Diann is a research wildlife ecologist at the Eastern Ecological Science Center located in Laurel, MD
Productivity of Species of Concern – Least Tern and Common Tern on Poplar Island Restoration Site
This project aims to understand the factors driving breeding success of multiple waterbird species, with special emphasis on Least and Common Terns (two species of concern) on Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project.
She began working at Patuxent in 1999. Her background is in wetland ecology and ornithology and her research interests include using spatial modeling techniques to help answer questions related to wildlife and stressors such as climate change and disease.
Recently Hosted Visiting Scientists from Chinese Academy of Sciences (2012-2013)
Professional Experience
2012 - present Research Wildlife Biologist, USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center, Laurel, MD
2004 - 2012 Wildlife Biologist, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
1998 - 2004 Biological Scientist, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD
1993 - 1998 Research Associate, Penn State Cooperative Wetlands Center, State College, PA
Education and Certifications
B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science (1995) from the Pennsylvania State University
M.S. in Ecology (1998) from the Pennsylvania State University
Ph.D. (2012) from the University of Maryland’s Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences interdisciplinary ecology program
Honors and Awards
2017 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
University of Maryland Goldhaber Travel Grant
2011 NSF SGER Grant
2007 NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes
2005 University of Maryland Nagel Travel Grant
2005 USGS, Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Star Award 2000
Science and Products
Waterfowl recently infected with low pathogenic avian influenza exhibit reduced local movement and delayed migration
A comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations
An evaluation of transmitter effects on adult and juvenile Common Terns using leg-loop harness attachments
Comparing Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent to alternative methods of measuring inundation in developing waterbird habitats
Avian influenza antibody prevalence increases with mercury contamination in wild waterfowl
Spatiotemporal changes in influenza A virus prevalence among wild waterfowl inhabiting the continental United States throughout the annual cycle
A lesser scaup (Aythya affinis ) naturally infected with Eurasian 2.3.4.4 highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus – Movement ecology and host factors
Maintenance and dissemination of avian-origin influenza A virus within the northern Atlantic Flyway of North America
Poplar Island: Understanding the development of a beneficial use restoration site
Highly pathogenic avian influenza is an emerging disease threat to wild birds in North America
Pathways for avian influenza virus spread: GPS reveals wild waterfowl in commercial livestock facilities and connectivity with the natural wetland landscape
A comparison of methods for the long-term harness-based attachment of radio-transmitters to juvenile Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)
Avian Influenza Prevalence Correlated to Mercury Concentrations in Wild Waterfowl
Disease Decision Analysis and Research
COVID-19 Pathways and Wildlife Dynamics
Advancing Risk Modeling for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Asian Flyways Collaborative for Waterbirds (AFCoW)
Blue-winged Teal and Cross Continental Avian Influenza Transmission
Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Seaduck Challenge Study
Avian Influenza Surveillance in Waterfowl in the Atlantic Flyway
Pathogens in the Aquatic Environment – Waterfowl, Avian Influenza
USGS Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program – Studies from Endemic Regions of Eurasia
Productivity of Species of Concern – Least Tern and Common Tern on Poplar Island
Using Advanced Technology to Enhance Research, a Public-Private Partnership
Predicted H5 and H7 subtype Avian Influenza Prevalence for Wild Waterfowl Species Across the Continental United States
Data regarding the efficacy of management practices for controlling gull use of Common Tern nesting colonies
Data describing the effects of elastic leg-loop harnesses on adult and juvenile Common Terns
Data describing infection status and movement ecology of North American waterfowl
Surface water estimates for a complex study site derived from traditional and emerging methods
Spatial models indicating avian influenza transmission risk at the interface of domestic poultry and wild birds in China
Data measuring avian influenza infection, mercury concentration, and body condition in wild waterfowl
Weekly relative effective waterfowl populations across the United States based upon predicted abundance and viral prevalence by species - Initial phase models
Weekly estimates of the risk of avian influenza transmission from wild waterfowl to domestic poultry - Initial phase models
Relative susceptibility of poultry to the transmission of Avian Influenza from wild birds based upon poultry type and density
Comparing various survey methods for estimating the number of colonial nesting white egret pairs
Telemetry data of a Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) positive for 2.3.4.4 Highly Pathogenic H5N1
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
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 99
Waterfowl recently infected with low pathogenic avian influenza exhibit reduced local movement and delayed migration
Understanding relationships between infection and wildlife movement patterns is important for predicting pathogen spread, especially for multispecies pathogens and those that can spread to humans and domestic animals, such as avian influenza viruses (AIVs). Although infection with low pathogenic AIVs is generally considered asymptomatic in wild birds, prior work has shown that influenza-infected bA comparison of direct & indirect survey methods for estimating colonial nesting waterbird populations
Population estimates derived from monitoring efforts can be sensitive to the survey method selected, potentially leading to biased estimates and low precision relative to true population size. While small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) present a unique opportunity to survey avian populations while limiting disturbance, relatively little is known about how this method compares with more traditionalAn evaluation of transmitter effects on adult and juvenile Common Terns using leg-loop harness attachments
Marking birds with transmitters allows for the collection of data that are critical for fully understanding avian life history, but researchers must also be confident that performing such studies is as safe as possible for transmittered individuals. While much could be learned from tracking juveniles across dependency periods and first migration, doing so would require a harness-based attachment mComparing Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent to alternative methods of measuring inundation in developing waterbird habitats
This study investigates the applicability of the Landsat Dynamic Surface Water Extent (DSWE) science product for waterbird habitat modeling in multiple non-canopied habitat types. We compare surface water distribution estimates derived from DSWE to two site-specific survey methods: visual surveys and digitized aerial imagery. These site-specific surveys were conducted on Poplar Island, a restoratiAvian influenza antibody prevalence increases with mercury contamination in wild waterfowl
Environmental contamination is widespread and can negatively impact wildlife health. Some contaminants, including heavy metals, have immunosuppressive effects, but prior studies have rarely measured contamination and disease simultaneously, which limits our understanding of how contaminants and pathogens interact to influence wildlife health. Here, we measured mercury concentrations, influenza infSpatiotemporal changes in influenza A virus prevalence among wild waterfowl inhabiting the continental United States throughout the annual cycle
Avian influenza viruses can pose serious risks to agricultural production, human health, and wildlife. An understanding of viruses in wild reservoir species across time and space is important to informing surveillance programs, risk models, and potential population impacts for vulnerable species. Although it is recognized that influenza A virus prevalence peaks in reservoir waterfowl in late summeA lesser scaup (Aythya affinis ) naturally infected with Eurasian 2.3.4.4 highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus – Movement ecology and host factors
Despite the recognized role of wild waterfowl in the potential dispersal and transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus, little is known about how infection affects these birds. This lack of information limits our ability to estimate viral spread in the event of an HPAI outbreak, thereby limiting our abilities to estimate and communicate risk. Here we present telemetry data froMaintenance and dissemination of avian-origin influenza A virus within the northern Atlantic Flyway of North America
Wild waterbirds, the natural reservoirs for avian influenza viruses, undergo migratory movements each year, connecting breeding and wintering grounds within broad corridors known as flyways. In a continental or global view, the study of virus movements within and across flyways is important to understanding virus diversity, evolution, and movement. From 2015 to 2017, we sampled waterfowl from breePoplar Island: Understanding the development of a beneficial use restoration site
Poplar Island, like many other islands throughout the Chesapeake Bay, eroded from 460 hectares in 1847 to only 1.5 hectares by the 1990’s. However, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Maryland Department of Transportation, and numerous other state and federal agencies selected this site as the location of a beneficial use project aimed at restoring remote island habitat in the Chesapeake Bay using cHighly pathogenic avian influenza is an emerging disease threat to wild birds in North America
Prior to the emergence of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/GD) H5N1 influenza A virus, the long-held and well-supported paradigm was that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks were restricted to poultry, the result of cross-species transmission of precursor viruses from wild aquatic birds that subsequently gained pathogenicity in domestic birds. Therefore, management agencies typicallPathways for avian influenza virus spread: GPS reveals wild waterfowl in commercial livestock facilities and connectivity with the natural wetland landscape
Zoonotic diseases are of considerable concern to the human population and viruses such as avian influenza (AIV) threaten food security, wildlife conservation and human health. Wild waterfowl and the natural wetlands they use are known AIV reservoirs, with birds capable of virus transmission to domestic poultry populations. While infection risk models have linked migration routes and AIV outbreaks,A comparison of methods for the long-term harness-based attachment of radio-transmitters to juvenile Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)
BackgroundWhile the period from fledging through first breeding for waterbird species such as terns (e.g., genus Sterna, Sternula) is of great interest to researchers and conservationists, this period remains understudied due in large part to the difficulty of marking growing juveniles with radio transmitters that remain attached for extended periods.MethodsIn an effort to facilitate such research - Science
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Avian Influenza Prevalence Correlated to Mercury Concentrations in Wild Waterfowl
Low pathogenic avian influenza infections were directly correlated with blood mercury concentrations in wild waterfowl, indicating that mercury exposure may be related to pathogen susceptibility. Further study is needed to determine if and how mercury and other environmental contaminant exposures may affect disease susceptibility in wildlife.Disease Decision Analysis and Research
The Disease Decision Analysis and Research group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose strengths are in ecology, decision sciences and quantitative modeling.COVID-19 Pathways and Wildlife Dynamics
Below are the USGS 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) research projects related to COVID-19 pathways and wildlife dynamics. Select tabs above for related items.Advancing Risk Modeling for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza
Southeast Asia has long been the epicenter of AIV emergence. However, as demonstrated by H5NX, these viruses can quickly reach global spread and have significant impacts on poultry production and human health. We have two ongoing efforts funded by the National Science Foundation to help improve our understanding of AIV emergence, spread, and transmission in today’s rapidly changing landscape.Asian Flyways Collaborative for Waterbirds (AFCoW)
The Asian Flyways Collaborative for Waterbirds (AFCoW) is a collaborative group effort that brings together research scientists engaged in understanding waterbird ecology in Eastern Asia. Due to the complexity of waterbird biology and unique threats to their populations in East Asia, we have established a voluntary international network of collaborators to promote advanced studies of large-scale...Blue-winged Teal and Cross Continental Avian Influenza Transmission
This project focused on improving our understanding of the migratory ecology of Blue-winged Teal and their ability to transmit avian influenza or other pathogens across the wild bird – domestic poultry interface.Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Seaduck Challenge Study
This project seeks to improve our understanding of the susceptibility and pathogenesis of pertinent strains of avian influenza viruses in diving duck species.Avian Influenza Surveillance in Waterfowl in the Atlantic Flyway
This project seeks to quantify the strains and prevalence of avian influenza viruses circulating in wild waterfowl across the Atlantic Flyway, and allow comparison with the nations other flyways.Pathogens in the Aquatic Environment – Waterfowl, Avian Influenza
This project focuses on understanding the prevalence and strains of avian influenza viruses in the aquatic environment and how this compares to those circulating within wild birds in the same area.USGS Wild Bird Avian Influenza Program – Studies from Endemic Regions of Eurasia
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.Productivity of Species of Concern – Least Tern and Common Tern on Poplar Island
This project aims to understand the factors driving breeding success of multiple waterbird species, with special emphasis on Least and Common Terns (two species of concern) on Poplar Island Environmental Restoration Project.Using Advanced Technology to Enhance Research, a Public-Private Partnership
This project is focused on exploring the use of new technology to collect data on colonially nesting waterbird species in ways that reduce disturbance, improve data accuracy, or allow for the examination of previously unanswerable questions. - Data
Filter Total Items: 31
Predicted H5 and H7 subtype Avian Influenza Prevalence for Wild Waterfowl Species Across the Continental United States
This data release provides the predicted proportion of influenza-positive birds testing positive for H5 and H7 subtypes of IAV for each species at monthly intervals for each county centroid in the continental United States. This data supports a paired USGS publication.Data regarding the efficacy of management practices for controlling gull use of Common Tern nesting colonies
These data, which support a paired USGS publication, describe the efficacy of several management practices for reducing the presence of herring gulls in the nesting colonies of Common Terns. This data was collected on Poplar Island, located in the Chesapeake Bay portion of Maryland.Data describing the effects of elastic leg-loop harnesses on adult and juvenile Common Terns
These data describe the affects of elastic leg-loop harnesses on the reproductive success and behavior of adult Common Terns and the growth and behavior of juvenile Common Terns. These data support a USGS authored manuscript.Data describing infection status and movement ecology of North American waterfowl
These data, which support a USGS authored manuscript, describe how active and previous previous infection with avian influenza impacts the movement ecology of several wild waterfowl species that overwinter in California. Results varied by species and demonstrate that the relationships between avian influenza infection and wild bird movements are context- and species-dependent.Surface water estimates for a complex study site derived from traditional and emerging methods
These data describe the area of different habitat covered in water as determined via three approaches: manual surveys, digitized aerial imagery, and categorization of the newly available dynamic surface water extent dataset derived from satellite imagery. These data support a scientific publication.Spatial models indicating avian influenza transmission risk at the interface of domestic poultry and wild birds in China
Emergence of avian influenza viruses with high lethality to humans, such as the currently circulating highly pathogenic A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) cause serious concern for the global economic and public health sectors. To improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal trends in transmission risk we developed a model that predicts hotspots of novel virus emergence between domestic and wild birds aData measuring avian influenza infection, mercury concentration, and body condition in wild waterfowl
These data represent mercury contamination, influenza infection, and body condition in 11 species of dabbling and diving ducks in the Pacific Flyway. These data support a USGS lead scientific publication.Weekly relative effective waterfowl populations across the United States based upon predicted abundance and viral prevalence by species - Initial phase models
This data layer depicts the weekly relative effective waterfowl populations across the United States based upon predicted abundance and viral prevalence by species. These data have been produced to allow for visualization of how different factors impact transmission risk and may be advanced in future iterations to include additional species.Weekly estimates of the risk of avian influenza transmission from wild waterfowl to domestic poultry - Initial phase models
This data layer depicts the weekly estimates of the relative risk of avian influenza transmission from wild waterfowl to domestic poultry. These data represent an early phase of ongoing model development and the inclusion of additional parameters is upcoming.Relative susceptibility of poultry to the transmission of Avian Influenza from wild birds based upon poultry type and density
This data layer depicts the relative susceptibility of poultry to the transmission of Avian Influenza from wild birds based upon poultry type and density for the contiguous United States.Comparing various survey methods for estimating the number of colonial nesting white egret pairs
While small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) present a unique opportunity to survey avian populations while limiting disturbance, relatively little is known about how this method compares with more traditional approaches. In this study we compared population estimates of a mixed-species egret colony in the Chesapeake Bay (Maryland, USA) derived from UAS photo counts, flush counts, flight-line surveysTelemetry data of a Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) positive for 2.3.4.4 Highly Pathogenic H5N1
Wild lesser scaup from the Chesapeake Bay, captured and implanted with satellite transmitters for a separate ecology study, were opportunistically sampled for avian influenza. These data detail the virological sampling results, obtained post release, which include a single positive for clade 2.3.4.4 H5N1 virus of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 (Gs/GD) H5N1 lineage of highly pathogenic IAV. These dat - Multimedia
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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
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