Massachusetts Staff Member
Dr. Graziella DiRenzo
Assistant Unit Leader
Phone: (413) 545 - 4888
Email: gdirenzo@usgs.gov
Faculty Email: gdirenzo@umass.edu
Faculty Website
Links:
Education
- Ph D University of Maryland, College Park 2016
- BS University of Connecticut 2011
Biography
Dr. DiRenzo joined the MA Cooperative Research Unit in Nov 2020, where she is the Assistant Unit Leader of Wildlife and adjunct faculty in the department of Environmental Conservation at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. DiRenzo received her PhD at the University of Maryland, College Park, and her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut, Storrs. Her research emphasizes disease dynamics, community and population ecology, and species conservation. To mimic natural hierarchical systems, she develops hierarchical Bayesian models, and she uses data collected over space and time to separate ecological and observational processes to answer ecological questions.
Dr. DiRenzo's research program focuses on unifying ecological and evolutionary theory to address fundamental questions in ecology using field, experimental, and quantitative approaches.
She enjoys teaching graduate courses related to quantitative ecology, disease ecology, and population/community ecology.
Areas of Expertise
Biodiversity, Decision Support/Analysis, Disease/Parasites, Epidemiology, Population Dynamics, Population and Community Ecology, Statistics and Modelling
Taxon Groups Studied
Amphibians, Reptiles
| Research Publications | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| Zipkin, E.F., & G. V. DiRenzo. 2022. Biodiversity is decimated by the cascading effects of the amphibian-killing fungus. PLoS Pathogens, 18(7), e1010624. DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010624. | July 2022 |
| Zipkin, E. F., DiRenzo, G. V., Rossman, S., Ray, J. M, & K. R. Lips. 2020. Tropical snake community collapses following pathogen-induced amphibian loss. Science 367: 814-816. DOI: 10.1126/science.aay5733 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| Wright, A., Bernard, R. F., Mosher, B. A., O'Donnell, K., Braunagel, T., DiRenzo, G. V., Fleming, J., Shafer, C., Brand, A., Zipkin, E., Grant, E. H. C. 2020. Moving from decision to action in conservation science. Biological Conservation 249: 108698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108698 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| Russell, R., DiRenzo, G. V., Alger, K., Grant, E. H. C., & J. Szymanski. 2020. Principles and mechanisms of disease resistance and resilience in wildlife. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 8: 344. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.569016. | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| Ribeiro J. W., Siqueira, T., DiRenzo, G. V., Lambertini, C., Lyra, M. L., Toledo, L. F., Haddad, C. F. B., Becker, C. G. 2020. Assessing infection risk in tropical amphibians while accounting for imperfect detection of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. Oecologia 193: 237-248. | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| Pfab, F., DiRenzo, G. V., Gershman, A., Briggs, C. J., & R. Nisbet. 2020. Energy budget for tadpoles approaching metamorphosis. Ecological Modeling 436: 109261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2020.109261 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| Muletz-Wolz, C. R., S. E. Barnett, G. V. DiRenzo, K. R. Zamudio, L. F. Toledo, T. Y. James, & K. R. Lips. 2019. Diverse genotypes of the amphibian killing fungus produce distinct phenotypes through plastic responses to temperature. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 32, 287–298. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.13413 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2019 |
| Muletz-Wolz, C. R., J. G. Almario, S. E. Barnett, G. V. DiRenzo, A. Martel, F. Pasmans, K. R. Zamudio, L. F. Toledo, & K. R. Lips. 2017. Amphibian skin bacteria inhibit fungal pathogens across genotypes and temperatures. Frontiers in Microbiology 8: 1551. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2017.01551 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Muletz-Wolz, C. R., G. V. DiRenzo, S. Yarwood, E. H. Campbell Grant, R. Fleischer, & K. R. Lips. 2017. Antifungal bacteria on woodland salamander skin exhibit high taxonomic diversity and geographic variability. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 83: e00186-17. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.00186-17 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Maguire, C. H., G. V. DiRenzo, T. S. Tunstall, C. R. Muletz, & K. R. Lips. 2016. Dead or alive? Viability of chytrid zoospores shed from live amphibian hosts. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 119: 179-187. DOI: 10.3354/dao02991 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2016 |
| Grant, E. H. C., Mummah, R., Mosher, B. A., Evans, J., & G. V. DiRenzo. 2023. Inferring pathogen presence and prevalence under sample misclassification and partial observation. Methods in Ecology & Evolution. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14102. | Abstract | April 2023 |
| Ellison, A. R., T. S. Tunstall, G. V. DiRenzo, M. C. Hughey, E. A. Rebollar, L. K. Belden, R. N. Harris, R. Ibáñez, K. R. Lips, & K. R. Zamudio. 2014. More than skin deep: functional genomic basis for resistance to amphibian chytridiomycosis. Genome Biology & Evolution 7: 286-298. doi: 10.1093/gbe/evu285 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2014 |
| Ellison, A. R., G. V. DiRenzo, K. R. Lips, & K. R. Zamudio. 2017. First in vivo Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis transcriptomes reveal mechanisms of host exploitation, host-specific gene expression, and expressed genotype shifts. Genes Genomes Genetics 7: 269-278. | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| Ellison, A. R., A. Savage, G. V. DiRenzo, P. F. Langhammer, K. R. Lips, & K. R. Zamudio. 2014. Fighting a losing battle: vigorous immune response countered by pathogen suppression of host defenses in a chytridiomycosis-susceptible frog Atelopus zeteki. Genes Genomes Genetics 4: 1275 – 1289. doi: 10.1534/g3.114.010744. | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2014 |
| Dillon, E. M., Lafferty, K. D., McCauley, D. J., Bradley, D., Norris, R. D., Caselle, J. E., DiRenzo, G. V., Gardner J. P. A., & O’Dea A. 2020. Dermal denticle assemblages in coral reef sediment correlate with conventional shark surveys. Methods in Ecology & Evolution 11: 362–375. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13346 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| DiRenzo, G.V., Longo, A.V., Muletz-Wolz, C.R. et al. 2021. Plethodontid salamanders show variable disease dynamics in response to Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans chytridiomycosis. Biological Invasions 23: 2797-2815.. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02536-1 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2021 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., Tunstall, T. S., R. Ibáñez, R., M. S. deVries, K. R. Zamudio, & K. R. Lips. 2018. External reinfection of a fungal pathogen does not contributes to pathogen growth. Ecohealth 15, 815–826. | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2018 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., P. F. Langhammer, K. R. Zamudio, & K. R. Lips. 2014. Fungal infection intensity and zoospore output of Atelopus zeteki, a potential supershedder. PLoS ONE 9: e93356. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0093356 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2014 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., Miller, D. A. W., Hossack, B. R., Sigafus, B. H., Howell, P. E., Muths, E., & E. H. C. Grant. 2021. Accommodating the role of site memory in dynamic species distribution models. Ecology 102: e03315. | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | March 2021 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., Hanks, E., & D. A. W. Miller. 2022. A practical guide to understanding and validating complex statistical models using simulations. Methods in Ecology & Evolution 00: 1–15. DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.14030. | November 2022 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., E. H. Campbell Grant, A. V. Longo, C. Che-Castaldo, K. R. Zamudio, & K. R. Lips. 2018. Imperfect pathogen detection from non-invasive skin swabs biases disease inference. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 9, 380–389. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12868 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2018 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., E. F. Zipkin, E. H. C. Grant, J. A. Royle, A. V. Longo, K. R. Zamudio, & K. R. Lips. 2018. Eco-evolutionary rescue promotes host-pathogen coexistence. Ecological Applications 28, 1948–1962. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.1792 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2018 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., Chen, R. Ibsen, K., Toothman, M., Miller, A. J., Gershman, A., Mitragotri, S., & C. J. Briggs. 2020. Investigating the potential use of an ionic liquid (1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) as an anti-fungal treatment against the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. PloS One 15: e0231811. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231811 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2020 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., C. Che-Castaldo, S. P. Saunders, E. H. C. Grant, & E. F Zipkin. 2019. Disease-structured N-mixture models: A practical guide to model disease dynamics using count data. Ecology & Evolution 9, 899–909. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.4849 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2019 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., C. Che-Castaldo, A. Rugenski, R. Brenes, M. R. Whiles, C. M. Pringle, S. S. Kilham, & K. R. Lips. 2017. Disassembly of a tadpole community by a multi-host fungal pathogen with limited evidence of recovery. Ecological Applications 27: 309-320. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.1443 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2017 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., & J. L. Stynoski. 2012. Patterns of second-to-fourth length ratios (2D:4D) among frogs and lizards of La Selva, Costa Rica. Anatomical Record 295: 597-603. DOI: 10.1002/ar.22411 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2012 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., & E. H. C. Grant. 2019. Overview of emerging amphibian pathogens and modeling advances for conservation-related science. Biological Conservation 236, 474–483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.05.034 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2019 |
| Bush, A. M., J. D. Csonka, G. V. DiRenzo, D. J. Over, & J. A. Beard. 2015. Revised correlation of the Frasnian-Famennian boundary and Kellwasser Events (Upper Devonian) in shallow marine paleoenvironments of New York State. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Palaeoecology 433: 233-246. DOI: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.05.009 | Abstract | Download | Publisher Website | December 2015 |
| Angeli, N. P., G. V. DiRenzo, A. J. Cunha, & K. R. Lips. 2015. Effects of density on spatial aggregation and habitat associations of the glass frog Espadarana (Centrolene) prosoblepon. Journal of Herpetology 49: 388-394. https://doi.org/10.1670/13-110 | Abstract | Publisher Website | December 2015 |
| Presentations | Presentation Date |
|---|---|
| Rogers, J.B., G. DiRenzo, R.M. Quinones, T. Richards, and A. Roy. 2023. Modeling freshwater mussel biodiversity in New England streams to support management decisions that consider climate change. Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Conference, 30 April - 2 May 2023, Hershey, PA. | April 2023 |
| Rogers, J.B., G. DiRenzo, R.M. Quinones, T. Richards, and A. Roy. 2023. Modeling aquatic biodiversity in New England streams to support management decisions that consider climate change. Northeast Aquatic Biologists Meeting, 15-17 February 2023, Plymouth, MA. | February 2023 |
| Rogers, J.B., G. DiRenzo, R.M. Quinones, T. Richards, A. Roy, C. Bellucci, C. Buckley, M. Carpenter, A. Chapman, J. Deshler, M. Gallagher, A. Libby, and J. Stolarski. 2023. Modeling aquatic biodiversity in New England streams to support management decisions that consider climate change. Joint meeting of the Northeast Division and Southern New England Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, 8-10 January 2023, Boston, MA. | January 2023 |
| McEachran, M., J. D. Cook, R. E.W. Berl, G. DiRenzo, E. H. Campbell Grant, M. C. Runge. People and prions: human dimensions of CWD decision making. The Wildlife Society, Louiseville, KY 2023. | November 2023 |
| McEachran, M., J. D. Cook, R. E.W. Berl, G. DiRenzo, E. H. Campbell Grant, M. C. Runge. Integrating social science to make better decisions for cervid carcass management. | May 2022 |
| M. C. Bletz, G. V. DiRenzo, E. H. C. Grant. 2023. Proactive disease management outperforms reactive action, regardless of action chosen. Ecology & Evolution of Infectious Diseases; State College, PA. | June 2023 |
| M. C. Bletz, G. V. DiRenzo, E. H. C. Grant. 2023. Proactive disease management outperforms reactive action, regardless of action chosen. Ecological Society of America Conference; Portland, OR. | August 2023 |
| Hoven, B., M. C. Mceachran, M. J. R. Feehan, & G. V. DiRenzo. Knowledge, behavior, and risk perception with regards to Chronic wasting disease (CWD) among hunters in Massachusetts, a state where CWD has not been detected. Brandeis University. | January 2023 |
| Hoven, B. M., M. J. R. Feehan, G. V. DiRenzo. Development of proactive CWD communication and education strategies through measuring knowledge, behavior, and risk perception of cervid stakeholders in Massachusetts. | April 2023 |
| Hoven, B. M., M. C. Mceachran, M. J. R. Feehan, G. V. DiRenzo. Knowledge and risk perception of Chronic wasting disease (CWD) among hunters in Massachusetts, a state where CWD has not been detected. NEAFWA. | April 2022 |
| Halstead, B. J., Kleeman, P. M., DiRenzo, G. V., & J. P. Rose. 2021. Occurrence of Shasta salamanders (<i>Hydromantes</i> spp.) in little-studied portions of their range, with implications for optimizing survey design. Presented at the Joint Meetings of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists. | July 2021 |
| Grimes, E. S, Michael T. Jones, Tammy L. Wilson, Annie E. Curtis, Jacob C. McCumber, Alex Entrup, Caren Caljouw, Joel R. Carlson, Graziella V. DiRenzo. Using field and lab studies to comprehensively examine the impacts of wildland fire on Eastern Box Turtle (<i>Terrapene carolina</i>) populations. Northeast Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Conference. Wesleyn U, Middleton, CT. | July 2023 |
| Gordon, A. B., D. Drummey, A. Tur, A. E. Curtis, J. C. McCumber, M. T. Jones, & G. V. DiRenzo. 2023. Comparison of shell temperature and habitat characteristics of myiasis infected and uninfected Eastern Box Turtles (Terrapene carolina carolina) at Camp Edwards. Ecological Society of America Conference, Portland, OR. | August 2023 |
| Fernando Arce, Jonathan D. Cook, Graziella V. DiRenzo, Kimberly M. Pepin, Susan A. Shriner, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Michael C. Runge. One Health risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 transmission at the white-tailed deer and human interface. The Wildlife Society. | November 2022 |
| EHC Grant, GV DiRenzo, J Werba, AB Brand. 2021. Incorporating competition and climate in management of a high-elevation endemic salamander: modeling. The Wildlife Society Meeting. | September 2021 |
| EHC Grant, AB Brand, GV DiRenzo, RF Bernard. 2021. Using Decision Analysis to Facilitate Proactive Decision Making for Disease Response: Challenges and Opportunities for Bsal Management. The Wildlife Society Meeting. | September 2021 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., and Lips. K. R. 2012. Exploring disease susceptibility variation and community disease dynamics on <i>Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis</i> and host persistence. Contributing oral presentation at <i>Amphibian Disease Conference</i> in Tempe, AZ on 11 Nov 2012. | November 2012 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., R. Brenes, M. R. Whiles, C. M. Pringle, S. S. Kilham, and K. R. Lips. Neotropical tadpole community dynamics before and after a disease epidemic. Contributing oral presentation at the <i>Ecology Society of America Meeting</i> in Minneapolis, MN, August 2013. | August 2013 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., P. F. Langhammer, K. R. Zamudio, and K. R. Lips. Not all hosts are equal: how re-introduction of Atelopus zeteki may affect Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis disease dynamics. Contributing oral presentation at the Amphibian Disease Conference in Tempe, AZ, Nov 2013. | November 2013 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., P. F. Langhammer, K. R. Zamudio, and K. R. Lips. Fungal infection intensity and zoospore output of Atelopus zeteki, a potential superspreader. Contributing oral presentation at the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in Chattenuga, TN, July 2014. | July 2014 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., E. Zipkin, E. H. C. Grant, and K. R. Lips. The spatial and temporal enzootic disease dynamics 10 years post-epizootic. Contributing oral presentation at the Ecological Society of America in Baltimore, MD, Aug 2015. | August 2015 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., E. Zipkin, E. H. C. Grant, and K. R. Lips. Modeling disease dynamics of species with low abundance and recapture rates. Contributing oral presentation at the Ecological Society of America in Portland, OR, Aug 2017. | August 2017 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., E. Zipkin, E. H. C. Grant, and K. R. Lips. Modeling disease dynamics of a Neotropical amphibian. Contributing oral presentation at the Amphibian Disease Conference in Tempe, AZ, Nov 2014. | November 2014 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., E. Zipkin, E. H. C. Grant, and K. R. Lips. Eco-evolutionary rescue promotes host-pathogen coexistence. Contributing oral presentation at the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology in New Orleans, LA, Jan 2017. | January 2017 |
| DiRenzo, G. V., E. H. C. Grant, J. A. Royle, and E. Zipkin. Disease-structured N-mixture models. Contributing oral presentation at the Euring in Barcelona, Spain, July 2017. | July 2017 |
| DiRenzo, G. V. Lessons learned from multiple wildlife fungal epizootics. Lightning talk at Ecological Society of America, New Orleans, LA, 2018. | August 2018 |
| DiRenzo, G. V. Beware the gap: understanding how feedbacks from within host process affect between host disease dynamics. Symposia presentation at Ecological Society of America, Louisville, KY, 2019. | August 2019 |
| DiRenzo, G. V. 2023. Developing advanced quantitative tools to improve ecological inference and forecasting for wildlife diseases. Ecological Society of America; Portland, OR. | August 2023 |
| Blacker, O., Shukla, A., A. B. Gordon Jr., D. Drummey, A. Tur, A. E. Curtis, J. C. McCumber, M. T. Jones, & G. V. DiRenzo. 2023. The Effects of Macroparasite Infection on Eastern Box Turtle Movement and Temperature Use. Ecological Society of America. Portland, OR. | August 2023 |
| Ayodelé C. O’Uhuru, Jeremy T.H. Coleman, Jonathan D. Reichard, Christina J. Kocer, Graziella V. DiRenzo, Laura M. Eaton. 2023. LET’S TALK ABOUT IT: EXPANDING NORTH AMERICAN BAT MONITORING (NABAT) DATA CONTRIBUTIONS ON AND AROUND FEDERAL LANDS IN THE NORTHEAST REGION. The Northeast Bat Working Group Conference. Burlington, VT. | January 2022 |
| A. B. Gordon Jr., D. Drummey, A. Tur, A. E. Curtis, J. C. McCumber, G. V. DiRenzo. The Effects of Macroparasite Infection on Eastern Box Turtle Movement and Habitat Use. NEAFWA. | May 2023 |