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
Shoreline delineations for 21 Subestuaries in the Chesapeake Bay 2010-2014.
Assessing Nest Attentiveness of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) via Video Cameras and Temperature Loggers
Temporal Viral Viability Data from Avian Influenza A Viruses Maintained in North American Wetlands Under Experimental and Environmental Conditions
Waterfowl occurrence and residence time as indicators of H5 and H7 avian in?uenza in North American Poultry
Using Thermal Infrared Cameras to Detect Avian Chicks at Various Distances and Vegetative Coverages
Promoting Change in Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Nest Site Selection to Minimize Construction Related Disturbance
Spatio-temporal distribution models for dabbling duck species across the continental United States
Molecular detection of avian influenza virus from sediment samples in waterfowl habitats on the Delmarva Peninsula, USA
Preliminary evaluation of behavioral response of nesting waterbirds to small unmanned aircraft flight
Effects of local shoreline and subestuary watershed condition on waterbird use: influences of geography, scale, and season in the Chesapeake Bay
Standardization and Application of an Index of Community Integrity for Waterbirds in the Chesapeake Bay
Low-pathogenic avian influenza viruses in wild migratory waterfowl in a region of high poultry production, Delmarva, Maryland
Do contrasting patterns of migration movements and disease outbreaks between congeneric waterfowl species reflect differing immunity?
Crossroads of highly pathogenic H5N1: overlap between wild and domestic birds in the Black Sea-Mediterranean impacts global transmission
Diurnal timing of nonmigratory movement by birds: The importance of foraging spatial scales
The pathogenesis of a North American H5N2 clade 2.3.4.4 group A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata)
Influenza A viruses remain infectious for more than seven months in northern wetlands of North America
Assessing nest attentiveness of Common Terns via video cameras and temperature loggers
Waterfowl occurrence and residence time as indicators of H5 and H7 avian influenza in North American Poultry
Using thermal infrared cameras to detect avian chicks at various distances and vegetative coverages
Assessing beach and island habitat loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region, USA, through processing of Landsat TM and OLI imagery: A case study
Confronting models with data: The challenges of estimating disease spillover
Promoting change in common tern (Sterna hirundo) nest site selection to minimize construction related disturbance
A network approach to prioritize conservation efforts for migratory birds
Science and Products
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Shoreline delineations for 21 Subestuaries in the Chesapeake Bay 2010-2014.
In many coastal regions throughout the world, there is increasing pressure to harden shorelines to protect human infrastructures against sea level rise, storm surge, and erosion. These data reflect the digitization of the shorelines of 21 sub-estuaries throughout the Chesapeake Bay (USA) as observed from 2010 through 2014. Shoreline segments are classified into one of seven shoreline types: bulkheAssessing Nest Attentiveness of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) via Video Cameras and Temperature Loggers
While nest attentiveness plays a critical role in the reproductive success of avian species, little is known regarding the nest attentiveness patterns of many species during incubation. However, improvements in both video monitoring and temperature logging devices present an opportunity to improve our understanding of this aspect of avian behavior. To evaluate the ability of these technologies toTemporal Viral Viability Data from Avian Influenza A Viruses Maintained in North American Wetlands Under Experimental and Environmental Conditions
Data sets containing: (1) sample collection and influenza A virus (IAV) screening information for wild ducks, (2) water temperature data for six North American wetlands, (3) water quality measurement from those wetlands, (4) laboratory-based study of viral viability using Minnesota wetland water, (5) naive mallards challenged experimentally with IAVs identified from the field experiment, and (6) gWaterfowl occurrence and residence time as indicators of H5 and H7 avian in?uenza in North American Poultry
This data release contains model outputs depicting the probability of an H5 or H7 avian influenza outbreak at any given point in the continental United States for each week of the year.Using Thermal Infrared Cameras to Detect Avian Chicks at Various Distances and Vegetative Coverages
These data represent the ability of two thermal infrared cameras to detect a chicken chick under a variety of vegetation coverage's.Promoting Change in Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Nest Site Selection to Minimize Construction Related Disturbance
These data describe the status of eggs in nests which had a foster egg added to them as part of an effort to relocate a common tern colony on Poplar Island. One data file (McGowanEtAl2018_FosterNestData_Data.csv) contains the data regarding the observations, while one definitions file (McGowanEtAl2018_FosterNestData_Definitions.csv) details the data.Spatio-temporal distribution models for dabbling duck species across the continental United States
These data describe the spatio-temporal distribution of dabbling duck species across the continental United States during four biologically relevant seasons. This dataset contains two types of distribution models: (1) probability of presence, and (2) abundance. The model type, species, and season depicted in a raster are defined in the file name. File names begin with either abun (indicating thatMolecular detection of avian influenza virus from sediment samples in waterfowl habitats on the Delmarva Peninsula, USA
Data were collected as part of an investigation developed by Leetown Science Center to investigate the comparative detection of avian influenza viruses from waterfowl and potential environmental reservoirs such as aquatic sediment from waterfowl habitat. This dataset identifies positive or negative test results for qRT-PCR (quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) for avian inPreliminary evaluation of behavioral response of nesting waterbirds to small unmanned aircraft flight
This dataset is comprised of 3 .csv files related to the use of unmanned aerial systems over waterbird colonies. Specifically, data detail the disturbance observed in birds during flights, the time required for traditional ground surveys to be conducted, and the distance at which birds flush during traditional ground surveys.Effects of local shoreline and subestuary watershed condition on waterbird use: influences of geography, scale, and season in the Chesapeake Bay
In many coastal regions throughout the world, there is increasing pressure to harden shorelines to protect human infrastructures against sea-level rise, storm surge and erosion. This study examines waterbird community integrity in relation to shoreline hardening and land use characteristics at three geographic scales: (1) the subestuary scale characterized by seven shoreline types: bulkhead, riprStandardization and Application of an Index of Community Integrity for Waterbirds in the Chesapeake Bay
In recent decades, there has been increasing interest in the application of ecological indices to assess ecosystem condition in response to anthropogenic activities. DeLuca et al. (2008) developed an Index of Waterbird Community Integrity (IWCI) to evaluate breeding waterbird response to anthropogenic activities in the Chesapeake Bay, USA. As we attempted to apply this index to a study in the sameLow-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 (LPAIV) and may contribute to the long-distance dispersal of these diseases as well as spillover into domestic bird populations. Surveillance for AIVs is critical to assessing risks for potential spread of these diseases among wild and domestic bird populations. The Delmarva Peninsula on the east coast of the U.S - Multimedia
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Do contrasting patterns of migration movements and disease outbreaks between congeneric waterfowl species reflect differing immunity?
Long-distance migrations influence the dynamics of hostpathogen interactions and understanding the role of migratory waterfowl in the spread of the highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIV) is important. While wild geese have been associated with outbreak events, disease ecology of closely related species has not been studied to the same extent. The swan goose (Anser cygnoides) and the barAuthorsShenlai Yin, Yanjie Xu, Nyambyar Batbayar, John Y. Takekawa, Yali Si, Diann Prosser, Scott H. Newman, Herbert H.T. Prins, Willem F. de BoerCrossroads of highly pathogenic H5N1: overlap between wild and domestic birds in the Black Sea-Mediterranean impacts global transmission
Understanding transmission dynamics that link wild and domestic animals is a key element of predicting the emergence of infectious disease, an event that has highest likelihood of occurring wherever human livelihoods depend on agriculture and animal trade. Contact between poultry and wild birds is a key driver of the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), a process that allows forAuthorsNichola J. Hill, Lacy M. Smith, Sabir B. Muzaffar, Jessica L. Nagel, Diann Prosser, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Kyle A. Spragens, Carlos A. DeMattos, Cecilia C. Demattos, Lu'ay El Sayed, Kiraz Erciyas-Yavuz, C. Todd Davis, Joyce Jones, Zoltan Kis, Ruben O. Donis, Scott H. Newman, John Y. TakekawaDiurnal timing of nonmigratory movement by birds: The importance of foraging spatial scales
Timing of activity can reveal an organism's efforts to optimize foraging either by minimizing energy loss through passive movement or by maximizing energetic gain through foraging. Here, we assess whether signals of either of these strategies are detectable in the timing of activity of daily, local movements by birds. We compare the similarities of timing of movement activity among species using sAuthorsJulie M. Mallon, Marlee A. Tucker, Annalea Beard, Richard O Bierregaard Jr., Keith L. Bildstein, Katrin Böhning-Gaese, John N. Brzorad, Evan R. Buechley, Javier Bustamante, Carlos Carrapato, José Alfredo Castillo‐Guerrero, Elizabeth Clingham, Mark Desholm, Christopher R. DeSorbo, Robert Domenech, Hayley Douglas, Olivier Duriez, Peter Enggist, Nina Farwig, Wolfgang Fiedler, Anna Gagliardo, Clara García‐Ripollés, José Antonio Gil Gallús, Morgan E. Gilmour, Roi Harel, Autumn-Lynn Harrison, Leeann Henry, Todd E. Katzner, Roland Kays, Erik Kleyheeg, Rubén Limiñana, Pascual López-López, Giuseppe Lucia, Alan Maccarone, Egidio Mallia, Ugo Mellone, E.K. Mojica, Ran Nathan, Scott H. Newman, Steffen Oppel, Yotam Orchan, Diann J. Prosser, Hannah Riley, Sascha Rösner, Dana G. Schabo, Holger Schulz, Scott A. Shaffer, Adam Shreading, João Paulo Silva, Jolene Sim, Henrik Skov, Orr Spiegel, Matthew J. Stuber, John Y. Takekawa, Vicente Urios, Javier Vidal‐Mateo, Kevin Warner, Bryan D. Watts, Nicola Weber, Sam Weber, Martin Wikelski, Ramunas Zydelis, Thomas Mueller, William F. FaganThe pathogenesis of a North American H5N2 clade 2.3.4.4 group A highly pathogenic avian influenza virus in surf scoters (Melanitta perspicillata)
BackgroundAquatic waterfowl, particularly those in the order Anseriformes and Charadriiformes, are the ecological reservoir of avian influenza viruses (AIVs). Dabbling ducks play a recognized role in the maintenance and transmission of AIVs. Furthermore, the pathogenesis of highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) in dabbling ducks is well characterized. In contrast, the role of diving ducks in HPAIV maintenAuthorsJasmine M. Luczo, Diann Prosser, Mary J. Pantin-Jackwood, Alicia Berlin, Erica SpackmanInfluenza A viruses remain infectious for more than seven months in northern wetlands of North America
In this investigation, we used a combination of field- and laboratory-based approaches to assess if influenza A viruses (IAVs) shed by ducks could remain viable for extended periods in surface water within three wetland complexes of North America. In a field experiment, replicate filtered surface water samples inoculated with duck swabs were tested for IAVs upon collection and again after an overwAuthorsAndrew M. Ramey, Andrew B. Reeves, Judith Z. Drexler, Josh T. Ackerman, Susan E. W. De La Cruz, Andrew S. Lang, Christina Leyson, Paul T. Link, Diann Prosser, Gregory J. Robertson, Jordan Wight, Sungsu Youk, Erica Spackman, Mary Pantin-Jackwood, Rebecca L. Poulson, David E. StallknechtAssessing nest attentiveness of Common Terns via video cameras and temperature loggers
While nest attentiveness plays a critical role in the reproductive success of avian species, little nest attentiveness data with high temporal resolution is available for many species. However, improvements in both video monitoring and temperature logging devices present an opportunity to improve our understanding of this aspect of avian behavior. To investigate nest attentiveness behaviors and evAuthorsJeffery D. Sullivan, Paul R. Marban, Jennifer M. Mullinax, David F. Brinker, Petter C. McGowan, Carl C. Callahan, Diann ProsserWaterfowl occurrence and residence time as indicators of H5 and H7 avian influenza in North American Poultry
Avian influenza (AI) affects wild aquatic birds and poses hazards to human health, food security, and wildlife conservation globally. Accordingly, there is a recognized need for new methods and tools to help quantify the dynamic interaction between wild bird hosts and commercial poultry. Using satellite-marked waterfowl, we applied Bayesian joint hierarchical modeling to concurrently model specieAuthorsJohn M. Humphreys, Andy Ramey, David C. Douglas, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Catherine Soos, Paul T. Link, Patrick Walther, Diann J. ProsserUsing thermal infrared cameras to detect avian chicks at various distances and vegetative coverages
Population monitoring of nesting waterbirds often involves frequent entries into the colony, but alternative methods such as local remotely sensed thermal imaging may help reduce disturbance while providing a cost-effective way to survey breeding populations. Such an approach can have high initial costs, however, which may have reduced the number of studies investigating functionality of paired thAuthorsDiann Prosser, Tom Collier, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Katherine Emily Dale, Carl R. Callahan, Peter C. McGowan, Edward Gaylord, Julia M. Geschke, Lucas Howell, Paul R. Marban, Saba RamanAssessing beach and island habitat loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region, USA, through processing of Landsat TM and OLI imagery: A case study
Beaches and islands provide economic value to humans and critical habitat for breeding and foraging wildlife. These ecosystems, however, are being severely impacted by global climate change and sea level rise through increased erosion and frequency of inundation. The case study presented here aimed to document island loss in the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva coastal bay region of the United States uAuthorsPaul R. Marban, Jennifer M. Mullinax, Jonathan P. Resop, Diann ProsserConfronting 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. PepinPromoting change in common tern (Sterna hirundo) nest site selection to minimize construction related disturbance
With dramatic declines in waterbird populations around the globe, wildlife managers have taken great care to minimize disturbance to breeding waterbird colonies. However, sometimes disturbance cannot be avoided and other actions must be considered. During the 2017 breeding season, a colony of Sterna hirundo (Common terns) were deterred from a historic nesting site due to concerns that nearby restoAuthorsPeter C. McGowan, Jeffery D. Sullivan, Carl C. Callahan, William Schultz, Jennifer L. Wall, Diann ProsserA network approach to prioritize conservation efforts for migratory birds
Habitat loss can trigger migration network collapse by isolating migratory birds’ breeding grounds from non-breeding grounds. Theoretically, habitat loss can have vastly different impacts depending on the site’s importance within the migratory corridor. However, migration network connectivity and the impacts of site loss are not completely understood. Here we used GPS tracking data from four birdAuthorsYanjie Xu, Yali Si, John Takekawa, Qiang Liu, Herbert H.T. Prins, Shenglai Yin, Diann J. Prosser, Peng Gong, Willem F. de Boer - Web Tools
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