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
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Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities
Transect surveys are frequently used to estimate distribution and abundance of species across a landscape, yet a proportion of individuals present will be missed because either they were out of view and unavailable for detection or they were available but not detected because the surveyors missed them. These situations lead to availability and perception bias, respectively, and can result in misle
Genomic pedigree reconstruction identifies predictors of mating and reproductive success in an invasive vertebrate
The persistence of an invasive species is influenced by its reproductive ecology, and a successful control program must operate on this premise. However, the reproductive ecology of invasive species may be enigmatic due to factors that also limit their management, such as cryptic coloration and behavior. We explored the mating and reproductive ecology of the invasive Brown Treesnake (BTS: Boiga ir
Optimizing walking pace to maximize snake detection rate: A visual encounter survey experiment
Visual encounter survey efforts can be defined and constrained by duration, distance, or both duration and distance simultaneously. This study examines the optimal walking pace that will maximize the number of animal detections within a limited time frame. We predicted that animal sighting rate per unit of distance would decline with increasing pace, but that maximal sighting rate per unit of time
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 Guam will depend on whether snake-control techniques suff
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) whether fatigue compromises detection rate as a survey occasi
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, but for use with removal data. Data collection occurs
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 employed by free‐ranging snakes to cope with the dem
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 the invasion process can be critical for improving
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 sensu lato (gold tegu) – and a third has been recorded
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 on 159 observations of six python and boa species in
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 determine if it indicates an incipient (small, locali
Non-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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Filter Total Items: 69
Use of visual surveys and radiotelemetry reveals sources of detection bias for a cryptic snake at low densities
Transect surveys are frequently used to estimate distribution and abundance of species across a landscape, yet a proportion of individuals present will be missed because either they were out of view and unavailable for detection or they were available but not detected because the surveyors missed them. These situations lead to availability and perception bias, respectively, and can result in misleGenomic pedigree reconstruction identifies predictors of mating and reproductive success in an invasive vertebrate
The persistence of an invasive species is influenced by its reproductive ecology, and a successful control program must operate on this premise. However, the reproductive ecology of invasive species may be enigmatic due to factors that also limit their management, such as cryptic coloration and behavior. We explored the mating and reproductive ecology of the invasive Brown Treesnake (BTS: Boiga irOptimizing walking pace to maximize snake detection rate: A visual encounter survey experiment
Visual encounter survey efforts can be defined and constrained by duration, distance, or both duration and distance simultaneously. This study examines the optimal walking pace that will maximize the number of animal detections within a limited time frame. We predicted that animal sighting rate per unit of distance would decline with increasing pace, but that maximal sighting rate per unit of timeContact 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 Guam will depend on whether snake-control techniques suffDo 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) whether fatigue compromises detection rate as a survey occasiAnalysis 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, but for use with removal data. Data collection occursBehavioral 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 employed by free‐ranging snakes to cope with the demHabitat 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 the invasion process can be critical for improvingModeling 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 sensu lato (gold tegu) – and a third has been recordedExotic 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 on 159 observations of six python and boa species inInferring 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 determine if it indicates an incipient (small, localiNon-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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