Disease Ecology Projects

We are interested in the impact of non-native species and human activities on disease spread and dynamics in wildlife populations. Here are some of our current projects.

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Invasive Feral Swine (Sus scrofa) in the Southeast

This project examines whether feral swine wallows act as hotspots for pathogen transmission among livestock, wildlife, and livestock. The work combines game camera monitoring at wallow sites across the state of Georgia to characterize patterns of wildlife and livestock interaction with environmental and water sampling to assess the prevalence of Salmonella and Leptospira as well as antimicrobial resistance. Together, these efforts aim to build a clearer picture of how feral swine activity at wallows may contribute to disease spread across the landscape, informing future management and surveillance strategies.

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Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) health

The monarch butterfly is an iconic species that faces multiple threats ranging from loss of habitat and pesticide exposure to a protozoan parasite. We are examining various aspects of monarch health including infection rates, impact of rearing conditions on brain development, and exposure to pesticides.

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Understanding Spread of Asian Longhorned Tick in North America and Europe

Human activities and environmental changes are redistributing species across ecosystems, introducing novel parasites and infectious diseases. This project aims to understand the persistence and establishment of the Asian longhorned tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, (ALHT) in new environments by building a comprehensive dataset on ALHT, its hosts, and associated pathogens. We aim to predict the establishment and spread of this tick and related pathogens as climate across North America and Europe changes. This project is led by an interdisciplinary team, including experts in wildlife biology, parasitology, and AI.