Murres (Uria aalge) and Forage Fish in Alaska, 2015-2017
Data from Common Murre Die-off Surveys and Necropsies Following the North Pacific Marine Heatwave, 2015-2016
Pacific Sand Lance Energy Density, Length, and Age, Prince William Sound, Alaska, 2012-2016
Infograph describing the effects of North Pacific marine heatwave on ocean food webs.
Infograph describing the effects of North Pacific marine heatwave on ocean food webs.
Fig 1 map showing total sampling effort (strip transects) of marine bird surveys at sea in the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD).
Fig 1 map showing total sampling effort (strip transects) of marine bird surveys at sea in the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD).
USGS Scientist Sarah Schoen with a plankton sample to test for harmful algal bloom toxins in Cook Inlet, Alaska.
USGS Scientist Sarah Schoen with a plankton sample to test for harmful algal bloom toxins in Cook Inlet, Alaska.
USGS scientist Sarah Schoen gets ready to deploy a net in Cook Inlet to collect plankton samples to test for harmful algal bloom toxins.
USGS scientist Sarah Schoen gets ready to deploy a net in Cook Inlet to collect plankton samples to test for harmful algal bloom toxins.
Short-tailed Albatross taking off
Kittlitz’s Murrelets flying near glacier in Northwestern Fjord, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.
Kittlitz’s Murrelets flying near glacier in Northwestern Fjord, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.
Predator disturbance contributed to Common Murre Uria aalge breeding failures in Cook Inlet, Alaska following the 2014–2016 Pacific marine heatwave
Quantifying spatiotemporal variation of nearshore forage fish schools with aerial surveys in Prince William Sound, Alaska
Monitoring long-term changes in forage fish distribution, abundance and body condition in Prince William Sound
Joint spatiotemporal models to predict seabird densities at sea
Lingering impacts of the 2014-2016 northeast Pacific marine heatwave on seabird demography in Cook Inlet, Alaska (USA)
African penguins and localized fisheries management: Response to Butterworth and Ross-Gillespie
Another bad year for seabirds on Gull Island
Kittlitz’s murrelet seasonal distribution and post-breeding migration from the Gulf of Alaska to the Arctic Ocean
South Africa's experimental fisheries closures and recovery of the endangered African penguin
Integrating seabird dietary and groundfish stock assessment data: Can puffins predict pollock spawning stock biomass in the North Pacific?
Monitoring the recovery of seabirds and forage fish following a major ecosystem disruption in Lower Cook Inlet
Ecosystem response persists after a prolonged marine heatwave
*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