Anthony M Pagano, Ph.D.
Ecophysiology, spatial ecology, and behavior of large mammals
Professional Experience
2022 - Present Research Wildlife Biologist USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
2021 - 2022 Post-doctoral Researcher Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
2018 - 2021 Post-doctoral Researcher Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Escondido, California
2008 - 2018 Wildlife Biologist USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, Alaska
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. 2018 University of California, Santa Cruz Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
M.S. 2007 University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN Wildlife Conservation
B.A. 2002 Northeastern University, Boston, MA Biology and History
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 30
Identifying reliable indicators of fitness in polar bears
Animal structural body size and condition are often measured to evaluate individual health, identify responses to environmental change and food availability, and relate food availability to effects on reproduction and survival. A variety of condition metrics have been developed but relationships between these metrics and vital rates are rarely validated. Identifying an optimal approach...
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Todd C. Atwood, Gregory W. Thiemann, Michelle St. Martin, Ryan H. Wilson, George M. Durner, Eric V. Regehr, Sandra L. Talbot, Kevin Sage, Anthony M. Pagano, Kristin S. Simac
The seasonal energetic landscape of an apex marine carnivore, the polar bear
Divergent movement strategies have enabled wildlife populations to adapt to environmental change. In recent decades, the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) has developed a divergent movement strategy in response to diminishing sea ice where the majority of the subpopulation (73–85%) stays on the sea ice in summer and the remaining bears move to land...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Todd C. Atwood, George M. Durner, Terrie M. Williams
Overhauling ocean spatial planning to improve marine megafauna conservation
Tracking data have led to evidence-based conservation of marine megafauna, but a disconnect remains between the many thousands of individual animals that have been tracked and the use of these data in conservation and management actions. Furthermore, the focus of most conservation efforts is within Exclusive Economic Zones despite the ability of these species to move thousands of...
Authors
Ana M. M. Sequeira, Graeme C. Hays, David W. Sims, Victor M. Eguíluz, Jorge P. Rodríguez, Michelle R. Heupel, Robert G. Harcourt, Hannah J. Calich, Nuno Queiroz, Daniel P. Costa, Juan Fernández-Gracia, Luciana C. Ferreira, Simon D. Goldsworthy, Mark A. Hindell, Mary-Anne Lea, Mark G. Meekan, Anthony M. Pagano, Scott A. Shaffer, Julia Reisser, Michele Thums, Michael J. Weise, Carlos M. Duarte
Energetic costs of aquatic locomotion in a subadult polar bear
Most marine mammals rely on swimming as their primary form of locomotion. These animals have evolved specialized morphologies, physiologies, and behaviors that have enabled them to efficiently move through an aquatic environment (Williams 1999). Such adaptations include body streamlining, modified plantar surfaces for propulsion, and abilities to remain submerged for extended durations...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Amy Cutting, Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, Amy Hash, Terrie M. Williams
Estimating the energy expenditure of free‐ranging polar bears using tri‐axial accelerometers: A validation with doubly labeled water
Measures of energy expenditure can be used to inform animal conservation and management, but methods for measuring the energy expenditure of free‐ranging animals have a variety of limitations. Advancements in biologging technologies have enabled the use of dynamic body acceleration derived from accelerometers as a proxy for energy expenditure. Although dynamic body acceleration has been...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Terrie M. Williams
Energetic costs of locomotion in bears: is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical?
Ursids are the largest mammals to retain a plantigrade posture. This primitive posture has been proposed to result in reduced locomotor speed and economy relative to digitigrade and unguligrade species, particularly at high speeds. Previous energetics research on polar bears (Ursus maritimus) found locomotor costs were more than double predictions for similarly sized quadrupedal mammals...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Anthony M. Carnahan, Charles T. Robbins, Megan A. Owen, Tammy Batson, Nate Wagner, Amy Cutting, Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, Amy Hash, Terrie M. Williams
Non-USGS Publications**
Pagano, A.M., A.M. Carnahan, C.T. Robbins, M.A. Owen, T. Batson, N. Wagner, A.
Cutting, N. Nicassio-Hiskey, A. Hash, and T.M. Williams. 2018. Energetic costs of
locomotion in bears: Is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical? Journal of
Experimental Biology vol. 221 no. 12 p.1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.175372
Cutting, N. Nicassio-Hiskey, A. Hash, and T.M. Williams. 2018. Energetic costs of
locomotion in bears: Is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical? Journal of
Experimental Biology vol. 221 no. 12 p.1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.175372
Pagano, A.M., G.M. Durner, K.D. Rode, T.C. Atwood, S.N. Atkinson, E. Peacock, D.P.
Costa, M.A. Owen, and T.M. Williams. 2018. High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an
Arctic apex predator, the polar bear. Science vol. 359 no. 6375 p. 568-572. doi: 10.1126/science.aan8677
Costa, M.A. Owen, and T.M. Williams. 2018. High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an
Arctic apex predator, the polar bear. Science vol. 359 no. 6375 p. 568-572. doi: 10.1126/science.aan8677
Pagano, A. M., Rode, K. D., Cutting, A., Owen, M. A., Jensen, S., Ware, J. V., Robbins, C. M., Durner, G. M., Atwood, T. C., Obbard, M. E., Middel, K. R., Thiemann, G. W., and Williams, T. M., 2017, Using tri-axial accelerometers to identify wild polar bear behaviors: Endangered Species Research vol. 32 p. 19-33. doi: 10.3354/esr00779
Ware, J. V., Rode, K. D., Bromaghin, J. F., Douglas, D. C. Wilson, R. R., Regehr, E. V., Amstrup, S. C., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Olson, J. W., Robbins, C. T. and Jansen, H. T., 2017, Habitat degradation affects the summer activity of polar bears: Oecologia vol. 184 no. 1 p. 87-89. doi: 10.1007/s00442-017-3839-y
Wiig, Ø., Born, E. W., Laidre, K. L., Dietz, R., Jensen, M. V., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Regehr, E. V., St. Martin, M., Atkinson, S. N., and Dyck, M., 2017, Performance and retention of lightweight satellite radio tags applied to the ears of polar bears (Ursus maritimus): Animal Biotelemetry vol. 5 no. 9. doi: 10.1186/s40317-017-0124-0
Sequeira, A.M.M., J.P. Rodríguez, V.M. Eguíluz, R. Harcourt, M. Hindell, D.W. Sims, C.M. Duarte, D.P. Costa, J. Fernández-Gracia, L.C. Ferreira, G.C. Hays, M.R. Heupel, M.G. Meekan, A. Aven, F. Bailleul, A.M.M. Baylis, M.L. Berumen, C.D. Braun, J. Burns, M.J. Caley, R. Campbell, R.H. Carmichael, E. Clua, L.D. Einoder, A. Friedlaender, M.E. Goebel, S.D. Goldsworthy, C. Guinet, J. Gunn, D. Hamer, N. Hammerschlag, M. Hammill, L.A. Hückstädt, N.E. Humphries, M.-A. Lea, A. Lowther, A. Mackay, E. McHuron, J. McKenzie, L. McLeay, C.R. McMahon, K. Mengersen, M.M.C. Muelbert, A. M. Pagano, B. Page, N. Queiroz, P.W. Robinson, S.A. Shaffer, M. Shivji, G.B. Skomal, S.R. Thorrold, S. Villegas-Amtmann, M. Weise, R. Wells, B. Wetherbee, A. Wiebkin, B. Wienecke, and M. Thums. 2018. Convergence of marine megafauna movement patterns in coastal and open oceans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences vol. 115 no. 12 p.3072-3077. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1716137115
Pagano, A.M., K.D. Rode, and S.N. Atkinson. 2017. Evaluating methods to assess the body condition of female polar bears. Ursus vol. 28 no. 2 p.171-181. doi: 10.2192/URSU-D-16-00029.1
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Detection probabilities for ground-based breeding waterfowl surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 3 p. 392-398. doi: 10.2193/2007-411
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Estimating detection probabilities of waterfowl broods from ground-based surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 5 p. 686-694. doi: 10.2193/2007-524
Arnold, T. W., Pagano, A. M., Devries, J. H., Emery, R. B., Howerter, D. W., and Joynt, B. L., 2008, Social indices of breeding productivity in parkland mallards: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 72 no. 1 p. 224-230. doi: 10.2193/2007-035
**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.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 30
Identifying reliable indicators of fitness in polar bears
Animal structural body size and condition are often measured to evaluate individual health, identify responses to environmental change and food availability, and relate food availability to effects on reproduction and survival. A variety of condition metrics have been developed but relationships between these metrics and vital rates are rarely validated. Identifying an optimal approach...
Authors
Karyn D. Rode, Todd C. Atwood, Gregory W. Thiemann, Michelle St. Martin, Ryan H. Wilson, George M. Durner, Eric V. Regehr, Sandra L. Talbot, Kevin Sage, Anthony M. Pagano, Kristin S. Simac
The seasonal energetic landscape of an apex marine carnivore, the polar bear
Divergent movement strategies have enabled wildlife populations to adapt to environmental change. In recent decades, the Southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) has developed a divergent movement strategy in response to diminishing sea ice where the majority of the subpopulation (73–85%) stays on the sea ice in summer and the remaining bears move to land...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Todd C. Atwood, George M. Durner, Terrie M. Williams
Overhauling ocean spatial planning to improve marine megafauna conservation
Tracking data have led to evidence-based conservation of marine megafauna, but a disconnect remains between the many thousands of individual animals that have been tracked and the use of these data in conservation and management actions. Furthermore, the focus of most conservation efforts is within Exclusive Economic Zones despite the ability of these species to move thousands of...
Authors
Ana M. M. Sequeira, Graeme C. Hays, David W. Sims, Victor M. Eguíluz, Jorge P. Rodríguez, Michelle R. Heupel, Robert G. Harcourt, Hannah J. Calich, Nuno Queiroz, Daniel P. Costa, Juan Fernández-Gracia, Luciana C. Ferreira, Simon D. Goldsworthy, Mark A. Hindell, Mary-Anne Lea, Mark G. Meekan, Anthony M. Pagano, Scott A. Shaffer, Julia Reisser, Michele Thums, Michael J. Weise, Carlos M. Duarte
Energetic costs of aquatic locomotion in a subadult polar bear
Most marine mammals rely on swimming as their primary form of locomotion. These animals have evolved specialized morphologies, physiologies, and behaviors that have enabled them to efficiently move through an aquatic environment (Williams 1999). Such adaptations include body streamlining, modified plantar surfaces for propulsion, and abilities to remain submerged for extended durations...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Amy Cutting, Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, Amy Hash, Terrie M. Williams
Estimating the energy expenditure of free‐ranging polar bears using tri‐axial accelerometers: A validation with doubly labeled water
Measures of energy expenditure can be used to inform animal conservation and management, but methods for measuring the energy expenditure of free‐ranging animals have a variety of limitations. Advancements in biologging technologies have enabled the use of dynamic body acceleration derived from accelerometers as a proxy for energy expenditure. Although dynamic body acceleration has been...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Terrie M. Williams
Energetic costs of locomotion in bears: is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical?
Ursids are the largest mammals to retain a plantigrade posture. This primitive posture has been proposed to result in reduced locomotor speed and economy relative to digitigrade and unguligrade species, particularly at high speeds. Previous energetics research on polar bears (Ursus maritimus) found locomotor costs were more than double predictions for similarly sized quadrupedal mammals...
Authors
Anthony M. Pagano, Anthony M. Carnahan, Charles T. Robbins, Megan A. Owen, Tammy Batson, Nate Wagner, Amy Cutting, Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, Amy Hash, Terrie M. Williams
Non-USGS Publications**
Pagano, A.M., A.M. Carnahan, C.T. Robbins, M.A. Owen, T. Batson, N. Wagner, A.
Cutting, N. Nicassio-Hiskey, A. Hash, and T.M. Williams. 2018. Energetic costs of
locomotion in bears: Is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical? Journal of
Experimental Biology vol. 221 no. 12 p.1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.175372
Cutting, N. Nicassio-Hiskey, A. Hash, and T.M. Williams. 2018. Energetic costs of
locomotion in bears: Is plantigrade locomotion energetically economical? Journal of
Experimental Biology vol. 221 no. 12 p.1-9. doi: 10.1242/jeb.175372
Pagano, A.M., G.M. Durner, K.D. Rode, T.C. Atwood, S.N. Atkinson, E. Peacock, D.P.
Costa, M.A. Owen, and T.M. Williams. 2018. High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an
Arctic apex predator, the polar bear. Science vol. 359 no. 6375 p. 568-572. doi: 10.1126/science.aan8677
Costa, M.A. Owen, and T.M. Williams. 2018. High-energy, high-fat lifestyle challenges an
Arctic apex predator, the polar bear. Science vol. 359 no. 6375 p. 568-572. doi: 10.1126/science.aan8677
Pagano, A. M., Rode, K. D., Cutting, A., Owen, M. A., Jensen, S., Ware, J. V., Robbins, C. M., Durner, G. M., Atwood, T. C., Obbard, M. E., Middel, K. R., Thiemann, G. W., and Williams, T. M., 2017, Using tri-axial accelerometers to identify wild polar bear behaviors: Endangered Species Research vol. 32 p. 19-33. doi: 10.3354/esr00779
Ware, J. V., Rode, K. D., Bromaghin, J. F., Douglas, D. C. Wilson, R. R., Regehr, E. V., Amstrup, S. C., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Olson, J. W., Robbins, C. T. and Jansen, H. T., 2017, Habitat degradation affects the summer activity of polar bears: Oecologia vol. 184 no. 1 p. 87-89. doi: 10.1007/s00442-017-3839-y
Wiig, Ø., Born, E. W., Laidre, K. L., Dietz, R., Jensen, M. V., Durner, G. M., Pagano, A. M., Regehr, E. V., St. Martin, M., Atkinson, S. N., and Dyck, M., 2017, Performance and retention of lightweight satellite radio tags applied to the ears of polar bears (Ursus maritimus): Animal Biotelemetry vol. 5 no. 9. doi: 10.1186/s40317-017-0124-0
Sequeira, A.M.M., J.P. Rodríguez, V.M. Eguíluz, R. Harcourt, M. Hindell, D.W. Sims, C.M. Duarte, D.P. Costa, J. Fernández-Gracia, L.C. Ferreira, G.C. Hays, M.R. Heupel, M.G. Meekan, A. Aven, F. Bailleul, A.M.M. Baylis, M.L. Berumen, C.D. Braun, J. Burns, M.J. Caley, R. Campbell, R.H. Carmichael, E. Clua, L.D. Einoder, A. Friedlaender, M.E. Goebel, S.D. Goldsworthy, C. Guinet, J. Gunn, D. Hamer, N. Hammerschlag, M. Hammill, L.A. Hückstädt, N.E. Humphries, M.-A. Lea, A. Lowther, A. Mackay, E. McHuron, J. McKenzie, L. McLeay, C.R. McMahon, K. Mengersen, M.M.C. Muelbert, A. M. Pagano, B. Page, N. Queiroz, P.W. Robinson, S.A. Shaffer, M. Shivji, G.B. Skomal, S.R. Thorrold, S. Villegas-Amtmann, M. Weise, R. Wells, B. Wetherbee, A. Wiebkin, B. Wienecke, and M. Thums. 2018. Convergence of marine megafauna movement patterns in coastal and open oceans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences vol. 115 no. 12 p.3072-3077. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1716137115
Pagano, A.M., K.D. Rode, and S.N. Atkinson. 2017. Evaluating methods to assess the body condition of female polar bears. Ursus vol. 28 no. 2 p.171-181. doi: 10.2192/URSU-D-16-00029.1
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Detection probabilities for ground-based breeding waterfowl surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 3 p. 392-398. doi: 10.2193/2007-411
Pagano, A. M. and Arnold, T. W., 2009, Estimating detection probabilities of waterfowl broods from ground-based surveys: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 73 no. 5 p. 686-694. doi: 10.2193/2007-524
Arnold, T. W., Pagano, A. M., Devries, J. H., Emery, R. B., Howerter, D. W., and Joynt, B. L., 2008, Social indices of breeding productivity in parkland mallards: Journal of Wildlife Management vol. 72 no. 1 p. 224-230. doi: 10.2193/2007-035
**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.