Amy Yackel Adams, PhD
Amy Yackel Adams is a Research Ecologist focusing on improving management decisions of invasive reptiles worldwide.
Amy leads a diverse research program with other USGS scientists and various collaborators (NPS, USDA-NWRC, USFWS, DoD, universities, and state agencies) pertaining to early detection and rapid response, biology, ecology, genetics, control tool evaluation, eradication, and quantitative model development to improve adaptive management of invasive reptile species. Yackel Adams’ research areas in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem and Pacific Islands include: 1) Population and vital rate estimation of invasive Burmese Pythons, Veiled Chameleons, and Brown Treesnakes; 2) Estimating the impact of Brown Treesnakes on prey populations; 3) Enhancing early detection of invasive reptiles using new tools; and 4) Development and evaluation of removal and abundance models to inform and optimize eradication efforts.
Education and Certifications
PhD, Ecology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 2005
MS, Ecology, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, 1999
BS, Resource Conservation and Environmental Studies, University of Montana, 1986
Science and Products
Python Vital Rates
State Partnerships in South Florida
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Everglades
Ecology and Control of Invasive Reptiles in Florida
Mentoring the next generation: USGS, NPS, and University of Florida Cooperative Research Unit Invasive Reptile Intern Program
USGS Everglades Research Office - Florida
USGS Coordinated Burmese Python Research Strategy for South Florida (FY21 – FY27)
Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Pacific
Fort Collins Science Center Labs and Facilities
Hierarchical Models for Estimation of Population Parameters
Giant Constrictor Snakes in Florida: A Sizeable Research Challenge
Capsaicin-treated bait trials for Argentine Black and White Tegu lizards in Georgia and Florida, USA 2020-2021
Brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) scanning and behavioral data collected in experimental setup in Guam for testing remote PIT-tag reader
Diet of invasive Burmese Pythons (Python molorus bivittatus) in southern Florida, 1995-2020
Brown treesnake movement following snake suppression in the Habitat Management Unit on Northern Guam from 2015
Size distribution and reproductive data of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA, 1995-2021
Data for analysis of open removal models with temporary emigration and population dynamics to inform invasive animal management
Spatial mark-recapture and chew card rat data on Guam and Rota, 2018-2019
Brown treesnake capture and morphometric data using live mouse- and bird-lure traps on Guam, 2013
Camera trap data of Brown Treesnakes at mouse-lure traps on Guam, 2015
Brown Treesnake morphological and behavioral differences following ingestion of large meals, 2015
Surveillance and reports of Brown Treesnakes on Saipan, 1980-2020
Brown Treesnake trap captures, Guam National Wildlife Refuge, 2014
Limitations of invasive snake control tools in the context of a new invasion on an island with abundant prey
Florida Kingsnake (Lampropeltis floridana) consumes a juvenile Burmese Python (Python molurus bivitattus) in southern Florida
Capsaicin-treated bait is ineffective in deterring non-target mammals from trap disturbance during invasive lizard control
Testicular abnormalities in the invasive Argentine Black-and-White Tegu lizard (Salvator merianae) in the Florida Everglades
Maximum clutch size of an invasive Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) in Florida, USA
Natives bite back: Depredation and mortality of invasive juvenile Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem
Burmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools
Divergent Serpentoviruses in free-ranging invasive pythons and native colubrids in southern Florida, United States
Increasing the efficiency and power of camera traps for EDRR & ecological monitoring
Size distribution and reproductive phenology of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA
Boiga irregularis (brown treesnake)
Open removal models with temporary emigration and population dynamics to inform invasive animal management
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.
Science and Products
- Science
Python Vital Rates
Researchers from USGS-FORT and WARC and University of Florida are collaborating on a long-term Burmese python research program in southern Florida to address management needs of partners and stakeholders throughout the Greater Everglades.State Partnerships in South Florida
USGS-FORT in partnership with the University of Florida and two state agencies (South Florida Water Management District and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) have initiated a scout snake program to increase the ability to detect and remove Burmese pythons from the interior of the landscape.Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Everglades
Invasive species are considered to be second only to habitat degradation in terms of negative impacts on the Earth’s ecosystems, and our scientists make up a significant proportion of the global expertise in the rapidly-growing problem of invasive reptiles.Ecology and Control of Invasive Reptiles in Florida
This project involves development of tools for the detection and control of invasive reptiles in Florida, with an emphasis on pythons and tegu lizards. The goals are to reduce the risk of reptile invasions, investigate early detection methods, maintain rapid response capacity, and understand invasive reptile population biology and ecology to inform management options.Mentoring the next generation: USGS, NPS, and University of Florida Cooperative Research Unit Invasive Reptile Intern Program
Invasive reptiles like the Burmese python ( Python bivittatus ) and black and white tegu lizard ( Tupinambis merianae ) are exerting tremendous harm on Everglades ecosystems, but these problematic species present an excellent opportunity to engage the next generation in science. Since entering into an agreement with Everglades National Park in late 2013, the Invasive Species Science Branch of the...USGS Everglades Research Office - Florida
The Daniel Beard Center in Everglades National Park provides the base for most of the field work done on the control of invasive reptiles by USGS Fort Collins Science Center staff. The team works in Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, and other parts of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem focusing on, among other species of concern...USGS Coordinated Burmese Python Research Strategy for South Florida (FY21 – FY27)
Wetland and Aquatic Research Center and Fort Collins Science Center are coordinating a long-term, landscape-scale Burmese python research strategy for South Florida.Biology, Impacts and Control of Invasive Reptiles in the Pacific
Research on Guam has led to development and validation of numerous effective control tools, including the advancement of reptile control to support native species recovery.Fort Collins Science Center Labs and Facilities
The Fort Collins Science Center has scientists working in several diverse locations as well as three in house highly specialized laboratories, studying subjects from molecular ecology to brown treesnakes, dendroecology to streamflows, and macroinvertebrate species to Burmese pythons. Our extraordinary scientists work in each of these locations advancing studies in their particluar areas of study...Hierarchical Models for Estimation of Population Parameters
The Challenge: Much of wildlife research consists of the description of variation in data. Some of the variation results from spatial and temporal change in populations, while some results from biologically irrelevant sampling variation induced by the process of data collection. Distinguishing relevant from irrelevant variation is the first task of statistical analysis, but the job does not end...Giant Constrictor Snakes in Florida: A Sizeable Research Challenge
Since the mid-1990s, several species of non-native, giant constrictor snakes, such as Burmese pythons and boa constrictors, have surfaced in localities throughout southern Florida. Several are known or suspected to be breeding and appear to be spreading northward. Increasingly, media and other reports of sightings or encounters with these animals have emphasized the dangers they could impose on... - Data
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Capsaicin-treated bait trials for Argentine Black and White Tegu lizards in Georgia and Florida, USA 2020-2021
Invasive Argentine Black and White Tegu lizards (Salvator merianae) are trapped with chicken eggs when populations are discovered in the United States. Unfortunately, non-targeted mammals are trapped in tegu lizard traps which reduces trap efficacy. We evaluated if non-target mammal captures could be reduced by coating the chicken eggs with a known irritant to mammals (capsaicin) while maintainingBrown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) scanning and behavioral data collected in experimental setup in Guam for testing remote PIT-tag reader
Data fall into three types: 1) individual snake scanning data (PIT tag ID, time stamp, and device) downloaded from readers, 2) individual trait data (sex, size, etc) of tested brown treesnakes, and 3) detailed transcripts of videos of behavioral trial data as snakes interacted with the readers. All data were collected in an experimental arena in Dededo, Guam in August 2021.Diet of invasive Burmese Pythons (Python molorus bivittatus) in southern Florida, 1995-2020
Digestive tract contents were identified to provide an account of Burmese python diet. Diet contents came from 1716 pythons collected by cooperators during 1995-2020 from public and private lands across southern Florida, primarily within the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Burmese pythons consumed 76 species of fauna across three taxonomic classes (Aves, Mammalia, and Reptilia).Brown treesnake movement following snake suppression in the Habitat Management Unit on Northern Guam from 2015
Animals move to locate important resources such as food, water, and mates. Therefore, movement patterns can reflect temporal and spatial availability of resources as well as when, where, and how individuals access such resources. To test these relationships for a predatory reptile, we quantified the effects of prey abundance on the spatial ecology of invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis).Size distribution and reproductive data of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA, 1995-2021
This dataset contains morphometric information from Burmese pythons collected from an invasive population in southern Florida between 1995-2021. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Park Service curated this dataset as a repository for records of Burmese pythons found on or nearby federal lands in southern Florida, including Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National PreData for analysis of open removal models with temporary emigration and population dynamics to inform invasive animal management
This data release includes the data and computer code that we produced to fit two open-robust design removal models developed to simultaneously model population dynamics, temporary emigration, and imperfect detection: a random walk linear trend model (estimable without ancillary information), and a 2-age class integrated population model (IPM) that used prior information for age-structured vital rSpatial mark-recapture and chew card rat data on Guam and Rota, 2018-2019
We provide four datasets: Mark recapture and trapping effort, Grid layout, Chew cards, and Trail camera validation. Mark recapture and trapping effort has one row for every live-trap night, including the unique grid identification code, date of trap check, cumulative rain amount from the 24-hr period before the trap check, unique trap identification, trap status, unique individual rat identificatiBrown treesnake capture and morphometric data using live mouse- and bird-lure traps on Guam, 2013
We deployed 30 trap stations consisting of three combinations: isolated bird-lure traps, isolated mouse-lure traps, or paired stations to evaluate snake capture as a function of lure. At the paired stations, we included two traps: one bird-lure trap and one mouse-lure trap. All stations were at least 60 meters (m) apart and each of the station treatments was replicated 10 times. Traps at paired stCamera trap data of Brown Treesnakes at mouse-lure traps on Guam, 2015
Manually photo-processed remote camera trap data of Brown Treesnakes on Guam at snake traps with live mouse lures. Records of snakes entering the field of view (FOV) and exiting the FOV by day, time, and trap location. Photos were further processed to retain only detections of snakes up to 1.83 meters from the camera, i.e., only records of snakes that were on or in front of the mouse-lure trap areBrown Treesnake morphological and behavioral differences following ingestion of large meals, 2015
Data set resulting from monitoring the behavior of snakes (n = 62) that had been feed a standardized large meal with transmitter, proportional to their body mass, to make direct comparisons to a control group of snakes that had not been fed a meal (only the transmitter). Transmitters were equipped with a two-position switch that changes pulse rate when the body position of the animal changes moreSurveillance and reports of Brown Treesnakes on Saipan, 1980-2020
Available active surveillance efforts for Brown Treesnakes on the island of Saipan via nocturnal visual encounter surveys and trapping from 1999-2018 were collected and summarized into 3 csv files (TRAP1999, BTSRRTSaipanTRAP, and BTSRRTSaipanVISUAL). Location and date of non-confirmed reports of snakes 1982-2013 via passive surveillance were compiled into a fourth file (Saipan BTSSightings1980_202Brown Treesnake trap captures, Guam National Wildlife Refuge, 2014
Over a 22-week period both with and without active Brown Treesnake (BTS) snake removal, we evaluated snake-trap contact rates at mouse- and bird-lure traps within the Guam National Wildlife Refuge in 2014. Bird-lure traps served as a proxy for reintroduced nesting birds. Data consists of 3 files generated from camera surveillance and trapping using mouse and bird lures in conventional snake traps - Multimedia
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Filter Total Items: 79
Limitations of invasive snake control tools in the context of a new invasion on an island with abundant prey
In October 2020, a new population of invasive brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) was discovered on the 33-ha Cocos Island, 2.5 km off the south coast of Guam. Cocos Island is a unique conservation resource, providing refuge for many lizards and birds, including endangered species, which were extirpated from mainland Guam by invasive predators including brown treesnakes. We sought to evaluate theAuthorsShane R. Siers, Melia Gail Nafus, Jaried E. Calaor, Rachel M. Volsteadt, Matthew S. Grassi, Megan Volsteadt, Aaron F. Collins, Patrick D Barnhart, Logan Tanner Huse, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Diane L. ViceFlorida Kingsnake (Lampropeltis floridana) consumes a juvenile Burmese Python (Python molurus bivitattus) in southern Florida
The Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) is an invasive constrictor established across southern Florida. These snakes are dietary generalists with large home ranges and broad habitat requirements and their introduction has had severe impacts on native species and ecosystems in the region. We describe the first observation of a Florida kingsnake (Lampropeltis floridana) that consumed a hatchlAuthorsPeter F. Crawford, Jose A. Torres, Jacquelyn C. Guzy, Andrea Faye Currylow, Lisa Marie McBride, Gretchen Erika Anderson, Matthew F. McCollister, Christina M. Romagosa, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Kristen HartCapsaicin-treated bait is ineffective in deterring non-target mammals from trap disturbance during invasive lizard control
Excluding non-target species from invasive species control efforts can be challenging due to non-target attraction to trap structure, baits, and lures. Various methods have been used to deter non-target species from entering or disturbing traps including altered features (e.g., mesh size, trip mechanism, or entrances), staking traps, and chemical deterrents. Invasive populations of Argentine BlackAuthorsLance D McBrayer, Daniel Haro, Michael Brennan, Bryan G. Falk, Amy A. Yackel AdamsTesticular abnormalities in the invasive Argentine Black-and-White Tegu lizard (Salvator merianae) in the Florida Everglades
No abstract available.AuthorsKyra Woytek, Gretchen Erika Anderson, Kevin Donmoyer, Frank Ridgley, Christina Romagosa, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Andrea Faye CurrylowMaximum clutch size of an invasive Burmese Python (Python bivittatus) in Florida, USA
Native to southeastern Asia, the Burmese Python (Python bivittatus Kuhl 1820) is an invasive species established in southern Florida (Snow et al. 2007; Krysko et al. 2016; Krysko et al. 2019). Pythons are documented as having negative effects on the Greater Everglades Ecosystem and they have proven to be a complex problem for managers trying to control populations (Guzy et al. 2023). This speciesAuthorsAndrea Faye Currylow, Teah Evers, Gretchen Erika Anderson, Lisa Marie McBride, Matthew McCollister, Jacquelyn C. Guzy, Christina Romagosa, Kristen Hart, Amy A. Yackel AdamsNatives bite back: Depredation and mortality of invasive juvenile Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem
Burmese pythons (Python bivittatus Kuhl, 1820) are one of the world’s largest snake species, making them a highly successful and biologically damaging invasive predator in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA. Though we have knowledge of python diet within this system, we understand very little of other interactions with native species. Effects native species have on invasive pythons, esAuthorsAndrea Faye Currylow, Austin Lee Fitzgerald, Matthew T.H. Goetz, Jared L. Draxler, Gretchen Erika Anderson, Matthew McCollister, Christina Romagosa, Amy A. Yackel AdamsBurmese pythons in Florida: A synthesis of biology, impacts, and management tools
Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) are native to southeastern Asia, however, there is an established invasive population inhabiting much of southern Florida throughout the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. Pythons have severely impacted native species and ecosystems in Florida and represent one of the most intractable invasive-species management issues across the globe. The difficulty stems fAuthorsJacquelyn C. Guzy, Bryan G. Falk, Brian J. Smith, John David Willson, Robert Reed, Nicholas Aumen, Michael L. Avery, Ian A. Bartoszek, Earl Campbell, Michael Cherkiss, Natalie M. Claunch, Andrea Faye Currylow, Tylan Dean, Jeremy Dixon, Richard M. Engeman, Sarah Funck, Rebekah Gibble, Kodiak C. Hengstebeck, John S. Humphrey, Margaret Hunter, Jillian Josimovich, Jennifer Ketterlin Eckles, Michael Kirkland, Frank J. Mazzotti, Robert A. McCleery, Melissa A. Miller, Matthew F. McCollister, M. Rockwell Parker, Shannon E. Pittman, Michael R. Rochford, Christina Romagosa, Art Roybal, Ray W. Snow, McKayla M. Spencer, Hardin Waddle, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Kristen HartDivergent Serpentoviruses in free-ranging invasive pythons and native colubrids in southern Florida, United States
Burmese python (Python bivittatus) is an invasive snake that has significantly affected ecosystems in southern Florida, United States. Aside from direct predation and competition, invasive species can also introduce nonnative pathogens that can adversely affect native species. The subfamily Serpentovirinae (order Nidovirales) is composed of positive-sense RNA viruses primarily found in reptiles. SAuthorsSteven B Tillis, Jillian M. Josimovich, Melissa A. Miller, Hoon-Hanks Laura L., Arik M. Hartmann, Natalie M. Claunch, Marley E. Iredale, Tracey D. Logan, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Ian A. Bartoszek, John S. Humphrey, Bryan M. Kluever, Mark D. Stenglein, Robert Reed, Christina M. Romagosa, James FX. Wellehan Jr., Robert J. OssiboffIncreasing the efficiency and power of camera traps for EDRR & ecological monitoring
Invasive species are an ever-growing concern for Florida, especially in important environments like the Greater Everglades Ecosystem. One of the best ways to fight back against invasives is the use of the “Early Detection, Rapid Response” (EDRR) system. The earlier we can detect the presence of a nonnative species, and the faster we respond, the better our chance of stopping its spread. For years,AuthorsGretchen Erika Anderson, Amy A. Yackel AdamsSize distribution and reproductive phenology of the invasive Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida, USA
The design of successful invasive species control programs is often hindered by the absence of basic demographic data on the targeted population. Establishment of invasive Burmese pythons (Python molurus bivittatus) in the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, Florida USA has led to local precipitous declines (> 90%) of mesomammal populations and is also a major threat to native populations of reptiles anAuthorsAndrea Faye Currylow, Bryan Falk, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Christina M. Romagosa, Jillian Josimovich, Michael R. Rochford, Michael Cherkiss, Melia Gail Nafus, Kristen Hart, Frank J. Mazzotti, Ray W. Snow, Robert ReedBoiga irregularis (brown treesnake)
No abstract available.AuthorsPatrick D Barnhart, Zachary C. Quiogue, Elisabeth Frasch, Diane Vice, Charlene Beverly Hopkins, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Robert Reed, Melia Gail NafusOpen removal models with temporary emigration and population dynamics to inform invasive animal management
Removal sampling data are the primary source of monitoring information for many populations (e.g., invasive species, fisheries). Population dynamics, temporary emigration, and imperfect detection are common sources of variation in monitoring data and are key parameters for informing management. We developed two open robust-design removal models for simultaneously modeling population dynamics, tempAuthorsBradley Udell, Julien Martin, Christina Romagosa, J. Hardin Waddle, Fred Johnson, Bryan Falk, Amy A. Yackel Adams, Sarah Funck, Jennifer Ketterlin Eckles, Eric Suarez, Frank MazzottiNon-USGS Publications**
Graham, L., A.A. Yackel Adams, and E.A. Odell. 1999. Devaluation of non-experiments in the current ecological paradigm. Wildlife Society Bulletin. 26(4): 1002-1006.**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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