James Elser

James Elser is a Research Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, where he also serves as Director of the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance. His work bridges ecological, evolutionary, and biogeochemical disciplines with a primary focus on biological stoichiometry—the study of energy and chemical element balance in living systems. He maintains affiliations with ASU's Water Institute and serves as an Affiliate Global Futures Scholar.

Elser's research investigates how the coupling of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus shapes ecology and evolution across diverse ecosystems—from lakes and deserts to hot springs and grasslands. His work spans multiple biota (plankton to insects, pandas to tumors) and employs laboratory chemostats, field experiments, and mathematical models. He has established ASU's Sustainable Phosphorus Initiative with the goal of creating sustainable food systems by closing the human phosphorus cycle.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on nutrient stoichiometry in extreme environments (glaciers, high-altitude lakes), impacts of anthropogenic activities on nutrient cycles, and the application of stoichiometric principles to sustainability challenges. The research spans microbial ecology, food web dynamics, and ecosystem-level processes with increasing emphasis on phosphorus sustainability as a global challenge.

• Member, National Academy of Sciences (2019-present)
• G. Evelyn Hutchinson Award of ASLO (2012)
• ASU Regents' Professor (2009)
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2008)
• Recipient, Lindeman Award of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography (1990)

Elser has mentored over 15 graduate students through completion of their degrees, including several who have gone on to professorial positions. His research has been supported by numerous grants from NSF and other agencies, with recent work focusing on phosphorus sustainability, nutrient cycling in extreme environments, and the ecological consequences of anthropogenic nutrient imbalances. He leads the Sustainable Phosphorus Alliance, which connects academic research with practical solutions for sustainable phosphorus management.

His laboratory work spans multiple field sites globally and employs diverse approaches from molecular to ecosystem levels. Recent collaborative efforts include studies in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Inner Mongolia grasslands, and Glacier National Park, examining how elemental imbalances affect ecological processes across scales.