World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
32
Citations
2761
World Ranking
8166
National Ranking
2700

Overview

Michael J. Polito is affiliated with Louisiana State University in the United States. Their research primarily falls within the field of Environmental Science, with a focus on Ecology as the major subfield of study. They have also contributed notably to Global and Planetary Change, Oceanography, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis, and Molecular Biology.

Their research topics cover a range of ecological and environmental themes. Key topics include:

  • Isotope Analysis in Ecology
  • Marine animal studies overview
  • Marine and fisheries research
  • Avian ecology and behavior
  • Mercury impact and mitigation studies
  • Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
  • Coastal wetland ecosystem dynamics

Michael J. Polito has published in a variety of scientific venues, including frequent contributions to:

  • Marine Ecology Progress Series
  • The Auk
  • Ecology and Evolution
  • Ecotoxicology
  • PLoS ONE

The following is a selection of recent papers authored or co-authored by Michael J. Polito, showing a diversity of ecological and evolutionary themes with publication years and venues:

  • Current methods and future directions in avian diet analysis, 2021, The Auk
  • Body size, trophic position, and the coupling of different energy pathways across a saltmarsh landscape, 2021, Limnology and Oceanography Letters
  • Evidence of Pathogen-Induced Immunogenetic Selection across the Large Geographic Range of a Wild Seabird, 2020, Molecular Biology and Evolution
  • The dynamic trophic niche of an island bird of prey, 2020, Ecology and Evolution
  • Trophic ecology of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus as an invasive non-native species in the Aegean Sea, 2021, Biological Invasions

Frequent collaborators in their research include:

  • Andrea Raya Rey
  • Klemens Pütz
  • Samanta Dodino
  • Luciana Riccialdelli
  • Paola C. López-Duarte

Best Publications

  • Integrating Stomach Content and Stable Isotope Analyses to Quantify the Diets of Pygoscelid Penguins

    Michael J. Polito;Wayne Z. Trivelpiece;Nina J. Karnovsky;Elizabeth Ng

  • Carbon and nitrogen isotope fractionation of amino acids in an avian marine predator, the gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua)

    Kelton W. McMahon;Kelton W. McMahon;Michael J. Polito;Stephanie Abel;Matthew D. McCarthy

  • A reversal of fortunes: climate change ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ in Antarctic Peninsula penguins

    Gemma V. Clucas;Michael J. Dunn;Gareth Dyke;Steven D. Emslie

  • Current methods and future directions in avian diet analysis

    Unknown

  • Multi-modal survey of Adélie penguin mega-colonies reveals the Danger Islands as a seabird hotspot.

    Alex Borowicz;Philip McDowall;Casey Youngflesh;Thomas Sayre-McCord;Thomas Sayre-McCord

  • Late-Holocene initiation of ice-free ecosystems in the southern Ross Sea, Antarctica

    Steven D. Emslie;Paul Arthur Berkman;David G. Ainley;Larry Coats

  • Contrasting specialist and generalist patterns facilitate foraging niche partitioning in sympatric populations of Pygoscelis penguins

    Michael J. Polito;Wayne Z. Trivelpiece;William P. Patterson;Nina J. Karnovsky

  • Spatial and isotopic niche partitioning during winter in chinstrap and Adélie penguins from the South Shetland Islands

    Jefferson T. Hinke;Michael J. Polito;Michael J. Polito;Michael E. Goebel;Sharon Jarvis

  • First direct, site-wide penguin survey at Deception Island, Antarctica, suggests significant declines in breeding chinstrap penguins

    Ron Naveen;Heather J. Lynch;Steven Forrest;Thomas Mueller

  • Stable isotopes reveal regional heterogeneity in the pre-breeding distribution and diets of sympatrically breeding Pygoscelis spp. penguins

    Michael J. Polito;Heather J. Lynch;Ron Naveen;Steven D. Emslie

  • Differing foraging strategies influence mercury (Hg) exposure in an Antarctic penguin community

    Michael J. Polito;Rebecka L. Brasso;Wayne Z. Trivelpiece;Nina Karnovsky

  • Ornithogenic soils and the paleoecology of pygoscelid penguins in Antarctica

    S.D. Emslie;M.J. Polito;R. Brasso;W.P. Patterson

  • Key taxa in food web responses to stressors: the Deepwater Horizon oil spill

    Michael J McCann;Kenneth W Able;Robert R Christian;F Joel Fodrie

  • A 1000-year record of Adélie penguin diets in the southern Ross Sea

    Michael Polito;Steven D. Emslie;William Walker

  • A comprehensive assessment of mercury exposure in penguin populations throughout the Southern Hemisphere: Using trophic calculations to identify sources of population-level variation.

    Rebecka L. Brasso;André Chiaradia;Michael J. Polito;Andrea Nélida Raya Rey

  • Stable isotopes identify an ontogenetic niche expansion in Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ) from the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica

    Michael J. Polito;Michael J. Polito;Christian S. Reiss;Wayne Z. Trivelpiece;William P. Patterson

  • Divergent trophic responses of sympatric penguin species to historic anthropogenic exploitation and recent climate change

    Kelton W. McMahon;Chantel I. Michelson;Tom Hart;Matthew D. McCarthy

  • Comparative population genomics reveals key barriers to dispersal in Southern Ocean penguins

    Gemma V. Clucas;Gemma V. Clucas;Gemma V. Clucas;Jane L. Younger;Jane L. Younger;Damian Kao;Louise Emmerson

  • Tissue-specific isotopic discrimination factors in gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) egg components: implications for dietary reconstruction using stable isotopes.

    Michael J. Polito;Stephanie Fisher;Craig R. Tobias;Steven D. Emslie

  • Seasonal consistency and individual variation in foraging strategies differ among and within Pygoscelis penguin species in the Antarctic Peninsula region

    Rachael W. Herman;Fernanda C. L. Valls;Tom Hart;Maria V. Petry

  • Stable isotopes identify age- and sex-specific dietary partitioning and foraging habitat segregation in southern giant petrels breeding in Antarctica and southern Patagonia

    Andrea Nélida Raya Rey;Michael Polito;Diego Ignacio Archuby;Néstor Rubén Coria

  • Population structure and phylogeography of the Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua) across the Scotia Arc

    Hila Levy;Hila Levy;Gemma V. Clucas;Gemma V. Clucas;Alex D. Rogers;Adam D. Leaché

  • Integrating oxidative ecology into conservation physiology.

    Michaël Beaulieu;Anne-Mathilde Thierry;Daniel González-Acuña;Michael J. Polito

Frequent Co-Authors

Steven D. Emslie
Steven D. Emslie University of North Carolina Wilmington
William P. Patterson
William P. Patterson University of Saskatchewan
Olaf P. Jensen
Olaf P. Jensen University of Wisconsin–Madison
Klemens Pütz
Klemens Pütz Falklands Conservation
Stéphanie Jenouvrier
Stéphanie Jenouvrier Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers University of Oxford
Matthew D. McCarthy
Matthew D. McCarthy University of California, Santa Cruz
Arthur J. Gold
Arthur J. Gold University of Rhode Island
Nancy N. Rabalais
Nancy N. Rabalais Louisiana State University
Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith University of Oxford

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Report an issue

We appreciate your kind effort to assist us to improve this page, it would be helpful providing us with as much detail as possible in the text box below:

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Studying Ecology and Evolution unlocks a multitude of career pathways that blend science with technology, design, and public service. For those interested in the social impact of science, a human services degree online may offer a flexible route to integrating environmental advocacy with roles in community outreach or education.

Professionals looking for a fresh start can also discover unique opportunities. For instance, educators ready for new challenges might explore a career change for teachers, leveraging their background in science education to work in communication or allied health roles that benefit from ecological expertise.

Ecosystems and built environments often intersect. Those drawn to sustainable design or green infrastructure might consider the best online architecture degree to incorporate ecological principles into urban planning and architectural projects.

Data-driven biology is on the rise, and advanced analytics are crucial in evolutionary research. Earning one of the top online mathematics degrees can prepare you for quantitative roles in research, conservation, or policy analysis within the environmental sector.

Best Scientists Citing Michael J. Polito

Trending Scientists

Recently Published Articles