Diann Prosser, Ph.D.
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
The aerosphere as a network connector of organisms and their diseases
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
Surveillance for highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in California during 2014–2015 provides insights into viral evolutionary pathways and the spatiotemporal extent of viruses in the Pacific Americas Flyway
The pathogenesis of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Standardization and application of an index of community integrity for waterbirds in the Chesapeake Bay, USA
Migratory ducks and protected wetlands in India
Goose migration across the Himalayas: Migratory routes and movement patterns of Bar-headed Geese
Himalayan thoroughfare: Migratory routes of ducks over the rooftop of the world
Low pathogenic avian influenza viruses in wild migratory waterfowl in a region of high poultry production, Delmarva, Maryland
Molecular detection of avian influenza virus from sediment samples in waterfowl habitats on the Delmarva Peninsula, United States
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The aerosphere as a network connector of organisms and their diseases
Aeroecological processes, especially powered flight of animals, can rapidly connect biological communities across the globe. This can have profound consequences for evolutionary diversification, energy and nutrient transfers, and the spread of infectious diseases. The latter is of particular consequence for human populations, since migratory birds are known to host diseases which have a history ofAuthorsJeremy D. Ross, Eli S. Bridge, Diann J. Prosser, John Y. TakekawaSpecies 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. HawkesSurveillance for highly pathogenic influenza A viruses in California during 2014–2015 provides insights into viral evolutionary pathways and the spatiotemporal extent of viruses in the Pacific Americas Flyway
We used surveillance data collected in California before, concurrent with, and subsequent to an outbreak of highly pathogenic (HP) clade 2.3.4.4 influenza A viruses (IAVs) in 2014–2015 to (i) evaluate IAV prevalence in waterfowl, (ii) assess the evidence for spill-over infections in marine mammals and (iii) genetically characterize low-pathogenic (LP) and HP IAVs to refine inference on the spatiotAuthorsAndrew M. Ramey, Nichola J. Hill, Troy Cline, Magdalena Plancarte, Susan De La Cruz, Michael L. Casazza, Joshua T. Ackerman, Joseph P. Fleskes, T. Winston Vickers, Andrew B. Reeves, Frances Gulland, Christine Fontaine, Diann J. Prosser, Jonathan Runstadler, Walter M. BoyceThe pathogenesis of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) and Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Waterfowl are the natural hosts of avian influenza virus (AIV) and disseminate the virus worldwide through migration. Historically, surveillance and research efforts for AIV in waterfowl have focused on dabbling ducks. The role of diving ducks in AIV ecology has not been well characterized. In this study, we examined the relative susceptibility and pathogenicity of clade 2.3.4.4 H5 highly pathogenAuthorsErica Spackman, Diann J. Prosser, Mary J. Pantin-Jackwood, Alicia Berlin, Christopher B. StephensStandardization and application of an index of community integrity for waterbirds in the Chesapeake Bay, USA
In recent decades, there has been increasing interest in the application of ecological indices to assess ecosystem condition in response to anthropogenic activities. An Index of Waterbird Community Integrity was previously developed for the Chesapeake Bay, USA. However, the scoring criteria were not defined well enough to generate scores for new species that were not observed in the original studyAuthorsDiann J. Prosser, Jessica L. Nagel, Paul Marban, Luo Ze, Daniel D. Day, R. Michael ErwinMigratory 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. 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. NewmanHimalayan 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. NewmanLow pathogenic avian influenza viruses in wild migratory waterfowl in a region of high poultry production, Delmarva, Maryland
Migratory waterfowl are natural reservoirs for low pathogenic avian influenza viruses (AIVs) and may contribute to the long-distance dispersal of these pathogens as well as spillover into domestic bird populations. Surveillance for AIVs is critical to assessing risks for potential spread of these viruses among wild and domestic bird populations. The Delmarva Peninsula on the east coast of the UnitAuthorsDiann J. Prosser, Christine L. Densmore, Larry J. Hindman, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Christopher A. Ottinger, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Cindy P. Driscoll, Jessica L. NagelMolecular detection of avian influenza virus from sediment samples in waterfowl habitats on the Delmarva Peninsula, United States
Avian influenza viruses (AIV) affect many species of birds including waterfowl and may persist in sediment in aquatic habitats. Sediment samples were collected from two areas representative of prime migration and overwintering waterfowl habitat in Dorchester County, Maryland in the fall and winter of 2013–2014. Samples were screened for the presence of AIV via reverse transcriptase–quantitative PCAuthorsChristine L. Densmore, Deborah D. Iwanowicz, Christopher A. Ottinger, Larry J. Hindman, Amanda Bessler, Luke R. Iwanowicz, Diann J. Prosser, Matt Whitbeck, Cindy P. Driscoll - Web Tools
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