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Howard Ginsberg, Ph.D. (Former Employee)

Science and Products

Image: Northern Pintail Ducks

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.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Disease Decision Analysis and Research

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.
Learn More
Image: Black-Footed Ferret

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.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center
COVID-19 Pathways and Wildlife Dynamics

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.
Learn More
Bumble bee visiting thistle

Bees of the Northeastern U.S.

Declines of pollinators have engendered worldwide concern, but trends in the faunas of most insect pollinators, including bees, remain uncertain. We are studying the bee fauna of southern Rhode Island to provide baseline information about the current fauna, and information about bee-flower interactions.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Bees of the Northeastern U.S.

Bees of the Northeastern U.S.

Declines of pollinators have engendered worldwide concern, but trends in the faunas of most insect pollinators, including bees, remain uncertain. We are studying the bee fauna of southern Rhode Island to provide baseline information about the current fauna, and information about bee-flower interactions.
Learn More
Aedes albopictus mosquito

Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases

Effective management programs for vector-borne pathogens, such as West Nile Virus and the Lyme disease spirochete, are necessary to protect public health. However, some vector control methods, such as landscape manipulations and pesticide applications, can also adversely affect nontarget species and environmentally sensitive natural systems. Efficient targeting and integration of vector control...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases

Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases

Effective management programs for vector-borne pathogens, such as West Nile Virus and the Lyme disease spirochete, are necessary to protect public health. However, some vector control methods, such as landscape manipulations and pesticide applications, can also adversely affect nontarget species and environmentally sensitive natural systems. Efficient targeting and integration of vector control...
Learn More
Blacklegged Ticks are Lyme Disease Carriers

Vector-borne Disease Research

Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, with about 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. We are studying transmission of the spirochete that causes this disease among wild animals and the blacklegged tick vectors, to determine why Lyme disease is common in the northeast and northern Midwest but rare in the south, even though blacklegged ticks are present in all of...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Vector-borne Disease Research

Vector-borne Disease Research

Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, with about 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. We are studying transmission of the spirochete that causes this disease among wild animals and the blacklegged tick vectors, to determine why Lyme disease is common in the northeast and northern Midwest but rare in the south, even though blacklegged ticks are present in all of...
Learn More

Blacklegged tick nymph densities, tickborne pathogen prevalence, and white-tailed deer densities in eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022 Blacklegged tick nymph densities, tickborne pathogen prevalence, and white-tailed deer densities in eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022

The data presented here are blacklegged tick nymph densities, white-tailed deer densities, and Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) prevalences for eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022.
By
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
Filter Total Items: 113

Enhancing One Health outcomes using decision science and negotiation Enhancing One Health outcomes using decision science and negotiation

One Health initiatives have advanced zoonotic disease management by recognizing the interconnectedness of three sectors of governance (human, ecosystem, and animal) and by identifying options that can improve full-system health. Although One Health has had many successes, its full realization may be inhibited by a lack of strategies to overcome simultaneous impediments in decision making...
Authors
Jonathan D. Cook, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Howard S. Ginsberg, Diann Prosser, Michael C. Runge
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Partly cloudy with a chance of mosquitoes: Developing a flexible approach to forecasting mosquito populations Partly cloudy with a chance of mosquitoes: Developing a flexible approach to forecasting mosquito populations

Climate-induced shifts in mosquito phenology and population structure have important implications for the health of humans and wildlife. The timing and intensity of mosquito interactions with infected and susceptible hosts are a primary determinant of vector-borne disease dynamics. Like most ectotherms, rates of mosquito development and corresponding phenological patterns are expected to...
Authors
Travis Mcdevitt-Galles, Arthur DeGaetano, Sarah Elmendorf, John R. Foster, Howard S. Ginsberg, Mevin B. Hooten, Shannon LaDeau, Katherine Maria McClure, S. H. Paull, Erin E. Posthumus, Ilia Rochlin, Daniel A. Grear
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Deer management generally reduces densities of nymphal Ixodes scapularis, but not prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto Deer management generally reduces densities of nymphal Ixodes scapularis, but not prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto

Human Lyme disease–primarily caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) in North America–is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Research on risk mitigation strategies during the last three decades has emphasized methods to reduce densities of the primary vector in eastern North America, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis). Controlling...
Authors
Alynn Martin, Danielle Buttke, Jordan Raphael, Kelsey Taylor, Sarah Maes, Christina M. Parise, Howard Ginsberg, Paul C. Cross
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Modeling of historical and current distributions of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), is consistent with ancestral range recovery Modeling of historical and current distributions of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), is consistent with ancestral range recovery

The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum L., is a three-host hard tick notorious for aggressive feeding behavior. In the early to mid-20th century, this species’ range was mostly limited to the southern USA. Since the 1950s, A. americanum has been detected in many new localities in the western, northcentral, and northeastern regions of the country. To examine the influence of climate on...
Authors
Ilia Rochlin, Andrea Egizi, Howard Ginsberg
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Using surrogate insects in acid bioassays for development of new controls for Varroa destructor (Arachnida: Varroidae) Using surrogate insects in acid bioassays for development of new controls for Varroa destructor (Arachnida: Varroidae)

Resistance to traditional synthetic compounds by Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and shortcomings of the organic acid class of acaracides commonly used in varroa management requires continual development of new controls. V. destructor, however, are difficult to obtain for use in control bioassays because they are obligate parasites that cannot be easily reared outside of a honey...
Authors
Julia Vieira, Casey L. Johnson, Elizabeth M. Varkonyi, Howard Ginsberg, Kassie Picard, Mattew Kiesewetter, Steven R. Alm
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island

Human cases of tick-borne diseases have been increasing in the United States. In particular, the incidence of Lyme disease, the major vector-borne disease in Rhode Island, has risen, along with cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, all vectored by the blacklegged tick. These increases might relate, in part, to climate change, although other environmental changes in the northeast (land...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret, Jason Garrett, Thomas N. Mather, Roger A. LeBrun
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center
Fiscal Year 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Fiscal Year 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

The Disease Decision Analysis and Research (DDAR) group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose...

Read Article
Spring 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Spring 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

The Disease Decision Analysis and Research (DDAR) group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose...

Read Article
Fall 2024 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Fall 2024 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Disease Decision Analysis and Research (DDAR) is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose strengths are in...

Read Article
One Health and Structured Decision Making

One Health and Structured Decision Making

November 3 is One Health Day. One Health is the idea that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.

Read Article
Pesticides, Pollinators, and Pestilence: Protecting Public Health and Pollinators

Pesticides, Pollinators, and Pestilence: Protecting Public Health and Pollinators

Tick and mosquito control provides important public health protection, but can also affect pollinator populations. The effects are often dependent on...

Read Article
It’s the Heat and the Humidity, New Study Finds: Why Lyme Disease is Common in the North, Rare in the South

It’s the Heat and the Humidity, New Study Finds: Why Lyme Disease is Common in the North, Rare in the South

When it's hot and not too muggy, Lyme disease-bearing ticks hide out where people don't tread. Scientists say that's why the illness is rare in the...

Read Article

Science and Products

Image: Northern Pintail Ducks

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.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Disease Decision Analysis and Research

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.
Learn More
Image: Black-Footed Ferret

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.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center
COVID-19 Pathways and Wildlife Dynamics

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.
Learn More
Bumble bee visiting thistle

Bees of the Northeastern U.S.

Declines of pollinators have engendered worldwide concern, but trends in the faunas of most insect pollinators, including bees, remain uncertain. We are studying the bee fauna of southern Rhode Island to provide baseline information about the current fauna, and information about bee-flower interactions.
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Bees of the Northeastern U.S.

Bees of the Northeastern U.S.

Declines of pollinators have engendered worldwide concern, but trends in the faunas of most insect pollinators, including bees, remain uncertain. We are studying the bee fauna of southern Rhode Island to provide baseline information about the current fauna, and information about bee-flower interactions.
Learn More
Aedes albopictus mosquito

Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases

Effective management programs for vector-borne pathogens, such as West Nile Virus and the Lyme disease spirochete, are necessary to protect public health. However, some vector control methods, such as landscape manipulations and pesticide applications, can also adversely affect nontarget species and environmentally sensitive natural systems. Efficient targeting and integration of vector control...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases

Environmental Management of Vector-borne Diseases

Effective management programs for vector-borne pathogens, such as West Nile Virus and the Lyme disease spirochete, are necessary to protect public health. However, some vector control methods, such as landscape manipulations and pesticide applications, can also adversely affect nontarget species and environmentally sensitive natural systems. Efficient targeting and integration of vector control...
Learn More
Blacklegged Ticks are Lyme Disease Carriers

Vector-borne Disease Research

Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, with about 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. We are studying transmission of the spirochete that causes this disease among wild animals and the blacklegged tick vectors, to determine why Lyme disease is common in the northeast and northern Midwest but rare in the south, even though blacklegged ticks are present in all of...
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Species Management Research Program, Eastern Ecological Science Center
Vector-borne Disease Research

Vector-borne Disease Research

Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, with about 300,000 cases per year in the U.S. We are studying transmission of the spirochete that causes this disease among wild animals and the blacklegged tick vectors, to determine why Lyme disease is common in the northeast and northern Midwest but rare in the south, even though blacklegged ticks are present in all of...
Learn More

Blacklegged tick nymph densities, tickborne pathogen prevalence, and white-tailed deer densities in eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022 Blacklegged tick nymph densities, tickborne pathogen prevalence, and white-tailed deer densities in eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022

The data presented here are blacklegged tick nymph densities, white-tailed deer densities, and Borrelia burgdorferi (causative agent of Lyme disease) prevalences for eight national parks in the eastern United States from 2014-2022.
By
Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center
Filter Total Items: 113

Enhancing One Health outcomes using decision science and negotiation Enhancing One Health outcomes using decision science and negotiation

One Health initiatives have advanced zoonotic disease management by recognizing the interconnectedness of three sectors of governance (human, ecosystem, and animal) and by identifying options that can improve full-system health. Although One Health has had many successes, its full realization may be inhibited by a lack of strategies to overcome simultaneous impediments in decision making...
Authors
Jonathan D. Cook, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Howard S. Ginsberg, Diann Prosser, Michael C. Runge
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Partly cloudy with a chance of mosquitoes: Developing a flexible approach to forecasting mosquito populations Partly cloudy with a chance of mosquitoes: Developing a flexible approach to forecasting mosquito populations

Climate-induced shifts in mosquito phenology and population structure have important implications for the health of humans and wildlife. The timing and intensity of mosquito interactions with infected and susceptible hosts are a primary determinant of vector-borne disease dynamics. Like most ectotherms, rates of mosquito development and corresponding phenological patterns are expected to...
Authors
Travis Mcdevitt-Galles, Arthur DeGaetano, Sarah Elmendorf, John R. Foster, Howard S. Ginsberg, Mevin B. Hooten, Shannon LaDeau, Katherine Maria McClure, S. H. Paull, Erin E. Posthumus, Ilia Rochlin, Daniel A. Grear
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, National Wildlife Health Center

Deer management generally reduces densities of nymphal Ixodes scapularis, but not prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto Deer management generally reduces densities of nymphal Ixodes scapularis, but not prevalence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto

Human Lyme disease–primarily caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.) in North America–is the most common vector-borne disease in the United States. Research on risk mitigation strategies during the last three decades has emphasized methods to reduce densities of the primary vector in eastern North America, the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis). Controlling...
Authors
Alynn Martin, Danielle Buttke, Jordan Raphael, Kelsey Taylor, Sarah Maes, Christina M. Parise, Howard Ginsberg, Paul C. Cross
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Modeling of historical and current distributions of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), is consistent with ancestral range recovery Modeling of historical and current distributions of lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae), is consistent with ancestral range recovery

The lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum L., is a three-host hard tick notorious for aggressive feeding behavior. In the early to mid-20th century, this species’ range was mostly limited to the southern USA. Since the 1950s, A. americanum has been detected in many new localities in the western, northcentral, and northeastern regions of the country. To examine the influence of climate on...
Authors
Ilia Rochlin, Andrea Egizi, Howard Ginsberg
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center

Using surrogate insects in acid bioassays for development of new controls for Varroa destructor (Arachnida: Varroidae) Using surrogate insects in acid bioassays for development of new controls for Varroa destructor (Arachnida: Varroidae)

Resistance to traditional synthetic compounds by Varroa destructor Anderson and Trueman and shortcomings of the organic acid class of acaracides commonly used in varroa management requires continual development of new controls. V. destructor, however, are difficult to obtain for use in control bioassays because they are obligate parasites that cannot be easily reared outside of a honey...
Authors
Julia Vieira, Casey L. Johnson, Elizabeth M. Varkonyi, Howard Ginsberg, Kassie Picard, Mattew Kiesewetter, Steven R. Alm
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Eastern Ecological Science Center

Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island Potential effects of climate change on tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island

Human cases of tick-borne diseases have been increasing in the United States. In particular, the incidence of Lyme disease, the major vector-borne disease in Rhode Island, has risen, along with cases of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, all vectored by the blacklegged tick. These increases might relate, in part, to climate change, although other environmental changes in the northeast (land...
Authors
Howard Ginsberg, Jannelle Couret, Jason Garrett, Thomas N. Mather, Roger A. LeBrun
By
Eastern Ecological Science Center
Fiscal Year 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Fiscal Year 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

The Disease Decision Analysis and Research (DDAR) group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose...

Read Article
Spring 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Spring 2025 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

The Disease Decision Analysis and Research (DDAR) group is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose...

Read Article
Fall 2024 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Fall 2024 Highlights from EESC’s Disease Decision Analysis and Research Group

Disease Decision Analysis and Research (DDAR) is a multi-disciplinary team based out of the Eastern Ecological Science Center whose strengths are in...

Read Article
One Health and Structured Decision Making

One Health and Structured Decision Making

November 3 is One Health Day. One Health is the idea that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and our shared environment.

Read Article
Pesticides, Pollinators, and Pestilence: Protecting Public Health and Pollinators

Pesticides, Pollinators, and Pestilence: Protecting Public Health and Pollinators

Tick and mosquito control provides important public health protection, but can also affect pollinator populations. The effects are often dependent on...

Read Article
It’s the Heat and the Humidity, New Study Finds: Why Lyme Disease is Common in the North, Rare in the South

It’s the Heat and the Humidity, New Study Finds: Why Lyme Disease is Common in the North, Rare in the South

When it's hot and not too muggy, Lyme disease-bearing ticks hide out where people don't tread. Scientists say that's why the illness is rare in the...

Read Article
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