Daniel P. Walsh, PhD
Assistant Unit Leader - Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit
Since joining the USGS in 2011, his research has focused on developing and applying quantitative approaches to understanding and managing wildlife disease processes. He has conducted applied research on a wide array of diseases including bighorn sheep respiratory disease, chronic wasting disease, Newcastle Disease, and Avian Influenza. He also conducts capacity building in wildlife disease management for countries throughout the world in collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE).
Professional Experience
2011 – Present Quantitative Ecologist, U.S. Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center, Madison WI
2007 – 2011 Disease Researcher, Colorado Division of Wildlife
2003 – 2007 Research Assistant-Michigan State University
2000 – 2002 Research Assistant-Colorado State University
Education and Certifications
Ph. D. Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 2007
M. S. Statistics Michigan State University, 2007
M. S. Fish and Wildlife Biology, Colorado State University, 2002
B. S. Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, 1999
Affiliations and Memberships*
Honorary Fellow, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Affiliate Faculty, South Dakota State University
Member of the Wildlife Disease Association
Member of the Wildlife Society
Member of the North Central Section of the Wildlife Society
Member of Wisconsin Chapter of the Wildlife Society
Science and Products
The Bayesian group lasso for confounded spatial data
A framework for modeling emerging diseases to inform management
When can the cause of a population decline be determined?
No evidence of infection or exposure to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenzas in peridomestic wildlife on an affected poultry facility
U.S. Geological Survey science strategy for highly pathogenic avian influenza in wildlife and the environment (2016–2020)
“One Health” or three? Publication silos among the One Health disciplines
Concordance in diagnostic testing for respiratory pathogens of bighorn sheep
Integrated survival analysis using an event-time approach in a Bayesian framework
Spatial and temporal patterns of avian paramyxovirus-1 outbreaks in Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the USA
Using auxiliary information to improve wildlife disease surveillance when infected animals are not detected: A Bayesian approach
Techniques for capturing bighorn sheep lambs
Enhanced surveillance strategies for detecting and monitoring chronic wasting disease in free-ranging cervids
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 36
The Bayesian group lasso for confounded spatial data
Generalized linear mixed models for spatial processes are widely used in applied statistics. In many applications of the spatial generalized linear mixed model (SGLMM), the goal is to obtain inference about regression coefficients while achieving optimal predictive ability. When implementing the SGLMM, multicollinearity among covariates and the spatial random effects can make computation challengiAuthorsTrevor J. Hefley, Mevin Hooten, Ephraim M. Hanks, Robin E. Russell, Daniel P. WalshA framework for modeling emerging diseases to inform management
The rapid emergence and reemergence of zoonotic diseases requires the ability to rapidly evaluate and implement optimal management decisions. Actions to control or mitigate the effects of emerging pathogens are commonly delayed because of uncertainty in the estimates and the predicted outcomes of the control tactics. The development of models that describe the best-known information regarding theAuthorsRobin E. Russell, Rachel A. Katz, Katherine L. D. Richgels, Daniel P. Walsh, Evan H. Campbell GrantWhen can the cause of a population decline be determined?
Inferring the factors responsible for declines in abundance is a prerequisite to preventing the extinction of wild populations. Many of the policies and programmes intended to prevent extinctions operate on the assumption that the factors driving the decline of a population can be determined. Exogenous factors that cause declines in abundance can be statistically confounded with endogenous factorsAuthorsTrevor J. Hefley, Mevin Hooten, John M. Drake, Robin E. Russell, Daniel P. WalshNo evidence of infection or exposure to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenzas in peridomestic wildlife on an affected poultry facility
We evaluated the potential transmission of avian influenza viruses (AIV) in wildlife species in three settings in association with an outbreak at a poultry facility: 1) small birds and small mammals on a poultry facility that was affected with highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) in April 2015; 2) small birds and small mammals on a nearby poultry facility that was unaffected by HPAIV; and 3) small birds,AuthorsDaniel A. Grear, Robert J. Dusek, Daniel P. Walsh, Jeffrey S. HallU.S. Geological Survey science strategy for highly pathogenic avian influenza in wildlife and the environment (2016–2020)
IntroductionThrough the Science Strategy for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in Wildlife and the Environment, the USGS will assess avian influenza (AI) dynamics in an ecological context to inform decisions made by resource managers and policymakers from the local to national level. Through collection of unbiased scientific information on the ecology of AI viruses and wildlife hosts in a cAuthorsM. Camille Harris, John M. Pearce, Diann J. Prosser, C. LeAnn White, A. Keith Miles, Jonathan M. Sleeman, Christopher J. Brand, James P. Cronin, Susan De La Cruz, Christine L. Densmore, Thomas W. Doyle, Robert J. Dusek, Joseph P. Fleskes, Paul L. Flint, Gerald F. Guala, Jeffrey S. Hall, Laura E. Hubbard, Randall J. Hunt, Hon S. Ip, Rachel A. Katz, Kevin W. Laurent, Mark P. Miller, Mark D. Munn, Andrew M. Ramey, Kevin D. Richards, Robin E. Russell, Joel P. Stokdyk, John Y. Takekawa, Daniel P. Walsh“One Health” or three? Publication silos among the One Health disciplines
The One Health initiative is a global effort fostering interdisciplinary collaborations to address challenges in human, animal, and environmental health. While One Health has received considerable press, its benefits remain unclear because its effects have not been quantitatively described. We systematically surveyed the published literature and used social network analysis to measure interdisciplAuthorsKezia Manlove, Josephine G Walker, Meggan E. Craft, Kathryn P. Huyvaert, Maxwell B. Joseph, Ryan S. Miller, Pauline Nol, Kelly A. Patyk, Daniel O'Brian, Daniel P. Walsh, Paul C. CrossConcordance in diagnostic testing for respiratory pathogens of bighorn sheep
Reliable diagnostic tests are essential for disease investigation and management. This is particularly true for diseases of free-ranging wildlife where sampling is logistically difficult precluding retesting. Clinical assays for wildlife diseases frequently vary among laboratories because of lack of appropriate standardized commercial kits. Results of diagnostic testing may also be called into queAuthorsDaniel P. Walsh, E. Frances Cassirer, Michael D. Bonds, Daniel R. Brown, William H. Edwards, Glen C. Weiser, Mark L. Drew, Robert E. Briggs, Karen A. Fox, Michael W. Miller, Sudarvili Shanthalingam, Subramaniam Srikumaran, Thomas E. BesserIntegrated survival analysis using an event-time approach in a Bayesian framework
Event-time or continuous-time statistical approaches have been applied throughout the biostatistical literature and have led to numerous scientific advances. However, these techniques have traditionally relied on knowing failure times. This has limited application of these analyses, particularly, within the ecological field where fates of marked animals may be unknown. To address these limitationsAuthorsDaniel P. Walsh, VJ Dreitz, Dennis M. HeiseySpatial and temporal patterns of avian paramyxovirus-1 outbreaks in Double-Crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) in the USA
Morbidity and mortality events caused by avian paramyxovirus-1 (APMV-1) in Double-crested Cormorant (DCCO; Phalacrocorax auritus) nesting colonies in the US and Canada have been sporadically documented in the literature. We describe APMV-1 associated outbreaks in DCCO in the US from the first reported occurrence in 1992 through 2012. The frequency of APMV-1 outbreaks has increased in the US over tAuthorsC. LeAnn White, Hon S. Ip, Carol U. Meteyer, Daniel P. Walsh, Jeffrey S. Hall, Michelle Carstensen, Paul C. WolfUsing auxiliary information to improve wildlife disease surveillance when infected animals are not detected: A Bayesian approach
There are numerous situations in which it is important to determine whether a particular disease of interest is present in a free-ranging wildlife population. However adequate disease surveillance can be labor-intensive and expensive and thus there is substantial motivation to conduct it as efficiently as possible. Surveillance is often based on the assumption of a simple random sample, but this cAuthorsDennis M. Heisey, Christopher S. Jennelle, Robin E. Russell, Daniel P. WalshTechniques for capturing bighorn sheep lambs
Low lamb recruitment is a major challenge facing managers attempting to mitigate the decline of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), and investigations into the underlying mechanisms are limited because of the inability to readily capture and monitor bighorn sheep lambs. We evaluated 4 capture techniques for bighorn sheep lambs: 1) hand-capture of lambs from radiocollared adult females fitted with vagAuthorsJoshua B. Smith, Daniel P. Walsh, Elise J. Goldstein, Zachary D. Parsons, Rebekah C. Karsch, Julie R. Stiver, James W. Cain III, Kenneth J. Raedeke, Jonathan A. JenksEnhanced surveillance strategies for detecting and monitoring chronic wasting disease in free-ranging cervids
The purpose of this document is to provide wildlife management agencies with the foundation upon which they can build scientifically rigorous and cost-effective surveillance and monitoring programs for chronic wasting disease (CWD) or refine their existing programs. The first chapter provides an overview of potential demographic and spatial risk factors of susceptible wildlife populations that mayNon-USGS Publications**
Alldredge, M. W., D. P. Walsh, L. L. Sweanor, R. B. Davies, A. Trujillo. 2015. Evaluation of translocation of black bears involved in human–bear conflicts in South-central Colorado. Wildlife Society Bulletin 39: 334–340. doi:10.1002/wsb.526.Smith, J. B., D. P. Walsh, E. J. Goldstein, Z. D. Parsons, R. C. Karsch, J. R. Stiver, J. W. Cain III, K. J. Raedeke, and J. A. Jenks. 2014. Techniques for capturing bighorn sheep lambs. Wildlife Society Bulletin 38: 165–174. doi: 10.1002/wsb.360.Davis, M. J., S. Thokala, X. Xing, N. T. Hobbs, D. P. Walsh, R. Y. Han, and S. Mishra. 2012. Developing a data-transfer model for a novel Wildlife-tracking network. Wildlife Society Bulletin 36:820–827.Walsh, D. P., L. L. Wolfe, M. E. P. Vieira, and M. W. Miller. 2012. Detection probability and Pasteurellaceae surveillance in bighorn sheep. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 48: 593–602.Sirochman, M. A., K. J. Woodruff, J. L. Grigg, D. P. Walsh, K. P. Huyvaert, M. W. Miller, and L. L. Wolfe. 2012. Evaluation of management treatments intended to increase lamb recruitment in a bighorn sheep herd. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 48:781–784.Walsh, D. P., H. Campa III, D. E. Beyer Jr., and S. R. Winterstein. 2011. Measurement error and survey design in sightability model development. Journal of Wildlife Management 75: 1228–1235.Bishop, C. J., C. R. Anderson, D. P. Walsh, E. J. Bergman, P. Kuechle, and J. Roth. 2011. Effectiveness of a redesigned vaginal implant transmitter in mule deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 75: 1797–1806.Walter, W. D., D. P. Walsh, M. L. Farnsworth, D. L. Winkleman, and M. W. Miller. 2011. Soil clay content underlies prion infection odds. Nature Communications 2:200 doi: 10.1038/ncomms1203.Walsh, D. P., and M. W. Miller. 2010. A weighted surveillance approach for detecting chronic wasting disease foci. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 46: 118–135.Walsh, D. P., J. R. Stiver, G. C. White, T. E. Remington, and A. D. Apa. 2010. Population estimation techniques for lekking species. Journal of Wildlife Management 74: 1607–1613.Griffin, K. A., D. J. Martin, L. E. Rosen, M. A. Sirochman, D. P. Walsh, L. L. Wolfe, and M. W. Miller. 2010. Detection of Yersinia pestis DNA in prairie dog-associated fleas by polymerase chain reaction assay of purified DNA. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 46: 636–643.Martin, D. J., B. R. McMillan, J. D. Erb, T. A. Gorman, and D. P. Walsh. 2010. Diel activity patterns of river otters (Lontra canadensis) in southeastern Minnesota. Journal of Mammalogy 91: 1213–1224.Wolfe, L. L., B. Diamond, T. R. Spraker, M. A. Sirochman, D. P. Walsh, C. M. Machin, D. J. Bade, and M. W. Miller. 2010. A bighorn sheep die-off in southern Colorado involving a Pasteurellaceae strain that may have originated from syntopic Cattle. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 46: 1262–1269.Rosen, L. E., D. P. Walsh, L. L. Wolfe, C. L. Bedwell, and M. W. Miller. 2009. Effects of selenium supplementation and sample storage time on blood indices of selenium status in bighorn sheep. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 45: 795–801.Walsh, D. P., C. F. Page, H. Campa III, S. R. Winterstein, and D. E. Beyer Jr. 2009. Incorporating estimates of group size in sightability models for wildlife. Journal of Wildlife Management 73: 136–143.Walsh, D.P. 2007. Population estimation and fixed kernel analyses of elk in Michigan. Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. Ph.D. Dissertation, 238pp.Felix, A. B., D. P. Walsh, B. D. Hughey, H. Campa III, and S. R. Winterstein. 2006. Applying landscape-scale habitat-potential models to understand deer spatial structure and movement patterns. Journal of Wildlife Management 71: 804–810.Walsh, D. P., G. C. White, T. E. Remington, and D. C. Bowden. 2004. Evaluation of the lek-count index for greater-sage grouse. Wildlife Society Bulletin 32: 56–68.Walsh, D. P. 2002. Population estimation techniques for Greater-Sage Grouse. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado. M.S. Thesis, 139 pp.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government