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.
Amy Yackel Adams, Ph.D.
Amy Yackel Adams is a Research Ecologist at the Fort Collins Science Center.
Biography
Amy began working for the USGS while obtaining her master and doctorate degrees in ecology starting in 1997. She is a research ecologist and principal investigator for the Invasive Reptile Program, and studies population biology with a focus on applied research of invasive organisms (snakes, lizards, small mammals). Yackel Adams’ recent research has focused on detectability of Brown Treesnakes, quantifying the impact of Brown Treesnakes on lizard populations, enhancing rapid response detection of invasive species, modeling rapid response search duration, and population estimation of small mammals in the Pacific.
Education
- 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, Forestry, University of Montana, 1986
Science and Products
Year Published: 2019
Contact rates with nesting birds before and after invasive snake removal: Estimating the effects of trap-based control
Invasive predators are responsible for almost 60% of all vertebrate extinctions worldwide with the most vulnerable faunas occurring on islands. The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) is a notorious invasive predator that caused the extirpation or extinction of most native forest birds on Guam. The success of avian reintroduction efforts on...
Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Nafus, Melia G.; Klug, Page; Lardner, Bjorn; Mazurek, M.J.; Savidge, Julie A.; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2019
Do observer fatigue and taxon-bias compromise visual encounter surveys for small vertebrates?
Context. Visual encounter surveying is a standard animal inventory method, modifications of which (e.g. distance sampling and repeated count surveys) are used for modelling population density. However, a variety of factors may bias visual survey counts.Aims. The aim of the present study was to evaluate three observer-related biases: (1)...
Lardner, Bjorn; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Knox, Adam J; Savidge, Julie A.; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Analysis of population change and movement using robust design removal data
In capture-mark-reencounter studies, Pollock’s robust design combines methods for open populations with methods for closed populations. Open population features of the robust design allow for estimation of rates of death or permanent emigration, and closed population features enhance estimation of population sizes. We describe a similar design,...
Link, William A.; Converse, Sarah J.; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Hostetter, Nathan J.
Year Published: 2018
Behavioral differences following ingestion of large meals and consequences for management of a harmful invasive snake: A field experiment
Many snakes are uniquely adapted to ingest large prey at infrequent intervals. Digestion of large prey is metabolically and aerobically costly, and large prey boluses can impair snake locomotion, increasing vulnerability to predation. Cessation of foraging and use of refugia with microclimates facilitating digestion are expected to be strategies...
Siers, Shane R.; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Habitat type and structure affect trap capture success of an invasive snake across variable densities
Detection represents an important limitation of accurately estimating population size, abundance, and habitat suitability for wildlife, which can be especially true for cryptic animals. Moreover, for reptiles, juveniles are often less likely to be detected than later life stages. In the case of invasive species, preventing false negatives early in...
Nafus, Melia G.; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Klug, Page E.; Rodda, Gordon H.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Nafus MG, Yackel Adams AA, Klug PE, and Rodda GH. (2018) Habitat type and structure affect trap capture success of an invasive snake. Ecosphere, 9: e02339.
Year Published: 2018
Modeling the distributions of tegu lizards in native and potential invasive ranges
Invasive reptilian predators can have substantial impacts on native species and ecosystems. Tegu lizards are widely distributed in South America east of the Andes, and are popular in the international live animal trade. Two species are established in Florida (U.S.A.) - Salvator merianae (Argentine black and white tegu) and Tupinambis teguixin...
Jarnevich, Catherine S.; Hayes, Mark; Fitzgerald, Lee A.; Yackel, Amy; Falk, Bryan; Collier, Michelle; Bonewell, Lea; Klug, Page; Naretto, Sergio; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Jarnevich, C. S., M. A. Hayes, L. A. Fitzgerald, A. A. Yackel Adams, B. G. Falk, M. A. M. Collier, L. R. Bonewell, P. E. Klug, S. Naretto, and R. N. Reed. 2018. Modeling the distributions of tegu lizards in native and potential invasive ranges. Scientific Reports 8:10193.
Year Published: 2018
Exotic predators may threaten another island ecosystem: A comprehensive assessment of python and boa reports from the Florida Keys
Summarizing historical records of potentially invasive species increases understanding of propagule pressure, spatiotemporal trends, and establishment risk of these species. We compiled records of non-native pythons and boas from the Florida Keys, cross-referenced them to eliminate duplicates, and categorized each record’s credibility. We report...
Hanslowe, Emma B.; Duquesnel, James G.; Snow, Raymond W.; Falk, Bryan G.; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Metzger, Edward; Collier, Michelle; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Inferring the absence of an incipient population during a rapid response for an invasive species
Successful eradication of invasives is facilitated by early detection and prompt onset of control. However, realizing or verifying that a colonization has occurred is difficult for cryptic species especially at low population densities. Responding to the capture or unconfirmed sighting of a cryptic invasive species, and the associated effort to...
Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Lardner, Bjorn; Knox, Adam J; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2018
Assessment of two external transmitter attachment methods for Boiga irregularis (Brown Treesnakes)
No abstract available.
Robinson, Charlotte J.; Viernes, Marijoy C.; Reed, Robert; Yackel, Amy; Nafus, Melia G.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Robinson, CJ, MC Viernes, RN Reed, AA Yackel Adams, and MG Nafus (2018) Assessment of Two External Transmitter Attachment Methods for Boiga irregularis (Brown Treesnakes). Herpetological Review, 49: 32-34
Year Published: 2018
Passive restoration following ungulate removal in a highly disturbed tropical wet forest devoid of native seed dispersers
Overabundant ungulate populations can alter forests. Concurrently, global declines of seed dispersers may threaten native forest structure and function. On an island largely devoid of native vertebrate seed dispersers, we monitored forest succession for 7 years following ungulate exclusion from a 5-ha area and adjacent plots with ungulates still...
Nafus, Melia G.; Savidge, Julie A.; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Christy, Michelle T.; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
Year Published: 2017
Experimental landscape reduction of wild rodents increases movements in the invasive brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis)
Experimental studies evaluating the effects of food availability on the movement of free-ranging animals generally involve food supplementation rather than suppression. Both approaches can yield similar insights, but we were interested in the potential for using food suppression for the management and control of invasive predators, in particular,...
Christy, Michelle; Savidge, Julie A.; Yackel Adams, Amy A.; Gragg, James E.; Rodda, Gordon H.Attribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
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Christy, M., Savidge, J., Yackel Adams, A., Gragg, J., & Rodda, G. (2017). Experimental landscape reduction of wild rodents increases movements in the invasive brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis). Management of Biological Invasions, 8(4), 455–467. doi:10.3391/mbi.2017.8.4.01
Year Published: 2017
Salvator merianae (Argentine Tegu). Attempted Predation.
No abstract available.
Hanslowe, Emma; Calafiore, Charles V.; Sykes, Kathryn N.; Van Ee, Noah; Falk, Bryan; Yackel, Amy; Reed, RobertAttribution: Fort Collins Science Center, Ecosystems
View Citation
Hanslowe, E.B., C.V. Calafiore, K.N. Sykes, N. Van Ee, B.G. Falk, A.A. Yackel Adams, and R.N. Reed. 2017 Salvator merianae (Argentine Tegu). Attempted Predation. Herpetological Review 48 (3): 659 - 660.