Geology topics

Katrina E. Alger

Publications and source records attributed to Katrina E. Alger.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

USGS2025

Climate-related drivers of migratory bird health in the south-central USA

Migratory birds are species of concern that play important ecological roles while also supporting recreational opportunities for the hunting and birdwatching public. Direct and indirect effects of climate variability, extremes, and change on migratory bird health manifest at the individual, population, species, and community levels. This review focuses on the effects of climate on migratory birds that spend part of their life cycles in the south-central USA. Although gaps in knowledge remain, prior studies provide a solid foundation to understand how climate affects migratory birds to inform management priorities and actions.

Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas↗

USGS2024

Disease-smart climate adaptation for wildlife management and conservation

Climate change is a well-documented driver and threat multiplier of infectious disease in wildlife populations. However, wildlife disease management and climate-change adaptation have largely operated in isolation. To improve conservation outcomes, we consider the role of climate adaptation in initiating or exacerbating the transmission and spread of wildlife disease and the deleterious effects thereof, as illustrated through several case studies. We offer insights into best practices for disease-smart adaptation, including a checklist of key factors for assessing disease risks early in the climate adaptation process. By assessing risk, incorporating uncertainty, planning for change, and monitoring outcomes, natural resource managers and conservation practitioners can better prepare for and respond to wildlife disease threats in a changing climate.

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment↗

USGS2023

White-Nose Syndrome Diagnostic Laboratory Network handbook

When responding to a wildlife disease outbreak, managers depend on consistent and clear data to make decisions. However, diagnostic methods for detecting pathogens of wildlife often lack the level of procedural and interpretational standardization that occurs in the investigation of human and domestic animal diseases. This lack of standardization can hamper diagnostic reliability in two ways. First is the inappropriate application of tests to new species or in situations that are outside of the original (in other words, validated) purpose. Second is the use of laboratory-specific modifications or analytical parameters without thorough investigation of how those changes affect result comparisons across institutions or the ability to make broader conclusions about pathogen or disease. White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a disease caused by the fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans ( Pd ), which has spread rapidly and is causing population-level declines in some species of North American bats. During the last decade, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has become the most common method of testing for Pd because of qPCR’s speed, accuracy, and simplicity across a wide range of invasive and noninvasive sample types. Its widespread use by many State, Federal, Provincial, and academic institutions has inevitably led to variations in methodology and interpretation among laboratories. The progressive geographic spread of fungus and disease has also led to sampling contexts and strategies that differ from those for which the qPCR assay was originally developed and validated. These factors have resulted in inconsistencies among results tested in different laboratories and, subsequently, confusion for managers and decision makers. To address these challenges, the WNS National Response Team Diagnostic Working Group launched a project congruent with increased calls for the harmonization of wildlife disease diagnostic results, and reporting standards across disparate methodologies and laboratories. Beginning in 2019, interlaboratory testing was done to better understand how variations to Pd qPCR methodology affect diagnostic consistency and to reassess the assay’s fit for purpose in new testing contexts. This information led to expanded conversations within the Diagnostic Working Group related to best practices in Pd qPCR diagnostic testing, the development of common interpretation language for classifying test results, and the incorporation of that language into an updated WNS case definition. This handbook is the resulting product and is intended to help further harmonize Pd qPCR diagnostic testing by establishing recommendations related to voluntary participation in a WNS Diagnostic Laboratory Network, documenting the currently (2022) practiced Pd qPCR methodologies, discussing general best practices for molecular diagnostics and laboratory networks, and elaborating on the epidemiologic and diagnostic basis of the agreed-upon classification language for Pd qPCR results. Through this voluntary, consensus-based approach to diagnostic harmonization, this work aims to improve the confidence of management agencies in reported Pd qPCR results and can serve as an example of national diagnostic coordination for other unregulated wildlife diseases.

Techniques and Methods↗

USGS2020

Principles and mechanisms of wildlife population persistence in the face of disease

Emerging infectious diseases can result in species declines and hamper recovery efforts for at-risk populations. Generalizing considerations for reducing the risk of pathogen introduction and mitigating the effects of disease remains challenging and inhibits our ability to provide guidance for species recovery planning. Given the growing rates of emerging pathogens globally, we identify key principles and mechanisms for maintaining sustainable populations in the face of emerging diseases (including minimizing the risk of pathogen introductions and their future effects on hosts). Our synthesis serves as a reference for minimizing the risk of future disease outbreaks, mitigating the deleterious effects of future disease outbreaks on species extinction risk, and a review of the theoretical and/or empirical examples supporting these considerations.

Frontiers in Ecology and Environment↗

USGS2019

Inactivation of viable surrogates for the select agents virulent Newcastle disease virus and highly pathogenic avian influenza virus using either commercial lysis buffer or heat

Introduction: Federal Select Agent Program regulations require laboratories to document a validated procedure for inactivating select agents prior to movement outside registered space. Avian influenza viruses and virulent Newcastle disease virus (vNDV) are cultured in chicken amnio-allantoic fluid (AAF), but the efficacy of commercial lysis buffers to inactivate viruses in protein-rich media has not been documented. Objectives: We assesses the efficacy of MagMAX™ lysis buffer for inactivating highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) and vNDV in chicken AAF and confirm the inactivation of avian influenza in serum using heat. Methods: Low pathogenic avian influenza virus (LPAIV) and avian paramyxovirus subtype-1 (APMV-1) were incubated with lysis buffer and tested for viability. Known viable LPAIV and APMV-1 RNA was extracted from AAF using MagMAX™-96 AI/ND Viral RNA Isolation kit, and the eluate was tested for remaining infectious agent. Finally, inactivation of LPAIV in serum was examined over 3 combinations of temperature and incubation time. Results: MagMAX™ lysis buffer inactivated both LPAIV and APMV-1 in AAF when incubated for 30 minutes at room temperature. The full extraction process eliminated viable virus from the final RNA eluate. LPAIV in serum heated to 70°C for 30 minutes was rendered noninfectious. Conclusion: The ability of a diagnostic laboratory to move samples from one space to another is critical to maintaining biosecurity as well as efficient laboratory workflow. Our study demonstrates a method to ensure the inactivation of viable avian influenza and avian paramyxoviruses in AAF, RNA eluate, and viable avian influenza virus in sera.

Applied Biosafety↗