Susannah B. Lerman, PhD

Research Ecologist

Northern Research Station

0000-0002-2331-8439

susannah.b.lerman@usda.gov

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Treesearch Publications

Susannah B. Lerman, Corinne Bassett, Daniel E. Crane, David J. Nowak, Alexis Ellis, Jason Henning. 2026. Integrating Habitat Suitability in Urban Forest Ecosystem Service Assessments: Reflections from i-Tree Wildlife
Morgan L. Rogers, Amy E. Frazier, Amanda J. Zellmer, Susannah B. Lerman. 2026. Sensitivity of habitat suitability-derived connectivity models to three-dimensional measures of urban landscape structure
Kelli L. Larson, Susannah B. Lerman, Carter Henry, Jeffrey D. Haight, Heather L. Bateman, Paige Warren, Mariah Beltran. 2026. Residents’ attitudes toward diverse wildlife and implications for urban coexistence
Jenna Zukswert, Susannah B. Lerman, Dexter H. Locke, Nancy Falxa Sonti, Morgan Grove. 2026. Back Yard Science: Research on Residential Lands
Sarah R. Weiskopf, Toni Lyn Morelli, Tina G. Mozelewski, Alexey N. Shiklomanov, Susannah B. Lerman. 2026. Restoration based on cost–benefit optimization: A grasslands pilot study
Ava M. Hoffman, Jennifer M. Cocciardi, Prothama Manna, Diego F. Alvarado‐Serrano, Jeannine Cavender‐Bares, Peter M. Groffman, Sharon J. Hall, Sarah E. Hobbie, Susannah B. Lerman, Josep Padullés Cubino, Diane E. Pataki, Tara L. E. Trammell, Meghan L. Avolio. 2026. Genetic Diversity and Population Structure in Cities Is Not Consistent Among Cosmopolitan Plant Species
Toby P. N. Tsang, A. A. Amado De Santis, Gabriela Armas‐Quiñonez, John S. Ascher, Eva Samanta Ávila‐Gómez, András Báldi, Kimberly Ballare, Mario V Balzan, Weronika Banaszak‐Cibicka, Svenja Bänsch, Yves Basset, Adam J. Bates, Jessica M. Baumann, Mariana Beal‐Neves, Ashley Bennett, Antonio Diego M. Bezerra, Betina Blochtein, Riccardo Bommarco, Berry Brosi, Laura A. Burkle, Luísa G. Carvalheiro, Ignacio Castellanos, Marcela Cely‐Santos, Hamutahl Cohen, Drissa Coulibaly, Saul A. Cunningham, Sarah Cusser, Isabelle Dajoz, Deborah A. Delaney, Ek Del‐Val, Monika Egerer, Markus P. Eichhorn, Eunice Enríquez, Martin H. Entling, Natalia Escobedo‐Kenefic, Pedro Maria Abreu Ferreira, Gordon Fitch, Jessica R. K. Forrest, Valérie Fournier, Robert Fowler, Breno M. Freitas, Hannah R. Gaines‐Day, Benoît Geslin, Jaboury Ghazoul, Paul Glaum, Jose L. Gonzalez‐Andujar, Adrian González‐Chaves, Heather Grab, Claudio Gratton, Solène Guenat, Catalina Gutiérrez‐Chacón, Mark A. Hall, Mick E. Hanley, Annika Hass, Ernest Ireneusz Hennig, Martin Hermy, Juliana Hipólito, Andrea Holzschuh, Sebastian Hopfenmüller, Keng‐Lou James Hung, Kristoffer Hylander, Jordi Izquierdo, Mary A. Jamieson, Birgit Jauker, Steve Javorek, Shalene Jha, Björn K. Klatt, David Kleijn, Alexandra‐Maria Klein, Anikó Kovács‐Hostyánszki, Jochen Krauss, Michael Kuhlmann, Patricia Landaverde‐González, Tanya Latty, Misha Leong, Susannah B. Lerman, Yunhui Liu, Ana Carolina Pereira Machado, Anson Main, Rachel Mallinger, Yael Mandelik, Bruno Ferreira Marques, Kevin Matteson, Frédéric McCune, Ling‐Zeng Meng, Jean Paul Metzger, Paula María Montoya‐Pfeiffer, Carolina Morales, Lora Morandin, Jane Morrison, Sonja Mudri‐Stojnić, Pakorn Nalinrachatakan, Olivia Norfolk, Mark Otieno, Mia G. Park, Stacy M. Philpott, Gideon Pisanty, Montserrat Plascencia, Simon G. Potts, Eileen F. Power, Kit Prendergast, Robyn D. Quistberg, Davi de Lacerda Ramos, André Rodrigo Rech, Victoria Reynolds, Miriam H. Richards, Stuart P. M. Roberts, Malena Sabatino, Ulrika Samnegård, Hillary Sardiñas, Karina Sánchez‐Echeverría, Fernanda Teixeira Saturni, Jeroen Scheper, Amber R. Sciligo, C. Sheena Sidhu, Brian J. Spiesman, Tuanjit Sritongchuay, Ingolf Steffan‐Dewenter, Katharina Stein, Alyssa B. Stewart, Jane C. Stout, Hisatomo Taki, Pornpimon Tangtorwongsakul, Caragh G. Threlfall, Carla Faleiro Tinoco, Teja Tscharntke, Katherine J. Turo, Chatura Vaidya, Rémy Vandame, Carlos H. Vergara, Blandina F. Viana, Eric Vides‐Borrell, Natapot Warrit, Elisabeth Webb, Catrin Westphal, Jennifer B. Wickens, Neal M. Williams, Nicholas S. G. Williams, Caleb J. Wilson, Panlong Wu, Elsa Youngsteadt, Yi Zou, Lauren C. Ponisio, Timothy C. Bonebrake. 2025. Land Use Change Consistently Reduces α‐ But Not β‐ and γ‐Diversity of Bees
Lauren S. Pile, Aliza Fassler, Connor D. Crouch, Morgan Davis, Daniel C. C. Dey, Brooke Hagarty, John M. Kabrick, David King, Benjamin O. Knapp, Susannah B. Lerman, Deborah S. Page-Dumroese, Will Rumpf, Sloane Scott. 2025. Enriching log landings to sustain native bees and other pollinators: a guide for practitioners
Richelle L. Winkler, Jeffrey A. G. Clark, Dexter H. Locke, Peleg Kremer, Myla F. J. Aronson, Fushcia-Ann Hoover, Hogyeum Evan Joo, Daniele La Rosa, KangJae Jerry Lee, Susannah B. Lerman, Hamil Pearsall, Timothy L. V Vargo, Charles H. Nilon, Christopher A. Lepczyk. 2024. Unequal access to social, environmental and health amenities in US urban parks
Sarah R. Weiskopf, Forest Isbell, Maria Isabel Arce-Plata, Moreno Di Marco, Mike Harfoot, Justin Johnson, Susannah B. Lerman, Brian W. Miller, Toni Lyn Morelli, Akira S. Mori, Ensheng Weng, Simon Ferrier. 2024. Biodiversity loss reduces global terrestrial carbon storage
Sarah R. Weiskopf, Susannah B. Lerman, Forest Isbell, Toni Lyn Morelli. 2024. Biodiversity promotes urban ecosystem functioning
Gisselle A. Mejía, Peter M. Groffman, Meghan L. Avolio, Anika R. Bratt, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Noortje H. Grijseels, Sharon J. Hall, James Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Susannah B. Lerman, Jennifer L. Morse, Desiree L. Narango, Christopher Neill, Josep Padullés Cubino, Tara L. E. Trammell. 2024. Woody plant–soil relationships in interstitial spaces have implications for future forests within and beyond urban areas
Alexandreana Cocroft, Jesse S. Lewis, Jeffrey Clark, Jeffrey Haight, Susannah B. Lerman, Zachary Snyder, Sharon J. Hall. 2024. Neighborhood ethnicity is related to mammal occupancy and activity across a desert metropolitan area
KangJae “Jerry” Lee, Myla F.J. Aronson, Jeffrey A.G. Clark, Fushcia-Ann Hoover, Hogyeum Evan Joo, Peleg Kremer, Daniele La Rosa, Kelli L. Larson, Christopher A. Lepczyk, Susannah B. Lerman, Dexter H. Locke, Charles H. Nilon, Hamil Pearsall, Timothy L.V. Vargo. 2024. Limitations of existing park quality instruments and suggestions for future research
Henry S. Pollock, Carena J. van Riper, Devin J. Goodson, Susannah B. Lerman, Mark E. Hauber. 2024. The public–private divide and seasonal variation shape bird diversity in greenspaces of two neighboring midwestern USA cities
Irene A. Liu, Eric R. Gulson‐Castillo, Joanna X. Wu, Amelia‐Juliette C. Demery, Nandadevi Cortes‐Rodriguez, Kristen M. Covino, Susannah B. Lerman, Sharon A. Gill, Viviana Ruiz Gutierrez. 2024. Building bridges in the conversation on eponymous common names of North American birds
Noortje H. Grijseels, Elizaveta Litvak, Meghan L. Avolio, Anika R. Bratt, Jeannine Cavender‐Bares, Peter M. Groffman, Sharon J. Hall, Sarah E. Hobbie, Susannah B. Lerman, Jennifer L. Morse, Desiree L. Narango, Christopher Neill, Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, Josep Padullés Cubino, Tara L. E. Trammell, Diane E. Pataki. 2023. Evapotranspiration of Residential Lawns Across the United States
Susannah B. Lerman, Kelli Larson, Desirée Narango, Mark Goddard, Peter P. Marra. 2023. Humanity for Habitat: Residential Yards as an Opportunity for Biodiversity Conservation
Alexandreana Cocroft, Susannah B. Lerman, Patricia N. Klein, Phillip Rodbell. 2023. Urban forests as habitat for people and wildlife
Jeffrey A. Brown, Susannah B. Lerman, Anthony J. Basile, Heather L. Bateman, Pierre Deviche, Paige S. Warren, Karen L. Sweazea. 2022. No fry zones: How restaurant distribution and abundance influence avian communities in the Phoenix, AZ metropolitan area
Riley Andrade, Kelli L. Larson, Janet Franklin, Susannah B. Lerman, Heather Bateman, Paige S. Warren. 2022. Species traits explain public perceptions of human–bird interactions
Kelli L. Larson, Susannah B. Lerman, Kristen C. Nelson, Desiree L. Narango, Megan M. Wheeler, Peter M. Groffman, Sharon J. Hall, Morgan Grove. 2022. Examining the potential to expand wildlife-supporting residential yards and gardens
Aaron M. Grade, Paige S. Warren, Susannah B. Lerman. 2022. Managing yards for mammals: Mammal species richness peaks in the suburbs
Max R. R. Piana, Richard Hallett, Michelle Johnson, Nancy Falxa Sonti, Leslie Brandt, Myla F. J. Aronson, Mark Ashton, Max Blaustein, David Bloniarz, Ashley A. Bowers, Megan E. Carr, Vince D’Amico, Laura Dewald, Heather Dionne, Danica A. Doroski, Robert T. Fahey, Helen Forgione, Todd Forrest, Jack Hale, Eric Hansen, Lisa Hayden, Sarah Hines, Jessica M. Hoch, Taro Ieataka, Susannah B. Lerman, Charles Murphy, Eliot Nagele, Keith Nislow, Dhan Parker, Clara C. Pregitzer, Luke Rhodes, Jessica Schuler, Alexander Sherman, Tara Trammell, Brittany M. Wienke, Thomas Witmer, Thomas Worthley, Ian Yesilonis. 2021. Climate Adaptive Silviculture for the City: Practitioners and Researchers Co-create a Framework for Studying Urban Oak-Dominated Mixed Hardwood Forests
Jeffrey A. Brown, Kelli L. Larson, Susannah B. Lerman, Alexandreana Cocroft, Sharon J. Hall. 2021. Resident Perceptions of Mosquito Problems Are More Influenced by Landscape Factors than Mosquito Abundance
Susannah B. Lerman, Desirée L. Narango, Meghan L. Avolio, Anika R. Bratt, Jesse M. Engebretson, Peter M. Groffman, Sharon J. Hall, James B. Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kelli L. Larson, Dexter H. Locke, Christopher Neill, Kristen C. Nelson, Josep Padullés Cubino, Tara L. E. Trammell. 2021. Residential yard management and landscape cover affect urban bird community diversity across the continental USA
Sarah Saunders, Joanna Wu, Elizabeth Gow, Evan Adams, Brooke Bateman, Trina Bayard, Stephanie Beilke, Ashley Dayer, Auriel Fournier, Kara Fox, Patricia Heglund, Susannah B. Lerman, Nicole Michel, Eben Paxton, Çağan Şekercioğlu, Melanie Smith, Wayne Thogmartin, Mark Woodrey, Charles van Riper. 2021. Bridging the research-implementation gap in avian conservation with translational ecology
Aaron M. Grade, Susannah B. Lerman, Paige S. Warren. 2021. Perilous choices: landscapes of fear for adult birds reduces nestling condition across an urban gradient
Riley Andrade, David M. Hondula, Kelli L. Larson, Susannah B. Lerman. 2021. Landscaping preferences influence neighborhood satisfaction and yard management decisions
Jesse M. Engebretson, Kristen C. Nelson, Kelli L. Larson, Riley Andrade, Megan M. Wheeler, Susannah B. Lerman, Dexter H. Locke, Tara L. E. Trammell, Peter M. Groffman. 2021. Ambiguity and clarity in residential yard ordinances across metropolitan areas in the United States
Susannah B. Lerman, Vince D'Amico, Phillip Rodbell. 2021. What are the birds and bees telling us?
Susannah B. Lerman, Liba Pejchar, Lauryn Benedict, Kristen M. Covino, Janis L. Dickinson, Jean E. Fantle-Lepczyk, Amanda D. Rodewald, Carol Vleck. 2021. Juggling parenthood and ornithology: A full lifecycle approach to supporting mothers through the American Ornithological Society
Peter Manning, Peter Massini, Ian MacGregor-Fors, Stacey McLean, David D. Mkwambisi, Alessandro Ossola, Gabriel Pérez Luque, Luis Pérez-Urrestarazu, Katia Perini, Gad Perry, Tristan J. Pett, Kate E. Plummer, Raoufou A. Radji, Uri Roll, Simon G. Potts, Heather Rumble, Jon P. Sadler, Stevienna de Saille, Sebastian Sautter, Catherine E. Scott, Assaf Shwartz, Tracy Smith, Robbert P. H. Snep, Carl D. Soulsbury, Margaret C. Stanley, Tim Van de Voorde, Stephen J. Venn, Philip H. Warren, Carla-Leanne Washbourne, Mark Whitling, Nicholas S. G. Williams, Jun Yang, Kumelachew Yeshitela, Ken P. Yocom, Martin Dallimer, Mark A. Goddard, Zoe G. Davies, Solène Guenat, Mark J. Ferguson, Jessica C. Fisher, Adeniran Akanni, Teija Ahjokoski, Pippin M. L. Anderson, Fabio Angeoletto, Constantinos Antoniou, Adam J. Bates, Andrew Barkwith, Adam Berland, Christopher J. Bouch, Christine C. Rega-Brodsky, Loren B. Byrne, David Cameron, Rory Canavan, Tim Chapman, Stuart Connop, Steve Crossland, Colleen T. Downs, Marie C. Dade, David A. Dawson, Cynnamon Dobbs, Erle C. Ellis, Francisco J. Escobedo, Paul Gobster, Natalie Marie Gulsrud, Burak Guneralp, Amy K. Hahs, James D. Hale, Christopher Hassall, Marcus Hedblom, Dieter F. Hochuli, Tommi Inkinen, Ioan-Cristian Ioja, Dave Kendal, Tom Knowland, Ingo Kowarik, Simon J. Langdale, Susannah B. Lerman. 2021. A global horizon scan of the future impacts of robotics and autonomous systems on urban ecosystems
Susannah B. Lerman, Desiree L. Narango, Riley Andrade, Paige S. Warren, Aaron M. Grade, Katherine Straley. 2021. Wildlife in the city: human drivers and human consequences
Riley Andrade, Janet Franklin, Kelli L. Larson, Christopher M. Swan, Susannah B. Lerman, Heather Bateman, Paige S. Warren, Abigail York. 2021. Predicting the assembly of novel communities in urban ecosystems
Kelli L. Larson, Melissa Fleeger, Susannah B. Lerman, Megan M. Wheeler, Riley Andrade, Jeffrey A. Brown, Sharon J. Hall, Desiree L. Narango. 2021. Who is abuzz about bees? Explaining residents’ attitudes in Phoenix, Arizona
Kelli L. Larson, Riley Andrade, Kristen C. Nelson, Megan M. Wheeler, Jesse M. Engebreston, Sharon J. Hall, Meghan L. Avolio, Peter M. Groffman, Morgan Grove, James B. Heffernan, Sarah E. Hobbie, Susannah B. Lerman, Dexter H. Locke, Christopher Neill, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Tara L.E. Trammell. 2020. Municipal regulation of residential landscapes across US cities: Patterns and implications for landscape sustainability
Susannah B. Lerman, William V DeLuca. 2020. Landscape and yard-scale characteristics drive house sparrow (Passer domesticus) nest site selection in the northeastern USA
Jeffrey A. Brown, Kelli L. Larson, Susannah B. Lerman, Daniel L. Childers, Riley Andrade, Heather L. Bateman, Sharon J. Hall, Paige S. Warren, Abigail M. York. 2020. Influences of Environmental and Social Factors on Perceived Bio-Cultural Services and Disservices
Josep Padullés Cubino, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Peter M. Groffman, Meghan L. Avolio, Anika R. Bratt, Sharon J. Hall, Kelli L. Larson, Susannah B. Lerman, Desiree L. Narango, Christopher Neill, Tara L.E. Trammell, Megan M. Wheeler, Sarah E. Hobbie. 2020. Taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional composition and homogenization of residential yard vegetation with contrasting management
Susannah B. Lerman. 2020. Less mowing, more buzzing: 'lazy lawn mowers' create a buzz for bee conservation
Alexandra R. Contosta, Susannah B. Lerman, Jingfeng Xiao, Ruth K. Varner. 2020. Biogeochemical and socioeconomic drivers of above- and below-ground carbon stocks in urban residential yards of a small city
Alex E. Jahn, Susannah B. Lerman, Laura M. Phillips, Thomas B. Ryder, Emily J. Williams. 2019. First tracking of individual American Robins (Turdus migratorius) across seasons
Susannah B. Lerman, Vince D'Amico. 2019. Lawn mowing frequency in suburban areas has no detectable effect on Borrelia spp. vector Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)
Paige S. Warren, Susannah B. Lerman, Riley Andrade, Kelli L. Larson, Heather L. Bateman. 2019. The more things change: species losses detected in Phoenix despite stability in bird-socioeconomic relationships
Susannah B. Lerman, David King, Wayne J. Arendt, Paulina María M., Luis R. Paulino. 2019. Mourning dove nest on a Palmchat colony in urban Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Susannah B. Lerman, Alexandra R. Contosta. 2019. Lawn mowing frequency and its effects on biogenic and anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions
Susannah B. Lerman, Alexandra R. Contosta, Joan Milam, Christofer Bang. 2018. To mow or to mow less: Lawn mowing frequency affects bee abundance and diversity in suburban yards
Mark A. Goddard, Karen Ikin, Susannah B. Lerman. 2017. Ecological and Social Factors Determining the Diversity of Birds in Residential Yards and Gardens
Peter M. Groffman, Meghan Avolio, Jeannine Cavender-Bares, Neil D. Bettez, Morgan Grove, Sharon J. Hall, Sarah E. Hobbie, Kelli L. Larson, Susannah B. Lerman, Dexter H. Locke, James B. Heffernan, Jennifer L. Morse, Christopher Neill, Kristen C. Nelson, Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, Diane E. Pataki, Colin Polsky, Rinku Roy Chowdhury, Tara L. E. Trammell. 2017. Ecological homogenization of residential macrosystems
Christopher A. Lepczyk, Myla F. J. Aronson, Karl L. Evans, Mark A. Goddard, Susannah B. Lerman, J. Scott MacIvor. 2017. Biodiversity in the City: Fundamental Questions for Understanding the Ecology of Urban Green Spaces for Biodiversity Conservation
Myla F.J. Aronson, Christopher A. Lepczyk, Karl L. Evans, Mark A. Goddard, Susannah B. Lerman, J. Scott MacIvor, Charles H. Nilon, Timothy Vargo. 2017. Biodiversity in the city: key challenges for urban green space management
Susannah B. Lerman, J. Milam. 2016. Bee fauna and floral abundance within lawn-dominated suburban yards in Springfield, MA
Brian Kane, Paige S. Warren, Susannah B. Lerman. 2015. A broad scale analysis of tree risk, mitigation and potential habitat for cavity-nesting birds
Susannah B. Lerman, Nancy Falxa Sonti. 2015. U.S. Forest Service and partners deliver urban wildlife research in support of conservation and management
Susannah B. Lerman, Keith Nislow, David J. Nowak, Stephen DeStefano, David King, D. Todd Jones-Farrand. 2014. Using urban forest assessment tools to model bird habitat potential

Citations of Non-Forest Service Publications

Strohbach, M., S.B. Lerman and P.S. Warren. 2013. Are small urban greening areas enhancing bird diversity? Insights from community-driven greening projects from Boston. Landscape and Urban Planning 114: 69-79.
Lerman, S.B., P.S. Warren, H. Gan, and E. Shochat. 2012. Linking foraging decisions to residential yard composition. PLoS ONE 7(8): e43497. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0043497.
Lerman, S.B., V.K. Turner, and C. Bang. 2012. Homeowners Associations as a vehicle for promoting urban biodiversity: A case study from Phoenix, AZ. Ecology and Society 17(4): 45.
Warren, P.S., R. Ryan, S.B Lerman, K. Tooke. 2011. Social and institutional factors associated with land use and forest conservation along two urban gradients in Massachusetts. Landscape and Urban Planning 102: 82-92.
Lerman, S.B. and P.S. Warren. 2011. The conservation value of residential landscapes: Exploring the links between birds and people. Ecological Applications 21: 1327-1339.
Shochat, E., S.B. Lerman, J.M Anderies, P.S. Warren, S.H. Faeth, and C.H. Nilon. 2010. Invasion, competition, and biodiversity loss in urban ecosystems. BioScience 60: 199-208.
Warren, P.S., S. Harlan, C. Boone, S.B. Lerman, E. Shochat, and A.P. Kinzig. 2010. Urban Ecology and Social Organization. Pp. 172-201 in: K. Gaston, editor. Urban Ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Shochat, E., S.B. Lerman and E. Fernandez-Juricic. 2010. Birds in urban ecosystems: Population dynamics, community structure, biodiversity and conservation. Pp. 75-86 in: J.A. Aitkenhead Peterson and A. Volder, eds. Urban Ecosystem Ecology. Agronomy Monograph 55, Madison, WI.
Warren, P.S., S.B. Lerman and N.D. Charney. 2008. Plants of a feather: Spatial autocorrelation of gardening practices in suburban neighborhoods. Biological Conservation 141: 3-4.
Atwood, J.L. and S.B. Lerman. 2007. Vocal variations in coastal Cactus Wrens: should coastal California populations be protected under the U. S. Endangered Species Act? Western Birds 38: 29-46.
Atwood, J.L. and S.B. Lerman. 2006. Family Polioptilidae (Gnatcatchers). Pp. 350-377 in: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., & Christie, D.A. eds. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Vol. 11. Old World Flycatchers to Old World Warblers. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona.
Shochat, E., S.B. Lerman, M. Katti, and D. Lewis. 2004. Linking optimal foraging behavior to bird community structure in an urban-desert landscape: field experiments with artificial food patches. American Naturalist 164: 232-243.

University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Ph.D., Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, 2011
Antioch University New England, M.S., Conservation Biology, 2005
University of Delaware, B.A., American History, 1994

Last updated June 3, 2026

Susannah B. Lerman, PhD

Treesearch Publications

Citations of Non-Forest Service Publications

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