Robert Fournier
@robfour.bsky.social
Ecologist, postdoc at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara. https://www.robertjfournier.com/
So excited to share our new paper out today in Ecological Applications @esajournals.bsky.social!
We used time-series modeling explore ecological risk for fishes and their prey in the San Francisco Estuary during key phenological windows that shape food web dynamics.
dx.doi.org/10.1002/eap....
We used time-series modeling explore ecological risk for fishes and their prey in the San Francisco Estuary during key phenological windows that shape food web dynamics.
dx.doi.org/10.1002/eap....
Phenology‐informed decline risk of estuarine fishes and their prey suggests potential for future trophic mismatches
Conservation scientists have long used population viability analysis (PVA) on species count data to quantify critical decline risk, thereby informing conservation actions. These assessments typically...
dx.doi.org
November 11, 2025 at 6:30 PM
So excited to share our new paper out today in Ecological Applications @esajournals.bsky.social!
We used time-series modeling explore ecological risk for fishes and their prey in the San Francisco Estuary during key phenological windows that shape food web dynamics.
dx.doi.org/10.1002/eap....
We used time-series modeling explore ecological risk for fishes and their prey in the San Francisco Estuary during key phenological windows that shape food web dynamics.
dx.doi.org/10.1002/eap....
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Billions of gallons of water flow daily through California’s water projects. In this National Academies Report we examined key actions to protect endangered fish & Bay-Delta ecosystems while considering human water needs nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/2913...
#WaterResources #CentralValleyProject
#WaterResources #CentralValleyProject
Review of the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the State Water Project
Read online, download a free PDF, or order a copy in print.
nap.nationalacademies.org
November 11, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Billions of gallons of water flow daily through California’s water projects. In this National Academies Report we examined key actions to protect endangered fish & Bay-Delta ecosystems while considering human water needs nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/2913...
#WaterResources #CentralValleyProject
#WaterResources #CentralValleyProject
At my first Western Society of Naturalists meeting presenting some of our work looking at sea otter restoration! Looking forward to introducing myself to a new scientific society and engaging with a new audience. Please reach out if you want to connect! #WSN2025
November 7, 2025 at 5:28 PM
At my first Western Society of Naturalists meeting presenting some of our work looking at sea otter restoration! Looking forward to introducing myself to a new scientific society and engaging with a new audience. Please reach out if you want to connect! #WSN2025
Reposted by Robert Fournier
How vulnerable are riparian trees to drought? Using groundwater and satellite data from a California waterhsed, our new paper found that trees by drying rivers lost up to 5 weeks of growing season, suggesting they’re nearing critical groundwater limits.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Groundwater and Remotely Sensed Phenology Reveal Vulnerability of Riparian Trees to Drought
We asked how vulnerable riparian trees are to droughts, examining their water use and growing season timing and duration via groundwater data and satellite imagery. Drought shortened the growing seas...
doi.org
October 27, 2025 at 4:16 PM
How vulnerable are riparian trees to drought? Using groundwater and satellite data from a California waterhsed, our new paper found that trees by drying rivers lost up to 5 weeks of growing season, suggesting they’re nearing critical groundwater limits.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Does tidal marsh #restoration "work", if the goal is bringing back key species AND the trophic interactions that support them? A thousand stable isotope samples later, we have answers! 💯 work by PhD student Megan Pagliaro:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #SanFrancisco #BayDelta
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #SanFrancisco #BayDelta
Does tidal marsh restoration lead to the recovery of trophic pathways that support estuarine fishes?
Evaluation of tidal marsh restoration success is typically based on the recovery of habitat size and target species. However, food-web structure may provide valuable insight into ecosystem functionin...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 12, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Does tidal marsh #restoration "work", if the goal is bringing back key species AND the trophic interactions that support them? A thousand stable isotope samples later, we have answers! 💯 work by PhD student Megan Pagliaro:
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #SanFrancisco #BayDelta
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #SanFrancisco #BayDelta
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Looking for a postdoc, and interested in river-coastal linkages, #remote sensing, and time series analysis? Come work with us @natureatcal.bsky.social on an exciting project led by @rachelspatial.bsky.social! CC @sfs-src.bsky.social @aslo.org @cerfscience.bsky.social @caseagrant.bsky.social
We're hiring! My lab is seeking a 2-yr Postdoc in 🌊 marine ecology + 🛰️ remote sensing. You'll work with a big team (including @albertruhi.bsky.social @cgerleinsafdi.bsky.social) to study the impacts of changing rainfall on marine freshwater plumes + coastal organisms. aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05114
Postdoc Scholar - Marine ecology – ESPM The Coastal Climate Resilience Lab - MCECO - ESPM Ecosystem Sciences Div - Carlson Lab
University of California, Berkeley is hiring. Apply now!
aprecruit.berkeley.edu
September 23, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Looking for a postdoc, and interested in river-coastal linkages, #remote sensing, and time series analysis? Come work with us @natureatcal.bsky.social on an exciting project led by @rachelspatial.bsky.social! CC @sfs-src.bsky.social @aslo.org @cerfscience.bsky.social @caseagrant.bsky.social
Reposted by Robert Fournier
So great to see our work on blue dasher dragonflies highlighted in the New York Times. Excellent piece by @cjgiaimo.bsky.social!
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/s...
Meet the Beautiful Dragonfly That Thrives in Your Pollution
www.nytimes.com
August 16, 2025 at 4:20 PM
So great to see our work on blue dasher dragonflies highlighted in the New York Times. Excellent piece by @cjgiaimo.bsky.social!
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/08/16/s...
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Read the full story here -> aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... Thanks to the the International Associated Laboratory "MacLife" for funding! CC @matbuoro.bsky.social @fishteph.bsky.social @natureatcal.bsky.social
Prolonged low flows and non‐native fish operate additively to alter insect emergence in mountain streams
You have to enable JavaScript in your browser's settings in order to use the eReader.
aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
July 31, 2025 at 1:21 AM
Read the full story here -> aslopubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.... Thanks to the the International Associated Laboratory "MacLife" for funding! CC @matbuoro.bsky.social @fishteph.bsky.social @natureatcal.bsky.social
Reposted by Robert Fournier
UC-Berkeley has an open-rank faculty position in our incredible Climate Equity and Environmental Justice (CEEJ) research cluster. It is an extraordinary interdisciplinary group working across multiple colleges and departments at the university! More information here: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04842
Assistant/Associate/Full Professor - Climate Equity and Environmental Justice - Rausser College of Natural Resources
University of California, Berkeley is hiring. Apply now!
aprecruit.berkeley.edu
July 12, 2025 at 12:02 AM
UC-Berkeley has an open-rank faculty position in our incredible Climate Equity and Environmental Justice (CEEJ) research cluster. It is an extraordinary interdisciplinary group working across multiple colleges and departments at the university! More information here: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04842
Reposted by Robert Fournier
👥 10 students.
🌎 1 mission: a healthier planet.
Meet the 2025 Benioff Scholars—driving real-world solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
🌎 1 mission: a healthier planet.
Meet the 2025 Benioff Scholars—driving real-world solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
June 25, 2025 at 4:41 PM
👥 10 students.
🌎 1 mission: a healthier planet.
Meet the 2025 Benioff Scholars—driving real-world solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
🌎 1 mission: a healthier planet.
Meet the 2025 Benioff Scholars—driving real-world solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
Reposted by Robert Fournier
An international, interdisciplinary group focused on advancing seaweed research, cultivation, and application gathered at UC Berkeley in early May for the inaugural workshop of the International Bioeconomy and Macroalgae Center.
Conference fosters connection in growing seaweed industry
The inaugural workshop of the International Bioeconomy and Macroalgae Center convened an international, interdisciplinary group to focus on advancing seaweed research, cultivation, and application.
nature.berkeley.edu
June 6, 2025 at 4:04 PM
An international, interdisciplinary group focused on advancing seaweed research, cultivation, and application gathered at UC Berkeley in early May for the inaugural workshop of the International Bioeconomy and Macroalgae Center.
Reposted by Robert Fournier
This threat represents an immeasurable loss to community-driven research and to the training pipeline for the next generation of collaborative conservation leaders
USGS’ biological research arm could vanish next week www.hcn.org/articles/usg... via @highcountrynews.org
USGS’ biological research arm could vanish next week - High Country News
Trump is on a multipronged mission to eliminate a science agency that conservationists, toxicologists, universities and more call irreplaceable.
www.hcn.org
May 22, 2025 at 7:18 PM
This threat represents an immeasurable loss to community-driven research and to the training pipeline for the next generation of collaborative conservation leaders
Reposted by Robert Fournier
New collaborative paper out in Ecology - subsidy timing matters in producing intraspecific life-history diversity; Led by Rui Ueda at Kyoto University esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Seasonal timing of ecosystem linkage mediates life‐history variation in a salmonid fish population
Life-history variation can contribute to the long-term persistence of populations; however, it remains unclear which environmental factors drive life-history variation within a population. Seasonally...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
May 19, 2025 at 11:13 AM
New collaborative paper out in Ecology - subsidy timing matters in producing intraspecific life-history diversity; Led by Rui Ueda at Kyoto University esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Professors at USGS coop units were absolutely critical parts of my education at 3 different universities. They're probably affiliated with more useful conservation research than any other agency on earth. Join the rally to defend science next week!
🌎🐟🦉🐍🦊🌿🧪 #hydrology #Invert mobilize.us/s/JyAqUI
🌎🐟🦉🐍🦊🌿🧪 #hydrology #Invert mobilize.us/s/JyAqUI
Virtual Rally to Save the Cornerstone of Conservation Science · National Wildlife Federation
We need YOU as we rally in support of _critical_ federal government services at risk of being lost forever. The U.S. Geological Survey Ecosystems Mission Area is responsible for many of the programs t...
mobilize.us
May 15, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Professors at USGS coop units were absolutely critical parts of my education at 3 different universities. They're probably affiliated with more useful conservation research than any other agency on earth. Join the rally to defend science next week!
🌎🐟🦉🐍🦊🌿🧪 #hydrology #Invert mobilize.us/s/JyAqUI
🌎🐟🦉🐍🦊🌿🧪 #hydrology #Invert mobilize.us/s/JyAqUI
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Racist and sexist roots in the cancellation of NSF grants under Trump:
Grants with female PIs canceled 2x more than men
Grants with Black PIs canceled 4x over White PIs
Grants with Hispanic PIs canceled 2x over White PIs
Grants with PIs with disabilities canceled 2x more than without
Grants with female PIs canceled 2x more than men
Grants with Black PIs canceled 4x over White PIs
Grants with Hispanic PIs canceled 2x over White PIs
Grants with PIs with disabilities canceled 2x more than without
Another scoop from Jeff Mervis (@policyhound.bsky.social): NSF's ~1400 grant terminations have disproportionately affected PIs from groups underrepresented in science: women, racial & ethnic minorities, & those with disabilities. 1/3
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Trump officials take steps toward a radically different NSF
Efforts to shrink staff, budget, and focus have alarmed members of Congress
www.science.org
May 13, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Racist and sexist roots in the cancellation of NSF grants under Trump:
Grants with female PIs canceled 2x more than men
Grants with Black PIs canceled 4x over White PIs
Grants with Hispanic PIs canceled 2x over White PIs
Grants with PIs with disabilities canceled 2x more than without
Grants with female PIs canceled 2x more than men
Grants with Black PIs canceled 4x over White PIs
Grants with Hispanic PIs canceled 2x over White PIs
Grants with PIs with disabilities canceled 2x more than without
Reposted by Robert Fournier
The result of nearly two decades of work, my coauthors and I have just described two new crayfish species from western North America: introducing the Misfortunate Crayfish and Okanagan Crayfish (doi.org/10.11646/zoo...). More to follow soon, but it should be open access - message if you need a PDF.
Genome skimming supports two new crayfish species from the genus Pacifastacus Bott, 1950 (Decapoda: Astacidae)
| Zootaxa
doi.org
May 8, 2025 at 1:55 PM
The result of nearly two decades of work, my coauthors and I have just described two new crayfish species from western North America: introducing the Misfortunate Crayfish and Okanagan Crayfish (doi.org/10.11646/zoo...). More to follow soon, but it should be open access - message if you need a PDF.
Reposted by Robert Fournier
A colleague at Stanford’s business school used The Stanford Daily to argue—poorly—against DEI. The piece was riddled with historical errors and left one searching for fact, so I broke my public writing hiatus to respond.
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
What DEI threatens isn’t merit. It’s monopoly.
Political science professor Hakeem Jefferson argues for DEI's importance to de-monopolizing universities.
stanforddaily.com
April 23, 2025 at 12:23 AM
A colleague at Stanford’s business school used The Stanford Daily to argue—poorly—against DEI. The piece was riddled with historical errors and left one searching for fact, so I broke my public writing hiatus to respond.
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
I hope you’ll read and share the piece.
stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/w...
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Happy about this one, skillfully led by Adrianne Smits & w/ many great coauthors!-> "Despite substantial increases in the volume of #freshwater data collected worldwide, many regions and ecosystems still lack sufficient data collection and access."
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Too much and not enough data: Challenges and solutions for generating information in freshwater research and monitoring
Evaluating progress toward achieving freshwater conservation and sustainability goals requires transforming diverse types of data into useful information for scientists, managers, and other interest ...
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
March 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Happy about this one, skillfully led by Adrianne Smits & w/ many great coauthors!-> "Despite substantial increases in the volume of #freshwater data collected worldwide, many regions and ecosystems still lack sufficient data collection and access."
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Robert Fournier
📢 GLOSSAQUA is out in Ecology @esajournals.bsky.social. Big collaboration w/40+ coauthors led by myself, @chaevangelista.bsky.social & @ignasiarranz.bsky.social. It compiles global size spectra parameters from aquatic ecosystems globally👉: doi.org/10.1002/ecy.... #datapaper #aquaticecology 🌍🧪🧵(1/4)
March 24, 2025 at 4:24 PM
📢 GLOSSAQUA is out in Ecology @esajournals.bsky.social. Big collaboration w/40+ coauthors led by myself, @chaevangelista.bsky.social & @ignasiarranz.bsky.social. It compiles global size spectra parameters from aquatic ecosystems globally👉: doi.org/10.1002/ecy.... #datapaper #aquaticecology 🌍🧪🧵(1/4)
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Looking for a quantitative ecology #postdoc? Check out this opening on time-series modeling of estuarine food webs - based in my group @natureatcal.bsky.social, in collaboration w/ State agency scientists. Apply ASAP - review of applications starts Apr 4. More info: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04818
Postdoc Employee – Quantitative ecology – ESPM: Organisms & The Environment
University of California, Berkeley is hiring. Apply now!
aprecruit.berkeley.edu
March 22, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Looking for a quantitative ecology #postdoc? Check out this opening on time-series modeling of estuarine food webs - based in my group @natureatcal.bsky.social, in collaboration w/ State agency scientists. Apply ASAP - review of applications starts Apr 4. More info: aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF04818
Reposted by Robert Fournier
University of California announced a systemwide hiring freeze. This affects not 1 but 10 campuses (including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, UC San Diego among others) plus 3 national labs with impact on medical and scientific research and local economies.
www.reuters.com/world/us/uni...
www.reuters.com/world/us/uni...
University of California sets hiring freeze in anticipation of Trump cuts
The University of California has imposed a system-wide hiring freeze and made additional cuts, its president said on Wednesday, as part of efforts to try to mitigate the impact of sharp cuts in federal funding.
www.reuters.com
March 19, 2025 at 10:13 PM
University of California announced a systemwide hiring freeze. This affects not 1 but 10 campuses (including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, UC San Diego among others) plus 3 national labs with impact on medical and scientific research and local economies.
www.reuters.com/world/us/uni...
www.reuters.com/world/us/uni...
Reposted by Robert Fournier
As a USGS Coop Alum (PhD at the Arkansas Unit) this is incredibly alarming. These units are key engines of applied research and training of the next generation of scientists, biologists and land managers.
My peers are now leaders across state and federal agencies, non profits and universities.
My peers are now leaders across state and federal agencies, non profits and universities.
The Cooperative Wildlife Research Units are under threat.
#WildlifeScience #EcologyandConservation
www.jsonline.com/story/sports...
#WildlifeScience #EcologyandConservation
www.jsonline.com/story/sports...
Concerns raised over potential cuts to federal fish, wildlife and co-op programs in Wisconsin
Concerns are being raised over potential federal job cuts to U.S. Geological Survey wildlife health and co-op programs in Wisconsin.
www.jsonline.com
February 26, 2025 at 2:46 PM
As a USGS Coop Alum (PhD at the Arkansas Unit) this is incredibly alarming. These units are key engines of applied research and training of the next generation of scientists, biologists and land managers.
My peers are now leaders across state and federal agencies, non profits and universities.
My peers are now leaders across state and federal agencies, non profits and universities.
Reposted by Robert Fournier
Delighted to share our new paper in Ecology Letters:
Variation in Salmon Migration Phenology Bolsters Population Dynamics but is Threatened by Drought.
With @fishteph.bsky.social, Ted Grantham, and Mariska Obedzinski.
#rivers #fishes #salmon
🧪🐟
🧵(1/8)
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
Variation in Salmon Migration Phenology Bolsters Population Dynamics but is Threatened by Drought.
With @fishteph.bsky.social, Ted Grantham, and Mariska Obedzinski.
#rivers #fishes #salmon
🧪🐟
🧵(1/8)
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
Variation in Salmon Migration Phenology Bolsters Population Stability but Is Threatened by Drought
We show that intrapopulation variation in juvenile movement and rearing strategies enhances population stability in endangered coho salmon near their southern range limit. However, variation in reari...
doi.org
February 25, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Delighted to share our new paper in Ecology Letters:
Variation in Salmon Migration Phenology Bolsters Population Dynamics but is Threatened by Drought.
With @fishteph.bsky.social, Ted Grantham, and Mariska Obedzinski.
#rivers #fishes #salmon
🧪🐟
🧵(1/8)
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
Variation in Salmon Migration Phenology Bolsters Population Dynamics but is Threatened by Drought.
With @fishteph.bsky.social, Ted Grantham, and Mariska Obedzinski.
#rivers #fishes #salmon
🧪🐟
🧵(1/8)
doi.org/10.1111/ele....
Reposted by Robert Fournier
A 12-year-long study led by @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social and @caseagrant.bsky.social researchers finds that the alternative life histories of coho salmon have made their populations more stable. Read more at the Stone Center for Environmental Stewardship site. nature.berkeley.edu/stewardship/...
Diversity in Coho Salmon Could Be Key to Species Survival
The Russian River estuary just downstream of the confluence with Willow Creek. New research published today in Ecology Letters from the Stone Center found that coho salmon, one of five Pacific salmon...
nature.berkeley.edu
February 24, 2025 at 7:54 PM
A 12-year-long study led by @ucberkeleyofficial.bsky.social and @caseagrant.bsky.social researchers finds that the alternative life histories of coho salmon have made their populations more stable. Read more at the Stone Center for Environmental Stewardship site. nature.berkeley.edu/stewardship/...