Diann Prosser

Biologist

Short Biography

Diann Prosser is a research wildlife ecologist at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. She received her B.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Science (1995), M.S. in Ecology (1998) from the Pennsylvania State University, and Ph.D. (2012) from the University of Maryland’s Marine Estuarine Environmental Sciences interdisciplinary ecology program. 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.

AWARDS

Publications

Prosser, D. J. 2012. Wild Birds and Emerging Diseases: Modeling Avian Influenza Transmission Risk Between Domestic and Wild Birds in China. Doctoral Disseration. University of Maryland, College Park, MD. 217pp.

Newman, S. H., N. J. Hill, K. A. Spragens, D. Janies, I. O. Voronkin, D. J. Prosser, B. Yan, F. Lei, N. Batbayar, T. Natsagdorj, C. M. Bishop, P. J. Butler, M. Wikelski, S. Balachandran, T. Mundkur, D. C. Douglas, and J. Y. Takekawa. 2012. Eco-Virological Approach for Assessing the Role of Wild Birds in the Spread of Avian Influenza H5N1 along the Central Asian Flyway. PLoS ONE 7:e30636. [Link]

Cui, Peng; Hou, Yuansheng; Tang, Mingjie; Zhang, Haiting; Zuohua, Yuanchun; Yin, Zuohua; Li, Tianxian; Guo, Shan; Xing, Zhi; He, Yubang; Prosser, Diann J.; Newman, Scott H.; Takekawa, John Y.; Yan, Baoping ; Lei, Fumin, 2011. Movement patterns of Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus during breeding and post-breeding periods at Qinghai Lake, China. Springer , 10 p. [Link]

Cui, P.; Hou, Y.; Tang, M.; Zhang, H.; Zhou, Y.; Yin, Z.; Li, T.; Guo, S.; Xing, Z.; He, Y.; Prosser, D. J.; Newman, S. H.; Takekawa, J. Y.; Yan, B.; Lei, F. , 2011. Movement patterns of Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus during breeding and post-breeding periods at Qinghai Lake, China. Journal of Ornithology 152: 83-92.

Prosser, D. J., P. Cui, J. Y. Takekawa, M. Tang, Y. Hou, B. M. Collins, B. Yan, N. J. Hill, T. Li, Y. Li, F. Lei, S. Guo, Z. Xing, Y. He, Y. Zhou, D. C. Douglas, W. M. Perry, and S. H. Newman. 2011. Wild bird migration across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau: A transmission route for highly pathogenic H5N1. PLoS One 6(3):e17622. [Link]

Prosser, D. J., J. Wu, E. C. Ellis, F. Gale, T. P. Van Boeckel, W. Wint, T. Robinson, X. Xiao, and M. Gilbert. 2011. Modelling the distribution of chickens, ducks, and geese in China. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 141(3-4):381-389. [Link]

Van Boeckel, T. P., D. Prosser, G. Franceschini, C. Biradar, W. Wint, T. Robinson, and M. Gilbert. 2011. Modelling the distribution of domestic ducks in Monsoon Asia. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 141(3-4):373-380. [Link]

Martin, V., D. U. Pfeiffer, X. Y. Zhou, X. M. Xiao, D. J. Prosser, F. S. Guo, and M. Gilbert. 2011. Spatial distribution and risk factors of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in China. PLoS Pathogens 7(3):e1001308. [Link]

Gilbert, M., Xiao, X., Takekawa, J. Y., Loth, L., Prosser, D. J., Biradar, C., Balachandran, S., Subba Rao, M. V., Mundkur, T., Yan, B. P., Xing, Z., Hou, Y. S., Batbayar, N., Natsagdorj, T., Hogerwerf, J. B., Slingenbergh, J. & Newman, S. 2011. Flying Over an Infected Landscape: Distribution of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1 Risk in South Asia and Satellite Tracking of Wild Waterfowl. Ecohealth DOI: 10.1007/s10393-010-0672-8. [Link]

Batbayar, N., J. Y. Takekawa, S. H. Newman, D. J. Prosser, T. Natsagdorj, and X. Xiao. 2011. Migration Strategies of Swan Geese Anser cygnoides from Northeast Mongolia. Wildfowl 61:90-109.

Gaidet, N., J. Cappelle, J. Takekawa, D. J. Prosser, S. A. Iverson, D. C. Douglas, W. M. Perry, T. Mundkur, and S. H. Newman. 2010. Understanding the potential dispersal of HPAI H5N1 virus by migratory wildfowl. Argos Forum #71:4-5. [Link]

Gaidet, N., J. Cappelle, J. Y. Takekawa, D. J. Prosser, S. A. Iverson, D. C. Douglas, W. M. Perry, T. Mundkur, and S. H. Newman. 2010. Potential spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wildfowl: dispersal ranges and rates determined from large-scale satellite telemetry. Journal of Applied Ecology 47(5):1147-1157. [Link]

Hogerwerf, L., R. G. Wallace, D. Ottaviani, J. Slingenbergh, D. J. Prosser, L. Bergmann, and M. Gilbert. 2010. Persistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus defined by agro-ecological niche. EcoHealth 7(2):213-225. [Link]

Muzaffar, S. B., J. Y. Takekawa, D. J. Prosser, S. H. Newman, and X. Xiao. 2010. Rice production systems and avian influenza: interactions between mixed-farming systems, poultry and wild birds. Pages 219-230 in C. S. Elphick, C. S. Elphick, K. C. Parsons, M. Fasola, and L. Mugica, editors. Ecology and conservation of birds in rice fields: a global review. Waterbirds 33 (Special Publication 1) iii, 244 pp. [Link]

Takekawa, J. Y., S. H. Newman, X. M. Xiao, D. J. Prosser, K. A. Spragens, E. C. Palm, B. P. Yan, T. X. Li, F. M. Lei, D. L. Zhao, D. C. Douglas, S. Bin Muzaffar, and W. T. Ji. 2010. Migration of waterfowl in the East Asian Flyway and spatial relationship to HPAI H5N1 outbreaks. Avian Diseases 54(1 supplement):466-476. [Link]

Takekawa, J. Y., D. J. Prosser, S. H. Newman, S. Bin Muzaffar, N. J. Hill, B. P. Yan, X. M. Xiao, F. M. Lei, T. X. Li, S. E. Schwarzbach, and J. A. Howell. 2010. Victims and vectors: highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 and the ecology of wild birds. Avian Biology Research 3(2):51-73. [Link]

Newman, S. H., S. A. Iverson, J. Y. Takekawa, M. Gilbert, D. J. Prosser, N. Batbayar, T. Natsagdorj, and D. C. Douglas. 2009. Migration of whooper swans and outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus in eastern Asia. PLoS ONE 4(5):e5729 1-11. [Link]

Prosser, D. J., J. Y. Takekawa, S. H. Newman, B. Yan, D. C. Douglas, Y. Hou, Z. Xing, D. Zhang, T. Li, Y. Li, D. Shao, W. M. Perry, and E. C. Palm. 2009. Satellite-marked waterfowl reveal migratory connection between H5N1 outbreak areas in China and Mongolia. Ibis 151(3):568-576. [Link]

Takekawa, J. Y., S. R. Heath, D. C. Douglas, W. M. Perry, S. Javed, S. H. Newman, R. N. Suwal, A. R. Rahmani, B. C. Choudhury, D. J. Prosser, B. Yan, Y. Hou, N. Batbayar, T. Natsagdorj, C. M. Bishop, P. J. Butler, P. B. Frappell, W. K. Milsom, G. R. Scott, L. A. Hawkes , and M. Wikelski. 2009. Geographic variation in Bar-headed Geese Anser indicus: Connectivity of wintering areas and breeding grounds across a broad front. Wildfowl 59:100-123. [Link]

Muzaffar, S.B.; Takekawa, J. Y.; Prosser, D.J.; Douglas, D.C.; Yan, B.; Xing, Z.; Hou, Y.; Palm, E.C.; Newman, S.H., 2008. Seasonal movements and migration of Pallas's Gulls Larus ichthyaetus from Qinghai Lake, China. Forktail, 100-107

James-Pirri, M.J.; Erwin, R.M.; Prosser, D.J., 2008. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Region 5) salt marsh study, 2001 to 2006: an assessment of hydrologic alterations on salt marsh ecosystems along the Atlantic Coast. USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and University of Rhode Island , ix, 413 pp [Link]

Erwin, R.M.; Cahoon, D.R.; Prosser, D.J.; Sanders, G.M.; Hensel, P., 2006. Surface elevation dynamics in vegetated Spartina marshes versus unvegetated tidal ponds along the mid-Atlantic coast, USA, with implications to waterbirds. Estuaries and Coasts, 96-106 [Link]

Erwin, R.M.; Sanders, G.M.; Prosser, D.J.; Cahoon, D.R., 2006. High tides and rising seas: potential effects on estuarine waterbirds. Cooper Ornithological Society Studies in Avian Biology , 339 pp [Link]

Erwin, R.M.; Sanders, G.M.; Prosser, D.J., 2004. Changes in lagoonal marsh morphology at selected northeastern Atlantic coast sites of significance to migratory waterbirds. Wetlands 24(4): 891-903 [Link]

James-Pirri, M.-J., R. M. Erwin, D. J. Prosser, and J. Taylor. 2004. Monitoring salt-marsh responses to open marsh water management at U.S. Fish and Wildlife coastal refuges. Ecological Restoration 22(1):55-56. [Link]

Sanders, G.; Prosser, D.J.; Erwin, R.M., 2001. Sea level rise and salt marsh dynamics: Changes in Atlantic coastal waterbird habitats. NOAA Coastal Services Center NOAA/CSC/20114-CD. , NOAA Coastal Services Center, Charleston, SC

Erwin, R.M.; Prosser, D.J.; Sanders, G., 2000. Rising seas and sinking coastal marshes: Implications to Atlantic waterbirds. Memorial University of Newfoundland , 154 pp

Steinkamp, M., B. Peterjohn, D. Prosser, and S. Dreher. 1999. Monitoring North America's colonial waterbirds: a comprehensive program. Pacific Seabirds 26(1):54 (abstract). [Link]

Prosser, D.J. and R.P. Brooks. 1998. A verified habitat suitability index model for the Louisiana waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla). Journal of Field Ornithology 69(2):288-298. [Link]

Prosser, D.J. 1998. Avian use of different successional stage beaver ponds in Pennsylvania. M.S. Thesis, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA. 152 pp [Link]

My Science Topics

My USGS Science Strategy Areas

Projects:

Wild birds and emerging diseases: Modeling avian influenza transmission risk between domestic and wild birds in China

USGS - United Nations FAO studies on wild bird migration and highly pathogenic avian influenza

Island Restoration, Sea Level Rise, and Waterbirds in the Chesapeake Bay

Shoreline changes and impacts to natural resources in the Chesapeake Bay

Evaluating the effects of open marsh water management on Region 5 refuges

Sea level rise, marsh inundation, and waterbird habitat implications

USGS co-authored maps in Nature article, "Mapping the H7N9 Avian Flu Outbreaks" (see Martin et al. 2011 under Prosser publications), April 24, 2013  

“Understanding Global Avian Influenza Transmission Pathways Through Ecology: USGS Maps Possible Transmission Routes for Avian Influenza”, USGS Top Stories Science Pick, September 2011

"Do Wild Birds Play a Role in the Spread of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1)?”, GeoHealth Newsletter, Summer 2011

“Migrating Birds May Spread Deadly Virus”, Frontiers In Ecology Dispatches, May 2011

“New Research Suggests Wild Birds May Play a Role in the Spread of Bird Flu”, March 2011

“In China’s Backcountry, Tracking Lethal Bird Flu”, Science News, October 2010