Paul Cryan, PhD
Paul Cryan is a Research Biologist at the Fort Collins Science Center.
Mysteries, underdogs, and gadgets have always fascinated me, so for the past two decades I have focused my research on using technology to reveal how some of the 43+ species of U.S. bats live their cryptic lives. My particular interests include uncovering bat migration behaviors and seasonal movements, discovering the details of their winter hideouts and survival strategies, and understanding how infectious diseases influence bat populations. What began as general interest in an understudied group of mammals has grown into a practical search for answers to two of the most pressing threats currently facing U.S. bats - fatalities at wind turbines and the emerging disease known as white-nose syndrome. My basic research approach is to start by synthesizing natural history and existing information, then test plausible new hypotheses in a scientifically defensible way through observational and experimental field studies. I gravitate toward new collaborations and technologies that take us beyond existing methods and expand our abilities to follow and discover what (and how) bats are doing out there in the dark.
Professional Experience
2003 to present, Research Biologist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center, Fort Collins, CO
1999 to 2003, Student Trainee (SCEP), USGS Arid Lands Field Station (Fort Collins Science Center), Albuquerque, NM
1994 to 1997 & 1999 to 2002, Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
1998 to 1999, Wildlife Biologist, USGS Arid Lands Field Station (Fort Collins Science Center), Albuquerque, NM
1995 to 1997, Biological Science Technician, USGS Arid Lands Field Station (Fort Collins Science Center), Albuquerque, NM
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Biology, University of New Mexico, 2003
M.S. Biology, University of New Mexico, 1997
B.A. Biology, The Evergreen State College, 1991
Science and Products
Electrolyte depletion in white-nose syndrome bats
A comparison of bats and rodents as reservoirs of zoonotic viruses: are bats special?
Insect prey eaten by Hoary Bats (Lasiurus cinereus) prior to fatal collisions with wind turbines
On estimating the economic value of insectivorous bats: Prospects and priorities for biologists
Inoculation of bats with European Geomyces destructans supports the novel pathogen hypothesis for the origin of white-nose syndrome
Ecology of zoonotic infectious diseases in bats: current knowledge and future directions
Environmental conditions associated with bat white-nose syndrome in the north-eastern United States
Evidence of cryptic individual specialization in an opportunistic insectivorous bat
Evidence of late-summer mating readiness and early sexual maturation in migratory tree-roosting bats found dead at wind turbines
Confirmation of white-nose syndrome in bats of Europe and implications of this discovery toward understanding the disease in bats of North America
Forest Succession and Maternity Day roost selection by Myotis septentrionalis in a mesophytic hardwood forest
Response to: Concerns about extrapolating right off the bat [Letter]
Non-USGS Publications**
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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Filter Total Items: 84
Electrolyte depletion in white-nose syndrome bats
The emerging wildlife disease white-nose syndrome is causing widespread mortality in hibernating North American bats. White-nose syndrome occurs when the fungus Geomyces destructans infects the living skin of bats during hibernation, but links between infection and mortality are underexplored. We analyzed blood from hibernating bats and compared blood electrolyte levels to wing damage caused by thAuthorsPaul M. Cryan, Carol Uphoff Meteyer, David S. Blehert, Jeffrey M. Lorch, DeeAnn M. Reeder, Gregory G. Turner, Julie Webb, Melissa Behr, Michelle L. Verant, Robin E. Russell, Kevin T. CastleA comparison of bats and rodents as reservoirs of zoonotic viruses: are bats special?
Bats are the natural reservoirs of a number of high-impact viral zoonoses. We present a quantitative analysis to address the hypothesis that bats are unique in their propensity to host zoonotic viruses based on a comparison with rodents, another important host order. We found that bats indeed host more zoonotic viruses per species than rodents, and we identified life-history and ecological factorsAuthorsAngela D. Luis, David T.S. Hayman, Thomas J. O'Shea, Paul M. Cryan, Amy T. Gilbert, Juliet R.C. Pulliam, James N. Mills, Mary E. Timonin, Craig K. R. Willis, Andrew A. Cunningham, Anthony R. Fooks, Charles E. Rupprecht, James L.N. Wood, Colleen T. WebbInsect prey eaten by Hoary Bats (Lasiurus cinereus) prior to fatal collisions with wind turbines
Wind turbines are being deployed all across the world to meet the growing demand for energy, and in many areas, these turbines are causing the deaths of insectivorous migratory bats. One of the hypothesized causes of bat susceptibility is that bats are attracted to insects on or near the turbines. We examined insect remains in the stomachs and intestines of hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus) found deaAuthorsErnest W. Valdez, Paul M. CryanOn estimating the economic value of insectivorous bats: Prospects and priorities for biologists
Bats are among the most economically important nondomesticated mammals in the world. They are well-known pollinators and seed dispersers, but crop pest suppression is probably the most valuable ecosystem service provided by bats. Scientific literature and popular media often include reports of crop pests in the diet of bats and anecdotal or extrapolated estimates of how many insects are eaten by bAuthorsJustin G. Boyles, Catherine L. Sole, Paul M. Cryan, Gary F. McCrackenInoculation of bats with European Geomyces destructans supports the novel pathogen hypothesis for the origin of white-nose syndrome
White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating bats associated with cutaneous infection by the fungus Geomyces destructans (Gd), and responsible for devastating declines of bat populations in eastern North America. Affected bats appear emaciated and one hypothesis is that they spend too much time out of torpor during hibernation, depleting vital fat reserves required to survive thAuthorsLisa Warnecke, James M. Turner, Trent K. Bollinger, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Vikram Misra, Paul M. Cryan, Gudrun Wibbelt, David S. Blehert, Craig K. R. WillisEcology of zoonotic infectious diseases in bats: current knowledge and future directions
Bats are hosts to a range of zoonotic and potentially zoonotic pathogens. Human activities that increase exposure to bats will likely increase the opportunity for infections to spill over in the future. Ecological drivers of pathogen spillover and emergence in novel hosts, including humans, involve a complex mixture of processes, and understanding these complexities may aid in predicting spilloverAuthorsD.T. Hayman, R. A. Bowen, P.M. Cryan, G.F. McCracken, T. J. O'Shea, A.J. Peel, A. Gilbert, C.T. Webb, J.L. WoodEnvironmental conditions associated with bat white-nose syndrome in the north-eastern United States
1. White-nose syndrome (WNS) is an emerging disease of hibernating North American bats that is caused by the cold-growing fungus Geomyces destructans. Since first observed in the winter of 2007, WNS has led to unprecedented mortality in several species of bats and may threaten more than 15 additional hibernating bat species if it continues across the continent. Although the exact means by which fuAuthorsAbigail R. Flory, Sunil Kumar, Thomas J. Stohlgren, Paul M. CryanEvidence of cryptic individual specialization in an opportunistic insectivorous bat
Habitat use and feeding behaviors of cryptic animals are often poorly understood. Analyses of stable isotope ratios in animal body tissues can help reveal an individual's location and resource use during tissue growth. We investigated variation in stable isotope ratios of 4 elements (H, C, N, and S) in the hair of a sedentary species of insectivorous bat (Eptesicus fuscus) inhabiting a chemicallyAuthorsPaul M. Cryan, Craig A. Stricker, Michael B. WunderEvidence of late-summer mating readiness and early sexual maturation in migratory tree-roosting bats found dead at wind turbines
Understanding animal mating systems is an important component of their conservation, yet the precise mating times for many species of bats are unknown. The aim of this study was to better understand the details and timing of reproductive events in species of bats that die most frequently at wind turbines in North America, because such information can help inform conservation strategies. We examineAuthorsP.M. Cryan, J.W. Jameson, E.F. Baerwald, C.K.R. Willis, R.M.R. Barclay, E.A. Snider, E.G. CrichtonConfirmation of white-nose syndrome in bats of Europe and implications of this discovery toward understanding the disease in bats of North America
No abstract available.AuthorsCarol U. Meteyer, David S. Blehert, Paul M. CryanForest Succession and Maternity Day roost selection by Myotis septentrionalis in a mesophytic hardwood forest
Conservation of summer maternity roosts is considered critical for bat management in North America, yet many aspects of the physical and environmental factors that drive roost selection are poorly understood. We tracked 58 female northern bats (Myotis septentrionalis) to 105 roost trees of 21 species on the Fort Knox military reservation in north-central Kentucky during the summer of 2011. SassafrAuthorsAlexander Silvis, W. Mark Ford, Eric R. Britzke, Nathan R. Beane, Joshua B. JohnsonResponse to: Concerns about extrapolating right off the bat [Letter]
No abstract available.AuthorsJustin G. Boyles, Paul M. Cryan, Gary F. McCracken, Thomas H. KunzNon-USGS Publications**
Cryan, P.M. 1997. Distribution and roosting habits of bats in the southern Black Hills, South Dakota [M.S. Thesis]. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico. 98 p.Perry, T.W., P.M. Cryan, S.R. Davenport, and M.A. Bogan. 1997. New locality for Euderma maculatum (Chiroptera: vespertilionidae) in New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist. 42(1): 99-10.Bogan, M.A., T.J. O’Shea, P.M. Cryan, A.M. Ditto, W.H. Shaedla, and L. Ellison. 1996. Status and trends of bat populations at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Bandelier National Monument, Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. Annual report to Los Alamos National Laboratory and Bandelier National Monument. 1-18 p.Cryan, P.M. and M.A. Bogan. 1995. Ecology and distribution of bats in the southern Black Hills: Annual report to cooperators. Annual report prepared for Jewel Cave National Monument, National Park Service, Custer, SD. 23 p.**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
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