USGS Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program – Studies from Endemic Regions of Eurasia Active
This project focuses on tracking wild birds throughout Eurasia via satellite telemetry to better understand their spatiotemporal movement patterns, relationship to domestic birds, and potential role in the spread, persistence, and amplification of avian influenza viruses.
Following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Eurasia, many researchers have attempted to determine how this virus spreads across the landscape. Unfortunately, prior to this work, most studies on HPAI movements were based on virology data alone, with no information on host ecology. Beginning in 2007, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center and Western Ecological Research Center developed a Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program to improve the scientific understanding of the role wild bird’s play in the circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Our research began with marking waterfowl species from Qinghai Lake, China, with satellite telemetry units to understand movement patterns and exposure to poultry and virus risk factors. In an expanded partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and multiple local partners, we have marked more than 650 waterfowl of 24 species within HPAI zones of persistence. The work spans 11 countries and the 4 main flyways of Eurasia (East African – West Asian, Black Sea - Mediterranean, Central Asian, and East Asian flyway). Using remote sensing, spatial, and statistical approaches we have modeled H5N1 transmission risk between wild and domestic bird populations, incorporating uncertainty within the modeling process. Our studies provide new information that counters some hypothesized movements proposed in prior studies and stress the need for a combined approach of virology and ecology of wild host species.
This study has, and will continue to, provide valuable insight into risk factors for the spread of HPAI, and the role wild bird’s play in transmitting such viruses across the landscape. By continuing to increase and analyze this data set we hope to provide researchers with a better understanding of this emerging issue.
Prosser, D. J. 2012. Wild birds and emerging diseases: modeling avian influenza transmission risk between domestic and wild birds in China. Ph. D. dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. xi, 229 pp.
Confronting models with data: The challenges of estimating disease spillover
Waterfowl spring migratory behavior and avian influenza transmission risk in the changing landscape of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Investigating home range, movement pattern, and habitat selection of Bar-headed Geese during breeding season at Qinghai Lake, China
The impact of surveillance and control on highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in poultry in Dhaka division, Bangladesh
Integrating animal movement with habitat suitability for estimating dynamic migratory connectivity
Species distribution modeling in regions of high need and limited data: waterfowl of China
Could changes in the agricultural landscape of northeastern China have influenced the long-distance transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses?
High altitude flights by ruddy shelduck Tadorna ferruginea during trans-Himalayan migrations
Himalayan thoroughfare: Migratory routes of ducks over the rooftop of the world
Goose migration across the Himalayas: Migratory routes and movement patterns of Bar-headed Geese
Migratory ducks and protected wetlands in India
Low survival rates of Swan Geese (Anser cygnoides) estimated from neck-collar resighting and telemetry
Visualizing Models for Avian Influenza Viruses
Emergence of avian influenza viruses with the potential to be highly pathogenic to poultry, wild birds, & humans, such as the highly pathogenic H5N1 and H7N9 cause serious concern for the global economic & public health sectors. Visual representations of model data can be effective in helping to discover how the spread of the virus is influenced by environmental & human
Below are partners associated with this project.
- Overview
This project focuses on tracking wild birds throughout Eurasia via satellite telemetry to better understand their spatiotemporal movement patterns, relationship to domestic birds, and potential role in the spread, persistence, and amplification of avian influenza viruses.
Following outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in Eurasia, many researchers have attempted to determine how this virus spreads across the landscape. Unfortunately, prior to this work, most studies on HPAI movements were based on virology data alone, with no information on host ecology. Beginning in 2007, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center and Western Ecological Research Center developed a Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program to improve the scientific understanding of the role wild bird’s play in the circulation of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
Our research began with marking waterfowl species from Qinghai Lake, China, with satellite telemetry units to understand movement patterns and exposure to poultry and virus risk factors. In an expanded partnership with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and multiple local partners, we have marked more than 650 waterfowl of 24 species within HPAI zones of persistence. The work spans 11 countries and the 4 main flyways of Eurasia (East African – West Asian, Black Sea - Mediterranean, Central Asian, and East Asian flyway). Using remote sensing, spatial, and statistical approaches we have modeled H5N1 transmission risk between wild and domestic bird populations, incorporating uncertainty within the modeling process. Our studies provide new information that counters some hypothesized movements proposed in prior studies and stress the need for a combined approach of virology and ecology of wild host species.
This study has, and will continue to, provide valuable insight into risk factors for the spread of HPAI, and the role wild bird’s play in transmitting such viruses across the landscape. By continuing to increase and analyze this data set we hope to provide researchers with a better understanding of this emerging issue. - Publications
Prosser, D. J. 2012. Wild birds and emerging diseases: modeling avian influenza transmission risk between domestic and wild birds in China. Ph. D. dissertation, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. xi, 229 pp.
Filter Total Items: 34Confronting models with data: The challenges of estimating disease spillover
For pathogens known to transmit across host species, strategic investment in disease control requires knowledge about where and when spillover transmission is likely. One approach to estimating spillover is to directly correlate observed spillover events with covariates. An alternative is to mechanistically combine information on host density, distribution, and pathogen prevalence to predict whereAuthorsPaul C. Cross, Diann Prosser, Andrew M. Ramey, Ephraim M. Hanks, Kim M. PepinWaterfowl spring migratory behavior and avian influenza transmission risk in the changing landscape of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
Avian influenza has advanced from a regional concern to a global health issue with significant economic, trade, and public health implications. Wild birds, particularly waterfowl (Anseriformes), are known reservoirs for low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses (AIV) and recent studies have shown their potential in the spread of highly pathogenic forms of virus. East Asia remains an epicenter for theAuthorsJeffery D. Sullivan, John Y. Takekawa, Kyle A. Spragens, Scott H. Newman, Xiangming Xiao, Paul J. Leader, Bena Smith, Diann J. ProsserInvestigating home range, movement pattern, and habitat selection of Bar-headed Geese during breeding season at Qinghai Lake, China
The Bar-headed Goose is an important species in Asia, both culturally and ecologically. While prior studies have shown Qinghai Lake supports one of the largest breeding areas for Bar-headed Geese, little is known regarding the species movement ecology during the breeding season. In this study, we examined Bar-headed Goose home range size within the breeding grounds at Qinghai Lake and documented tAuthorsRuobing Zheng, Lacy M. Smith, Diann J. Prosser, John Y. Takekawa, Scott H. Newman, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Ze Luo, Baoping YanThe impact of surveillance and control on highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks in poultry in Dhaka division, Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, the poultry industry is an economically and socially important sector, but it is persistently threatened by the effects of H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza. Thus, identifying the optimal control policy in response to an emerging disease outbreak is a key challenge for policy-makers. To inform this aim, a common approach is to carry out simulation studies comparing plausible stAuthorsEdward Hill, Thomas House, Madhur S. Dhingra, Wantanee Kalpradvidh, Subhash Morzaria, Muzaffar G. Osmani, Eric Brum, Mat Yamage, Md A. Kalam, Diann J. Prosser, John Y. Takekawa, Xiangming Xiao, Marius Gilbert, Michael J. TildesleyIntegrating animal movement with habitat suitability for estimating dynamic migratory connectivity
ContextHigh-resolution animal movement data are becoming increasingly available, yet having a multitude of empirical trajectories alone does not allow us to easily predict animal movement. To answer ecological and evolutionary questions at a population level, quantitative estimates of a species’ potential to link patches or populations are of importance.ObjectivesWe introduce an approach that combAuthorsMariëlle L. van Toor, Bart Kranstauber, Scott H. Newman, Diann J. Prosser, John Y. Takekawa, Georgios Technitis, Robert Weibel, Martin Wikelski, Kamran SafiSpecies distribution modeling in regions of high need and limited data: waterfowl of China
BackgroundA number of conservation and societal issues require understanding how species are distributed on the landscape, yet ecologists are often faced with a lack of data to develop models at the resolution and extent desired, resulting in inefficient use of conservation resources. Such a situation presented itself in our attempt to develop waterfowl distribution models as part of a multi-disciAuthorsDiann J. Prosser, Changqing Ding, R. Michael Erwin, Taej Mundkur, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Erle C. EllisCould changes in the agricultural landscape of northeastern China have influenced the long-distance transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5Nx viruses?
In the last few years, several reassortant subtypes of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAI H5Nx) have emerged in East Asia. These new viruses, mostly of subtype H5N1, H5N2, H5N6, and H5N8 belonging to clade 2.3.4.4, have been found in several Asian countries and have caused outbreaks in poultry in China, South Korea, and Vietnam. HPAI H5Nx also have spread over considerable distances wAuthorsMarius Gilbert, Diann J. Prosser, Geli Zhang, Jean Artois, Madhur S. Dhingra, Michael J. Tildesley, Scott H. Newman, Fusheng Guo, Peter Black, Filip Claes, Wantanee Kalpradvidh, YeunKyung Shin, Wooseog Jeong, John Y. Takekawa, Hansoo Lee, Xiangming XiaoHigh altitude flights by ruddy shelduck Tadorna ferruginea during trans-Himalayan migrations
Birds that migrate across high altitude mountain ranges are faced with the challenge of maintaining vigorous exercise in environments with limited oxygen. Ruddy shelducks are known to use wintering grounds south of the Tibetan Plateau at sea level and breeding grounds north of Himalayan mountain range. Therefore, it is likely these shelducks are preforming high altitude migrations. In this study wAuthorsN. Parr, S. Bearhop, David C. Douglas, J.Y. Takekawa, Diann J. Prosser, S.H. Newman, W.M. Perry, S. Balachandran, M.J. Witt, Y. Hou, Z. Lu, L.A. HawkesHimalayan thoroughfare: Migratory routes of ducks over the rooftop of the world
No abstract available.AuthorsTsewang Namgail, John Y. Takekawa, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Eric C. Palm, Taej Mundkur, Victor Martin Velez, Diann J. Prosser, Scott H. NewmanGoose migration across the Himalayas: Migratory routes and movement patterns of Bar-headed Geese
No abstract available.AuthorsJohn Y. Takekawa, Eric C. Palm, Diann J. Prosser, Lucy Hawkes, Nyambayar Batbayar, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Ze Luo, Xiangming Xiao, Scott H. NewmanMigratory ducks and protected wetlands in India
India is the most important wintering ground for migratory ducks in the Central Asian Flyway. Because of its latitudinal and climatic extent, the country provides a diversity of wetland habitats for migratory ducks (Ali & Ripley 1978). India is the seventh largest country in the world with an area of about 3.3 million km2 or 2.4% of the world’s land-area. Mainland India stretches nearly 3200 km frAuthorsTsewang Namgail, John Y. Takekawa, Sivananinthaperumal Balachandran, Taej Mundkur, Ponnusamy Sathiyaselvam, Diann J. Prosser, Tracy McCracken, Scott H. NewmanLow survival rates of Swan Geese (Anser cygnoides) estimated from neck-collar resighting and telemetry
Waterbird survival rates are a key component of demographic modeling used for effective conservation of long-lived threatened species. The Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) is globally threatened and the most vulnerable goose species endemic to East Asia due to its small and rapidly declining population. To address a current knowledge gap in demographic parameters of the Swan Goose, available datasetsAuthorsChang-Yong Choi, Ki-Sup Lee, Nikolay D. Poyarkov, Jin-Young Park, Hansoo Lee, John Y. Takekawa, Lacy M. Smith, Craig R. Ely, Xin Wang, Lei Cao, Anthony D. Fox, Oleg Goroshko, Nyambayar Batbayar, Diann J. Prosser, Xiangming Xiao - Web Tools
Visualizing Models for Avian Influenza Viruses
Emergence of avian influenza viruses with the potential to be highly pathogenic to poultry, wild birds, & humans, such as the highly pathogenic H5N1 and H7N9 cause serious concern for the global economic & public health sectors. Visual representations of model data can be effective in helping to discover how the spread of the virus is influenced by environmental & human
- Partners
Below are partners associated with this project.