John E. Elliott

Research Scientist - Wildlife Ecotoxicology Research

Current research and/or projects

Contributing to Environment Canada’s mandate to ensure wildlife is conserved and protected

Effects of persistent contaminants (persistent organic pollutants [POPs], heavy metals) on reproduction, survival and general health of wildlife top predators (raptors, waterbirds, seabirds and aquatic mustelids)
Impacts of agricultural chemicals, particularly anticholinesterase compounds, on birds and amphibians
Early developmental effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in birds
Patterns, spatial and temporal trends in bioaccumulation and trophodynamics of POPs and heavy metals in wildlife top predators
Population ecology of birds of prey

Professional activities / interests

Conducting and supervising ecotoxicological research in the field and supervising laboratory research investigations of contaminant exposure and effects in wildlife (currently 4 Ph.D., 2 M.Sc. students)

Expert panel membership, review and interpretation of data on behalf of Canadian and international agencies (e.g., expert advisor and panel member on a number of U.S. Natural Resource Damage Assessments)

Research grant and journal paper reviews and journal editorial board memberships (e.g., Editorial Board of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, Proposal Reviews for NSERC, North Pacific Research Board)

Organization of sessions and workshops at conferences (e.g., SETAC Europe ’10 (Seville, Spain), Session Organizer and Co-Chair for Wildlife Ecotoxicology sessions [platform and poster])

Education and awards

Citation of Excellence, science in support of regulation of the insecticide, MSMA, used for control of mountain pine beetle, 2008

Citation of Excellence for Outstanding Performance in the Field of Environmental Toxicology, Environment Canada, 2002

Citation of Excellence for Protecting the Environment and Wildlife from Harmful Pesticides, Environment Canada, 1993-94.

Steinberg Award for Academic Excellence, 1979

Key publications

Elliott, J.E. and C.A. Bishop. 2010. Cyclodienes and other organochlorine pesticides in birds. In Beyer WN, Meador J, eds, Environmental Contaminants in Wildlife -- Interpreting Tissue Concentrations. CRC Press, New York, NY, USA, pp 110-120.

Best, D.A., K.H. Elliott, W.W. Bowerman, M. Shieldcastle, S. Postupalsky, P.E.Nye, T.J. Kubiak, D.E. Tillitt and J.E. Elliott. 2010. Productivity, embryo and eggshell characteristics and contaminants in bald eagles from the Great Lakes, U.S.A. Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry 21:1581-1592.

Morrissey, C.A., J.E. Elliott and S.J. Ormerod. 2010. Local to Continental Influences on Nutrient and Contaminant Sources to River Birds. Environmental Science & Technology 44:1860-1867.

Cesh L., K.H. Elliott, M. McKinney, S. Quade, F. Maisonneuve, D.K. Garcelon, C.D. Sandau, R.J. Letcher, T.D. Williams and J.E. Elliott. 2010. Polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and Metabolites: Relation to Circulating Thyroid Hormone and Retinol in Nestling Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 29:1301-1310.

Albert C.A., P. Mineau, L.K. Wilson, S. Trudeau and J.E. Elliott. 2010. Rodenticide residues and autopsy data for three owl species from British Columbia, Canada. Archives Environmental Contamination and Toxicology 58:451-459.

Guertin, D.A., M. Ben-David, A. Harestad, K.G. Drouillard, and J.E. Elliott. 2009. Non-invasive fecal sampling links individual river otters to chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminant exposure. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 29:275-284.

Elliott, J.E., C.M. Morrissey, L.K. Wilson, P. Shaw, S. Lee and C.J. Henny. 2007. Use of satellite telemetry to track southward migration of Pacific Northwest ospreys and their exposure to contaminants on the wintering grounds. Ecological Applications 17:1223-1233.

Iwaniuk, A.N., D.T. Koperski, K.M. Cheng, J.E. Elliott, L.K. Smith, L.K. Wilson and D.R.W. Wylie. 2006. The effects of environmental exposure to DDT on the brain of a songbird: Changes in structure associated with mating and song. Behavioural Brain Research 173:1-10.

Elliott, J.E., L.K. Wilson and B. Wakeford. 2005. Polybrominated diphenyl ether trends in eggs of marine and freshwater birds from British Columbia, Canada, 1979-2002. Environmental Science and Technology 39:5584-5591.