Josh T Ackerman
Dr. Ackerman is a Principal Investigator with USGS and an Associate in the Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology at the University of California-Davis.
His research expertise is in wildlife ecology and ecotoxicology, and his research program focuses on bird ecology, wetland management and restoration, contaminant bioaccumulation in fish and wildlife, and effects of contaminants on animal health and populations.
Education
- Ph.D. 2002, Ecology, University of California-Davis
- B.S. 1997 (Magna Cum Laude), Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California-Davis
Professional Experience
- Research Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, California (2006-present)
- Wildlife Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, San Francisco Bay Estuary Field Station, Vallejo, California (2004-2006)
- Post-doctoral Researcher, John Muir Institute of the Environment, University of California-Davis (2003-2004)
- Post-doctoral Researcher, Dept. of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California-Davis (2002-2003)
- Teaching Assistant, Ecology and Management of Waterfowl and Game Birds (Spring 2002) and Field Methods in Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology (Summer 2001), Dept. of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California-Davis
- Waterfowl Researcher (1999-2000), Crew Leader (Spring 1998, 1999, 2000), and Technician (Spring 1997), California Waterfowl Association, Sacramento, California
- Doctoral Research, Dept. of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology, University of California-Davis (1997-2002)
- Biological Technician (Summer 1995) and Biological Aid (Summer 1994), U.S. Forest Service, Tahoe National Forest, Nevada City, California
Selected Publications
2020 Ackerman, JT, MP Herzog, DC Evers, DA Cristol, KP Kenow, GH Heinz, RA Lavoie, RL Brasso, ML Mallory, JF Provencher, BM Braune, A Matz, JA Schmutz, CA Eagles-Smith, LJ Savoy, MW Meyer, and CA Hartman. Synthesis of maternal transfer of mercury in birds: implications for altered toxicity risk. Environmental Science and Technology 54:2878-2891.
2016 Ackerman, JT, CA Eagles-Smith, MP Herzog, CA Hartman, SH Peterson, DC Evers, AK Jackson, JE Elliott, SS Vander Pol, and CE Bryan. Avian mercury exposure and toxicological risk across western North America: a synthesis. Science of the Total Environment 568:749-769.
2014 Ackerman, JT, MP Herzog, GS Yarris, ML Casazza, E Burns, and JM Eadie. Chapter 5: Waterfowl ecology and management in Suisun Marsh: Ecological History and Possible Futures. University of California Press: Berkeley, California.
Science and Products
Habitat edges have weak effects on duck nest survival at local spatial scales
Science foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study dabbling ducks
Science foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study diving ducks
Science foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study Forester's tern (Sterna forsteri) and California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni)
Science foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study shore birds: Western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) and American avocets (Recurvirostra Americana)
Estimating mercury exposure of piscivorous birds and sport fish using prey fish monitoring
Egg laying sequence influences egg mercury concentrations and egg size in three bird species: Implications for contaminant monitoring programs
Effects of age, colony, and sex on mercury concentrations in California sea lions
Archiving California’s historical duck nesting data
Evaluating hair as a predictor of blood mercury: the influence of ontogenetic phase and life history in pinnipeds
Marine foraging ecology influences mercury bioaccumulation in deep-diving northern elephant seals
Unintended consequences of management actions in salt pond restoration: cascading effects in trophic interactions
Science and Products
- Science
Filter Total Items: 16
- Data
Filter Total Items: 33No Result Found
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 194
Habitat edges have weak effects on duck nest survival at local spatial scales
Edge effects on nesting success have been documented in breeding birds in a variety of contexts, but there is still uncertainty in how edge type and spatial scale determine the magnitude and detectability of edge effects. Habitat edges are often viewed as predator corridors that surround or penetrate core habitat and increase the risk of predation for nearby nests. We studied the effects of threeAuthorsAmelia J Raquel, Kevin M. Ringelman, Joshua T. Ackerman, John M. EadieScience foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study dabbling ducks
Dabbling ducks are the most abundant group of waterfowl that overwinter in the shallow wetlands and ponds of San Francisco Bay (SFB). Species within this group are primarily omnivorous, feeding on both plant material and macroinvertebrate prey by “tipping” to access benthic foods in bottom sediments or by foraging in the water column. Although the majority of these ducks are migratory, smaller numAuthorsGregory S. Yarris, Joshua T. AckermanScience foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study diving ducks
Diving ducks are the most abundant group of waterfowl that overwinter in the open bays and ponds of San Francisco Bay (SFB). Species within this group are primarily benthivores that dive to obtain their macroinvertebrate prey in bottom sediments, although at times they may eat plant matter or forage in the water column. These migratory species include bay ducks (lesser scaup Aythya affinis, greateAuthorsJohn Y. Takekawa, Susan De La Cruz, Joshua T. Ackerman, Gregory S. YarrisScience foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study Forester's tern (Sterna forsteri) and California least tern (Sternula antillarum browni)
This case study considers two tern species that breed within the San Francisco Bay Estuary, Forster’s Terns (Sterna forsteri) and California Least Terns (Sternula antillarum browni). Forster’s Terns are medium-sized (140 g) terns that breed in coastal and interior marshes of North America. Forster’s Terns can exploit ephemeral habitats, and colony locations often move among years with change in haAuthorsJoshua T. Ackerman, C. Alex Hartman, Cheryl StrongScience foundation Chapter 5 Appendix 5.1: Case study shore birds: Western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) and American avocets (Recurvirostra Americana)
Western sandpipers (Calidris mauri) are small (22-35 g) sexually dimorphic sandpipers, with males typically smaller than females. Western sandpipers frequently occur in mixed species flocks along with other Calidris species, including least sandpipers (Calidris minutilla) and dunlin (Calidris alpina), in the San Francisco Bay Estuary (SFBE) and are the most abundant shorebird species found from faAuthorsCheryl Strong, Joshua T. AckermanEstimating mercury exposure of piscivorous birds and sport fish using prey fish monitoring
Methylmercury is a global pollutant of aquatic ecosystems, and monitoring programs need tools to predict mercury exposure of wildlife. We developed equations to estimate methylmercury exposure of piscivorous birds and sport fish using mercury concentrations in prey fish. We collected original data on western grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark’s grebes (Aechmophorus clarkii) and summarizeAuthorsJoshua T. Ackerman, C. Alex Hartman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Mark P. Herzog, Jay Davis, Gary Ichikawa, Autumn BonnemaEgg laying sequence influences egg mercury concentrations and egg size in three bird species: Implications for contaminant monitoring programs
Bird eggs are commonly used in contaminant monitoring programs and toxicological risk assessments, but intra-clutch variation and sampling methodology could influence interpretability. We examined the influence of egg laying sequence on egg mercury concentrations and burdens in American avocets, black-necked stilts, and Forster's terns. The average decline in mercury concentrations between the firAuthorsJoshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Mark P. Herzog, Julie L. Yee, C. Alex HartmanEffects of age, colony, and sex on mercury concentrations in California sea lions
We measured total mercury (THg) concentrations in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and examined how concentrations varied with age class, colony, and sex. Because Hg exposure is primarily via diet, we used nitrogen (δ 15N) and carbon (δ 13C) stable isotopes to determine if intraspecific differences in THg concentrations could be explained by feeding ecology. Blood and hair were collecAuthorsElizibeth A McHuron, Sarah H. Peterson, Joshua T. Ackerman, Sharon R. Melin, Jeffrey D. Harris, Daniel P. CostaArchiving California’s historical duck nesting data
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with the California Waterfowl Association (CWA) and other organizations, have compiled large datasets on the nesting ecology and management of dabbling ducks and associated upland nesting birds (Northern Harriers [Circus cyaneus], Short-eared Owls [Asio flammeus], Ring-necked Pheasants [Phasianus colchicus], and American Bitterns [Botaurus lentiginAuthorsJoshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Caroline Brady, John M. Eadie, Greg S. YarrisEvaluating hair as a predictor of blood mercury: the influence of ontogenetic phase and life history in pinnipeds
Mercury (Hg) biomonitoring of pinnipeds increasingly utilizes nonlethally collected tissues such as hair and blood. The relationship between total Hg concentrations ([THg]) in these tissues is not well understood for marine mammals, but it can be important for interpretation of tissue concentrations with respect to ecotoxicology and biomonitoring. We examined [THg] in blood and hair in multiple agAuthorsSarah H. Peterson, Elizabeth A. McHuron, Stephanie N. Kennedy, Joshua T. Ackerman, Lorrie D. Rea, J. Margaret Castellini, Todd M. O'Hara, Daniel P. CostaMarine foraging ecology influences mercury bioaccumulation in deep-diving northern elephant seals
Mercury contamination of oceans is prevalent worldwide and methylmercury concentrations in the mesopelagic zone (200–1000 m) are increasing more rapidly than in surface waters. Yet mercury bioaccumulation in mesopelagic predators has been understudied. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) biannually travel thousands of kilometres to forage within coastal and open-ocean regions of theAuthorsSarah H. Peterson, Joshua T. Ackerman, Daniel P. CostaUnintended consequences of management actions in salt pond restoration: cascading effects in trophic interactions
Salt evaporation ponds have played an important role as habitat for migratory waterbirds across the world, however, efforts to restore and manage these habitats to maximize their conservation value has proven to be challenging. For example, salinity reduction has been a goal for restoring and managing former salt evaporation ponds to support waterbirds in the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration ProjecAuthorsJohn Y. Takekawa, Joshua T. Ackerman, Arriana Brand, Tanya R. Graham, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Mark P. Herzog, Brent R. Topping, Gregory Shellenbarger, James S. Kuwabara, Eric Mruz, Sara L. Piotter, Nicole D. Athearn - Web Tools
- News
Filter Total Items: 17