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
Season, molt, and body size influence mercury concentrations in grebes
Evaluation of Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) and snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) nesting on modified islands at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California—2016 Annual Report
A critical evaluation of the utility of eggshells for estimating mercury concentrations in avian eggs
Mercury exposure may influence fluctuating asymmetry in waterbirds
Mercury bioaccumulation in estuarine fishes: Novel insights from sulfur stable isotopes
Spatiotemporal patterns of duck nest density and predation risk: a multi-scale analysis of 18 years and more than 10,000 nests
Mercury contamination and stable isotopes reveal variability in foraging ecology of generalist California gulls
Prediction of fish and sediment mercury in streams using landscape variables and historical mining
Habitat selection by Forster's Terns (Sterna forsteri) at multiple spatial scales in an urbanized estuary: The importance of salt ponds
Mercury and methylmercury in aquatic sediment across western North America
Reservoirs and water management influence fish mercury concentrations in the western United States and Canada
Island characteristics within wetlands influence waterbird nest success and abundance
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Season, molt, and body size influence mercury concentrations in grebes
We studied seasonal and physiological influences on mercury concentrations in western grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis) and Clark's grebes (A. occidentalis) across 29 lakes and reservoirs in California, USA. Additionally, at three of these lakes, we conducted a time series study, in which we repeatedly sampled grebe blood mercury concentrations during the spring, summer, and early fall. Grebe bloAuthorsC. Alex Hartman, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Collin A. Eagles-SmithEvaluation of Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) and snowy plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) nesting on modified islands at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California—2016 Annual Report
Executive SummaryIn order to address the 2008/10 and Supplemental 2014 NOAA Fisheries Biological Opinion for operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) developed and have begun implementation of Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia) management plans. This implementation includes redistribution of the CaspiaAuthorsC. Alex Hartman, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog, Cheryl Strong, David Trachtenbarg, Crystal A. ShoreA critical evaluation of the utility of eggshells for estimating mercury concentrations in avian eggs
Eggshells are a potential tool for non-lethally sampling contaminant concentrations in bird eggs, yet few studies have examined their utility to represent mercury exposure. We assessed mercury concentrations in eggshell components for 23 bird species and determined whether they correlated with total mercury (THg) in egg contents. We designed a multi-experiment analysis to examine how THg is partitAuthorsSarah H. Peterson, Joshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, C. Alex Hartman, Mark P. HerzogMercury exposure may influence fluctuating asymmetry in waterbirds
Variation in avian bilateral symmetry can be an indicator of developmental instability in response to a variety of stressors, including environmental contaminants. The authors used composite measures of fluctuating asymmetry to examine the influence of mercury concentrations in 2 tissues on fluctuating asymmetry within 4 waterbird species. Fluctuating asymmetry increased with mercury concentrationAuthorsGarth Herring, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Joshua T. AckermanMercury bioaccumulation in estuarine fishes: Novel insights from sulfur stable isotopes
Estuaries are transitional habitats characterized by complex biogeochemical and ecological gradients that result in substantial variation in fish total mercury concentrations (THg). We leveraged these gradients and used carbon (δ13C), nitrogen (δ15N), and sulfur (δ34S) stable isotopes to examine the ecological and biogeochemical processes underlying THg bioaccumulation in fishes from the San FrancAuthorsJames J. Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Joshua T. AckermanSpatiotemporal patterns of duck nest density and predation risk: a multi-scale analysis of 18 years and more than 10,000 nests
Many avian species are behaviorally-plastic in selecting nest sites, and may shift to new locations or habitats following an unsuccessful breeding attempt. If there is predictable spatial variation in predation risk, the process of many individuals using prior experience to adaptively change nest sites may scale up to create shifting patterns of nest density at a population level. We used 18 yearsAuthorsKevin M. Ringelman, John M. Eadie, Joshua T. Ackerman, Andrew Sih, Daniel L. Loughman, Gregory S. Yarris, Shaun L. Oldenburger, M. Robert McLandressMercury contamination and stable isotopes reveal variability in foraging ecology of generalist California gulls
Environmental contaminants are a concern for animal health, but contaminant exposure can also be used as a tracer of foraging ecology. In particular, mercury (Hg) concentrations are highly variable among aquatic and terrestrial food webs as a result of habitat- and site-specific biogeochemical processes that produce the bioaccumulative form, methylmercury (MeHg). We used stable isotopes and totalAuthorsSarah H. Peterson, Joshua T. Ackerman, Collin A. Eagles-SmithPrediction of fish and sediment mercury in streams using landscape variables and historical mining
Widespread mercury (Hg) contamination of aquatic systems in the Sierra Nevada of California, U.S., is associated with historical use to enhance gold (Au) recovery by amalgamation. In areas affected by historical Au mining operations, including the western slope of the Sierra Nevada and downstream areas in northern California, such as San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento River–San Joaquin River DelAuthorsCharles N. Alpers, Julie L. Yee, Joshua T. Ackerman, James L. Orlando, Darrell G. Slotton, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasqualeHabitat selection by Forster's Terns (Sterna forsteri) at multiple spatial scales in an urbanized estuary: The importance of salt ponds
The highly urbanized San Francisco Bay Estuary, California, USA, is currently undergoing large-scale habitat restoration, and several thousand hectares of former salt evaporation ponds are being converted to tidal marsh. To identify potential effects of this habitat restoration on breeding waterbirds, habitat selection of radiotagged Forster's Terns (Sterna forsteri) was examined at multiple spatiAuthorsJill Bluso-Demers, Joshua T. Ackerman, John Y. Takekawa, Sarah H. PetersonMercury and methylmercury in aquatic sediment across western North America
Large-scale assessments are valuable in identifying primary factors controlling total mercury (THg) and monomethyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations, and distribution in aquatic ecosystems. Bed sediment THg and MeHg concentrations were compiled for > 16,000 samples collected from aquatic habitats throughout the West between 1965 and 2013. The influence of aquatic feature type (canals, estuaries, lakesAuthorsJacob Fleck, Mark C. Marvin-DiPasquale, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Joshua T. Ackerman, Michelle A. Lutz, Michael T. Tate, Charles N. Alpers, Britt D. Hall, David P. Krabbenhoft, Chris S. EckleyByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, California Water Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis, Upper Midwest Water Science Center, Mercury Research LaboratoryReservoirs and water management influence fish mercury concentrations in the western United States and Canada
Anthropogenic manipulation of aquatic habitats can profoundly alter mercury (Hg) cycling and bioaccumulation. The impoundment of fluvial systems is among the most common habitat manipulations and is known to increase fish Hg concentrations immediately following impoundment. However, it is not well understood how Hg concentrations differ between reservoirs and lakes at large spatial and temporal scAuthorsJames J. Willacker, Collin A. Eagles-Smith, Michelle A. Lutz, Michael T. Tate, Jesse M. Lepak, Joshua T. AckermanIsland characteristics within wetlands influence waterbird nest success and abundance
Coastal waterbird populations are threatened by habitat loss and degradation from urban and agricultural development and forecasted sea level rise associated with climate change. Remaining wetlands often must be managed to ensure that waterbird habitat needs, and other ecosystem functions, are met. For many waterbirds, the availability of island nesting habitat is important for conserving breedingAuthorsC. Alex Hartman, Joshua T. Ackerman, Mark P. Herzog - Web Tools
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