World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
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James J. Elser
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Ecology and Evolution
USA
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
109
Citations
65109
World Ranking
182
National Ranking
77

James J. Elser publications per year

1983: 1 publications 1984: 0 publications 1985: 2 publications 1986: 4 publications 1987: 4 publications 1988: 3 publications 1989: 2 publications 1990: 4 publications 1991: 1 publications 1992: 3 publications 1993: 6 publications 1994: 4 publications 1995: 10 publications 1996: 4 publications 1997: 5 publications 1998: 4 publications 1999: 6 publications 2000: 12 publications 2001: 3 publications 2002: 18 publications 2003: 22 publications 2004: 14 publications 2005: 9 publications 2006: 16 publications 2007: 9 publications 2008: 7 publications 2009: 11 publications 2010: 20 publications 2011: 16 publications 2012: 15 publications 2013: 12 publications 2014: 13 publications 2015: 25 publications 2016: 15 publications 2017: 11 publications 2018: 16 publications 2019: 13 publications 2020: 19 publications 2021: 10 publications 2022: 14 publications 2023: 9 publications 2024: 8 publications 2025: 14 publications
1983 2025

414 publications in total across all disciplines

James J. Elser publication distribution in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Ecology and Evolution in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where James J. Elser sits on this spectrum.

37–41 publications: 2 scientists 42–46 publications: 9 scientists 47–51 publications: 10 scientists 52–56 publications: 31 scientists 57–61 publications: 56 scientists 62–66 publications: 91 scientists 67–71 publications: 92 scientists 72–76 publications: 127 scientists 77–81 publications: 173 scientists 82–86 publications: 236 scientists 87–91 publications: 227 scientists 92–96 publications: 240 scientists 97–101 publications: 333 scientists 102–106 publications: 280 scientists 107–111 publications: 300 scientists 112–116 publications: 285 scientists 117–121 publications: 305 scientists 122–126 publications: 287 scientists 127–131 publications: 278 scientists 132–136 publications: 289 scientists 137–141 publications: 273 scientists 142–146 publications: 262 scientists 147–151 publications: 246 scientists 152–156 publications: 235 scientists 157–161 publications: 205 scientists 162–166 publications: 199 scientists 167–171 publications: 174 scientists 172–176 publications: 164 scientists 177–181 publications: 173 scientists 182–186 publications: 189 scientists 187–191 publications: 170 scientists 192–196 publications: 139 scientists 197–201 publications: 128 scientists 202–206 publications: 117 scientists 207–211 publications: 115 scientists 212–216 publications: 107 scientists 217–221 publications: 124 scientists 222–226 publications: 81 scientists 227–231 publications: 82 scientists 232–236 publications: 85 scientists 237–241 publications: 75 scientists 242–246 publications: 66 scientists 247–251 publications: 81 scientists 252–256 publications: 69 scientists 257–261 publications: 70 scientists 262–266 publications: 55 scientists 267–271 publications: 64 scientists 272–276 publications: 49 scientists 277–281 publications: 48 scientists 282–286 publications: 44 scientists 287–291 publications: 45 scientists 292–296 publications: 36 scientists 297–301 publications: 39 scientists 302–306 publications: 38 scientists 307–311 publications: 30 scientists 312–316 publications: 34 scientists 317–321 publications: 25 scientists 322–326 publications: 22 scientists 327–331 publications: 28 scientists 332–336 publications: 30 scientists 337–341 publications: 22 scientists 342–346 publications: 30 scientists 347–351 publications: 26 scientists 352–356 publications: 22 scientists 357–361 publications: 29 scientists 362–366 publications: 21 scientists 367–371 publications: 12 scientists 372–376 publications: 18 scientists 377–381 publications: 17 scientists 382–386 publications: 13 scientists 387–391 publications: 21 scientists 392–396 publications: 13 scientists 397–401 publications: 10 scientists 402–406 publications: 15 scientists 407–411 publications: 8 scientists 412–416 publications: 9 scientists 417–421 publications: 8 scientists 422–426 publications: 4 scientists 427–431 publications: 10 scientists 432–436 publications: 10 scientists 437–441 publications: 5 scientists 442–446 publications: 4 scientists 447–451 publications: 10 scientists 452–456 publications: 2 scientists 457–461 publications: 4 scientists 462–466 publications: 7 scientists 467–471 publications: 7 scientists 472–476 publications: 6 scientists 477–481 publications: 6 scientists 482–486 publications: 3 scientists 487–491 publications: 3 scientists 492–496 publications: 4 scientists 497–501 publications: 4 scientists 502–506 publications: 8 scientists 507–511 publications: 5 scientists 512–516 publications: 4 scientists 517–521 publications: 5 scientists 522–526 publications: 4 scientists 527–530 publications: 5 scientists 531+ publications: 100 scientists
37 publications 531+

This scientist: 370 publications — 96th percentile

96% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 531 publications or more.

James J. Elser D-index placement in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Ecology and Evolution scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where James J. Elser sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 95 scientists 31 D-Index: 123 scientists 32 D-Index: 191 scientists 33 D-Index: 245 scientists 34 D-Index: 252 scientists 35 D-Index: 244 scientists 36 D-Index: 249 scientists 37 D-Index: 244 scientists 38 D-Index: 254 scientists 39 D-Index: 254 scientists 40 D-Index: 280 scientists 41 D-Index: 274 scientists 42 D-Index: 266 scientists 43 D-Index: 233 scientists 44 D-Index: 248 scientists 45 D-Index: 208 scientists 46 D-Index: 201 scientists 47 D-Index: 213 scientists 48 D-Index: 207 scientists 49 D-Index: 172 scientists 50 D-Index: 209 scientists 51 D-Index: 199 scientists 52 D-Index: 153 scientists 53 D-Index: 169 scientists 54 D-Index: 163 scientists 55 D-Index: 148 scientists 56 D-Index: 120 scientists 57 D-Index: 146 scientists 58 D-Index: 137 scientists 59 D-Index: 140 scientists 60 D-Index: 104 scientists 61 D-Index: 119 scientists 62 D-Index: 118 scientists 63 D-Index: 99 scientists 64 D-Index: 77 scientists 65 D-Index: 100 scientists 66 D-Index: 86 scientists 67 D-Index: 83 scientists 68 D-Index: 75 scientists 69 D-Index: 94 scientists 70 D-Index: 57 scientists 71 D-Index: 68 scientists 72 D-Index: 59 scientists 73 D-Index: 63 scientists 74 D-Index: 66 scientists 75 D-Index: 60 scientists 76 D-Index: 42 scientists 77 D-Index: 49 scientists 78 D-Index: 39 scientists 79 D-Index: 37 scientists 80 D-Index: 43 scientists 81 D-Index: 41 scientists 82 D-Index: 45 scientists 83 D-Index: 34 scientists 84 D-Index: 40 scientists 85 D-Index: 35 scientists 86 D-Index: 55 scientists 87 D-Index: 24 scientists 88 D-Index: 24 scientists 89 D-Index: 30 scientists 90 D-Index: 23 scientists 91 D-Index: 25 scientists 92 D-Index: 27 scientists 93 D-Index: 27 scientists 94 D-Index: 13 scientists 95 D-Index: 23 scientists 96 D-Index: 12 scientists 97 D-Index: 14 scientists 98 D-Index: 19 scientists 99 D-Index: 16 scientists 100 D-Index: 14 scientists 101 D-Index: 5 scientists 102 D-Index: 21 scientists 103 D-Index: 16 scientists 104 D-Index: 10 scientists 105 D-Index: 7 scientists 106 D-Index: 7 scientists 107 D-Index: 7 scientists 108 D-Index: 6 scientists 109 D-Index: 9 scientists 110 D-Index: 11 scientists 111 D-Index: 12 scientists 112 D-Index: 9 scientists 113 D-Index: 7 scientists 114 D-Index: 3 scientists 115 D-Index: 8 scientists 116 D-Index: 5 scientists 117 D-Index: 11 scientists 118 D-Index: 4 scientists 119 D-Index: 2 scientists 120 D-Index: 5 scientists 121+ D-Index: 100 scientists
30 D-Index 121+

This scientist: 109 D-Index — 98th percentile

98% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 121 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in United States Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in United States Leader Award
  • 2019 - Member of the National Academy of Sciences

Overview

James J. Elser is affiliated with the University of Montana in the United States. Their research focuses primarily on environmental science, with significant contributions in ecology, environmental chemistry, atmospheric science, industrial and manufacturing engineering, and oceanography.

Elser's work extensively covers the dynamics of aquatic ecosystems and phytoplankton, soil and water nutrient cycles, cryospheric studies, marine and coastal ecosystems, polar research and ecology, phosphorus and nutrient management, and microbial community ecology and physiology.

Frequent publication venues for their research include:

  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
  • Ecology Letters
  • Limnology and Oceanography
  • Aquatic Sciences
  • Biogeochemistry

Recent publications by Elser include:

  • "Water Depth Underpins the Relative Roles and Fates of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Lakes" (2020, Environmental Science & Technology)
  • "Improvement in municipal wastewater treatment alters lake nitrogen to phosphorus ratios in populated regions" (2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)
  • "Effects of grassland degradation on ecological stoichiometry of soil ecosystems on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau" (2020, The Science of The Total Environment)
  • "Aeolian dust transport, cycle and influences in high-elevation cryosphere of the Tibetan Plateau region: New evidences from alpine snow and ice" (2020, Earth-Science Reviews)
  • "Key rules of life and the fading cryosphere: Impacts in alpine lakes and streams" (2020, Global Change Biology)

Elser collaborates frequently with several researchers, including Ze Ren, Decao Niu, Pablo Almela, Trinity L. Hamilton, and Hua Fu.

In 2019, Elser was recognized as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Best Publications

  • Ecological Stoichiometry: The Biology of Elements from Molecules to the Biosphere

    Robert Warner Sterner;James J. Elser

  • Global analysis of nitrogen and phosphorus limitation of primary producers in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

    James J. Elser;Matthew E.S. Bracken;Elsa E. Cleland;Daniel S. Gruner

  • TRY - a global database of plant traits

    J. Kattge;S. Díaz;S. Lavorel;I. C. Prentice

  • The Global Carbon Cycle: A Test of Our Knowledge of Earth as a System

    P. Falkowski;R. J. Scholes;E. Boyle;J. Canadell

  • Nutritional constraints in terrestrial and freshwater food webs

    James J. Elser;William F. Fagan;Robert F. Denno;Dean R. Dobberfuhl;Dean R. Dobberfuhl

  • TRY plant trait database : Enhanced coverage and open access

    Jens Kattge;Gerhard Bönisch;Sandra Díaz;Sandra Lavorel

  • Biological stoichiometry from genes to ecosystems.

    James Elser;R. W. Sterner;E. Gorokhova;W. F. Fagan

  • Organism size, life history, and N:P stoichiometry

    James J. Elser;Dean R. Dobberfuhl;Neil A. MacKay;John H. Schampel

  • Nutrient co-limitation of primary producer communities

    W. Stanley Harpole;Jacqueline T. Ngai;Elsa E. Cleland;Eric W. Seabloom

  • REGULATION OF LAKE PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY BY FOOD WEB STRUCTURE

    S. R. Carpenter;J. F. Kitchell;J. R. Hodgson;P. A. Cochran

  • Growth rate–stoichiometry couplings in diverse biota

    J. J. Elser;K. Acharya;M. Kyle;James B Cotner

  • Biological stoichiometry of plant production: metabolism, scaling and ecological response to global change

    James Elser;W. F. Fagan;A. J. Kerkhoff;N. G. Swenson

  • Beyond the Plankton Ecology Group (PEG) Model : Mechanisms Driving Plankton Succession

    Ulrich Sommer;Rita Adrian;Lisette N. de Senerpont Domis;James J. Elser

  • Shifts in Lake N:P Stoichiometry and Nutrient Limitation Driven by Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition

    James J. Elser;Tom Andersen;Jill S. Baron;Ann Kristin Bergström

  • Phosphorus and nitrogen limitation of phytoplankton growth in the freshwaters of North America : a review and critique of experimental enrichments

    James J. Elser;Erich R. Marzolf;Charles R. Goldman

  • Phosphorus cycle: A broken biogeochemical cycle

    James Elser;Elena Bennett

  • THE STOICHIOMETRY OF CONSUMER-DRIVEN NUTRIENT RECYCLING: THEORY, OBSERVATIONS, AND CONSEQUENCES

    James J. Elser;Jotaro Urabe

  • CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN ECOSYSTEMS: THE ROLE OF STOICHIOMETRY

    Dag O. Hessen;Göran I. Ågren;Thomas R. Anderson;James J. Elser

  • Sustainability challenges of phosphorus and food: Solutions from closing the human phosphorus cycle

    Daniel L. Childers;Jessica Corman;Mark Edwards;James J. Elser

  • Phylogenetic and Growth Form Variation in the Scaling of Nitrogen and Phosphorus in the Seed Plants

    Andrew J. Kerkhoff;William F. Fagan;James J. Elser;Brian J. Enquist

  • The Light: Nutrient Ratio in Lakes: The Balance of Energy and Materials Affects Ecosystem Structure and Process

    Robert W. Sterner;James J. Elser;Everett J. Fee;Stephanie J. Guildford

Frequent Co-Authors

Robert W. Sterner
Robert W. Sterner University of Minnesota, Duluth
Valeria Souza
Valeria Souza National Autonomous University of Mexico
Jotaro Urabe
Jotaro Urabe Tohoku University
William F. Fagan
William F. Fagan University of Maryland, College Park
Dag O. Hessen
Dag O. Hessen University of Oslo
Charles R. Goldman
Charles R. Goldman University of California, Davis
Stephen R. Carpenter
Stephen R. Carpenter University of Wisconsin–Madison
Luis E. Eguiarte
Luis E. Eguiarte National Autonomous University of Mexico
Xingguo Han
Xingguo Han Hebei University
Paul C. Frost
Paul C. Frost Trent University

External Links

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Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Studying Ecology and Evolution in the USA opens connections to a variety of interdisciplinary fields. Many students interested in environmental systems, behavior, and human impact also consider how ecological understanding intersects with social and psychological domains. For example, professionals who wish to address environmental issues through community work may be interested in lcsw online programs, merging environmental advocacy with social justice.

Students looking for broader perspectives on behavior—both human and animal—may consider pathways beyond biology, such as accelerated psychology degree programs. Explore your options for a accelerated psychology degree online to complement your understanding of ecological and evolutionary theory.

Careers in conservation, outreach, or policy often interact with mental health and counseling. For those who want to blend counseling skills with an ecological focus, many flexible online clinical mental health counseling programs are available.

Even unique areas like forensic psychology can intersect with ecology and evolution—especially when researching environmental crime or human-animal interactions. To learn more about career options, discover what can i do with a forensic psychology degree and related emerging opportunities.

Best Scientists Citing James J. Elser

Josep Peñuelas

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Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF), CSIC

Publications: 157

Peter B. Reich

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University of Minnesota

Publications: 157

Jens Kattge

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Max Planck Society

Publications: 130

Brian J. Enquist

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University of Arizona

Publications: 113

Jordi Sardans

Jordi Sardans

Spanish National Research Council

Publications: 99

Erik Jeppesen

Erik Jeppesen

Aarhus University

Publications: 91

Helmut Hillebrand

Helmut Hillebrand

Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg

Publications: 88

Xingguo Han

Xingguo Han

Hebei University

Publications: 74

Dag O. Hessen

Dag O. Hessen

University of Oslo

Publications: 73

Valeria Souza

Valeria Souza

National Autonomous University of Mexico

Publications: 72

Stephen R. Carpenter

Stephen R. Carpenter

University of Wisconsin–Madison

Publications: 71

Elizabeth T. Borer

Elizabeth T. Borer

University of Minnesota

Publications: 62

Eric W. Seabloom

Eric W. Seabloom

University of Minnesota

Publications: 59

Johannes H. C. Cornelissen

Johannes H. C. Cornelissen

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Publications: 58

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Michael J. Vanni

Miami University

Publications: 58

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Hans W. Paerl

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Publications: 58

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