Jim Hobbs

October 22, 2016 Malte

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Dr. James A. Hobbs is a distinguished environmental scientist with over 20 years of experience specializing in the ecology and conservation of fish populations. His research career has been defined by pioneering work in otolith geochemistry, where he has developed cutting-edge techniques such as laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to analyze trace elements and isotopes in fish otoliths. This innovative approach has enabled Dr. Hobbs to reconstruct the migratory histories, age structures, and habitat use patterns for Delta Smelt, Longfin Smelt, Sacramento Splittail, Green Sturgeon, White Sturgeon, Steelhead Trout, Chinook Salmon in the Central Valley and San Francisco Estuary, providing invaluable data for fisheries management, habitat restoration, and conservation strategies.

Dr. Hobbs’s research has also focused on long-term monitoring of tidal wetland restorations in South San Francisco Bay. In the Alviso Marsh, his research has been documenting the recovery of former industrial salt ponds to tidal brackish marsh supporting a number of estuarine species including the endangered Longfin Smelt. As an Environmental Program Manager at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, he oversaw one of the longest-running environmental monitoring programs in California, guiding a team of scientists in the design and execution of comprehensive field surveys that assess spatiotemporal variations in fish distributions throughout San Francisco Bay.

In addition to his technical expertise, Dr. Hobbs is a prolific author with numerous publications in high-impact journals, including Ecology, Fisheries, Marine Ecology Progress Series and Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. His work is characterized by a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration, integrating genetics, toxicology, and population modeling to address complex ecological questions.

Beyond his research and mentorship, Dr. Hobbs is an advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the scientific community. He actively participates in initiatives aimed at increasing representation and inclusivity in environmental science, and he engages with diverse communities to ensure that his research benefits a broad spectrum of stakeholders.

Dr. Hobbs’s career reflects a deep commitment to advancing both the science and practice of fish conservation, with a particular focus on the challenges and opportunities presented by the dynamic and changing ecosystems of the San Francisco Estuary.

jahobbs@ucdavis.edu
hobbsja@gmail.com

Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts

No.	Year	Species	Citation	Link
8	2023	Longfin Smelt	VD Tobias, E Chen, J Hobbs, M Eakin and S Detwiler. Informing extinction risk: Summarizing population viability through a meta-analysis of multiple long-term monitoring programs for a declining estuarine fish species. Biological Conservation	Informing extinction risk: Summarizing population viability through a meta-analysis of multiple long-term monitoring programs for a declining estuarine fish species Estuaries and Coasts
7	2023	Multiple Species	DK Stompe, PB Moyle, KL Oken, JA Hobbs and JR Durand. A Spatiotemporal History of Key Pelagic Fish Species in the San Francisco Estuary, CA. Estuaries and Coasts .	A Spatiotemporal History of Key Pelagic Fish Species in the San Francisco Estuary, CA. Estuaries and Coasts
6	2023	Pacific Herring	N Pak, DD Columbano, T Greiner, JA Hobbs, SM Carlson and A Ruhi. Disentangling abiotic and biotic controls of age‐0 Pacific herring population stability across the San Francisco Estuary. Ecosphere .	Disentangling abiotic and biotic controls of age‐0 Pacific herring population stability across the San Francisco Estuary
5	2023	Multiple Species	D Lin, C Hamilton, J Hobbs, E Miller and R Sutton. Triclosan and Methyl Triclosan in Prey Fish in a Wastewater-Influenced Estuary. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry .	Triclosan and Methyl Triclosan in Prey Fish in a Wastewater-Influenced Estuary
4	2022	Multiple Species	DD Colombano, ST Carlson, JA Hobbs, A Ruhi. Four decades of climatic fluctuations and fish recruitment stability across a marine‐freshwater gradient. Global Change Biology .	Four decades of climatic fluctuations and fish recruitment stability across a marine‐freshwater gradient
3	2021	Emerald Rockcod	AW Naslund, BE Davis, JA Hobbs, NA Fangue and AE Todham. Warming, not CO2-acidified seawater, alters otolith development of juvenile Antarctic emerald rockcod (Trematomus bernacchii). Polar Biology .	Warming, not CO2-acidified seawater, alters otolith development of juvenile Antarctic emerald rockcod (Trematomus bernacchii)
2	2021	Multiple	TL Tempel, TD Malinich, J Burns, A Barros, CE Burdi and JA Hobbs. The value of long-term monitoring of the San Francisco Estuary for delta smelt and longfin smelt. California Fish and Game Journal .	The value of long-term monitoring of the San Francisco Estuary for delta smelt and longfin smelt
1	2021	Largemouth Bass	BM Hunstman, FF Feyrer, MJ Young, JA Hobbs, S Acuna, JE Kirsch, B Mahardja and SJ Teh. Recruitment dynamics of non-native largemouth bass within the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences .	Recruitment dynamics of non-native largemouth bass within the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta