Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: Massachusetts
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

Massachusetts Staff Member


Dr. Graziella DiRenzo

Graziella V. DiRenzo, PhD

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
Bletz, Molly
Post Doc
mbletz@usgs.gov

McEachran, Margaret
Post Doc
mmceachran@umass.edu

Mummah, Riley
Post Doc
rmummah@usgs.gov

O'uhuru, Ayodele
PhD
aouhuru@umass.edu

Rogers, Jennifer
Post Doc
jenrogers@umass.edu

Tavarez Jimenez, Ednita
Master's
etavarezjime@umass.edu

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