Rick Adams

Contact Information

Education

• Ph.D.: University of Colorado - Boulder
• M.A.: University of Colorado - Boulder
• B.A.: University of Colorado - Boulder

Professional/Academic Experience

This is the content region for Professional/Academic Experience.

Research/Areas of Interest

My research seeks to integrate the fields of bat ecology, evolution and development (i.e. how ecolgical patterns of bats are constructed from evolutionary history and contemporary ontogeny). Current research involves the relationship of water resources to behavioral, populational and community ecology of bats in Coloradan, Botswana, South African and China. In addition, I study ontogeny in bats based upon investigations of skeletal development in juveniles as well as changes in functional ontogeny as they learn to fly as a surrogate for deciphering the evolution of flight in bats.

Publications/Creative Works

Peer-reviewed journal publications

1. Carter RT, Stuckey A, Adams RA. 2019. Ontogeny of the hyoid apparatus in Jamaican fruit bats (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), in unraveling the evolution of echolocation in bats. Journal of Zoology, London, doi.org/10.1111/jzo.12679

2. Adams RA, Kwiecinski G. 2018. New records of bats from the southern Kalahari Desert, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, South Africa. Diversity, Diversity, Special Issue, Diversity and Conservation of Bats, 10, doi:10.3390/d10030103.

3. Adams, RA, B. Stoner, D. Nespoli, SM Bexell. 2018. New records of tricolored bats (Perimyotis subflavus) in Colorado with first evidence of reproduction. Western North American Naturalist, 78: 212-215.
4. Adams, RA, MA Hayes. 2018. Assemblage-level analysis of sex-ratios in Coloradan bats in relation to climate variable: a model for future expectations. Global Ecology and Conservation, 14: e00379.
5. Adams, RA. 2018. Dark side of climate change: species-specific responses and first indication of disruption in spring altitudinal migration in myotis bats. Journal of Zoology, London, ISSN 0952-8369

6. Heiker LM, RA Adams, CV Ramos. 2018. Mercury bioaccumulation in two species of insectivorous bats from urban China: influence of species, age, and land use type. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. DOI 10.1007/s00244-018-0547-5

7. Adams, RA and RT Carter. 2017. Megachiropteran bats profoundly unique from microchiropterans in climbing and walking locomotion: evolutionary implications. PLoS ONE, 12(9): e0185634.
8. Hayes, MA and RA Adams 2017. Simulated bat populations erode when exposed to climate change projections for western North America. PLoS ONE 12(7): e0180693.
9. Carter, RT and RA Adams. 2016. Integrating ontogeny of echolocation and locomotion gives unique insights into the origin of bats. Journal of Mammalian Evolution, Online First, DOI 10.1007/s10914-016-9324-2
10. Adams, RA and R Lambeth. 2015. First physical record of the lappet-browed bat (Idionycteris phyllotis) in Colorado. The Southwestern Naturalist, 60:273-275.
11. Hayes, MA and RA Adams. 2015. Maternity roost site selection by fringed myotis in Colorado. Western North American Naturalist, 75: 460-473.
12. Adams, RA, FJ Bonaccorso, and JR Winkelmann. 2015. Revised distribution for Otomops martiensseni (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in southern Africa. Global Ecology and Conservation, 3:707-714.
13. Carter, RT and RA Adams. 2015. Postnatal ontogeny of the cochlea and flight ability in Jamaican fruit bats (Phyllostomidae) with implications for the evolution of echolocation. Journal of Anatomy, 226:301-308.
14. RA Adams and ER Snode. 2015. Differences in the male mating calls of co-occurring epauletted fruit bat species (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae: Epomophorus walhbergi and E. crypturus) in Kruger National Park South Africa. Zoological Studies, 54:15-21.
15. Hayes, MA and RA Adams. 2015. Geographical and elevational distribution of fringed myotis (Myotis thysanodes) in Colorado. Western North American Naturalist, 74:446-455.
16. Carter, RA and RA Adams. 2014. Ontogeny of the larynx and flight ability in Jamaican fruit bats  (Phyllostomidae) with considerations for the evolution of echolocation. The Anatomical Record, 297:1270-1277.
17. Carter, RT, J. Shaw, and RA Adams. 2014. Ontogeny of vocalization in Jamaican fruit bats with implications for the evolution of echolocation. Journal of Zoology, London, 293:25-32.
18. Adams, RA and EM Snode. 2013. Unique insights into dispersion distances among calling males of Wahlberg’s epauletted fruit bat in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Open Ecology Journal, 6: 54-60.
19. Shaw, T. I., A. Srivastava, W. Chou, L. Lui, A. Hawkinson, T. C. Gless, R. A. Adams and T. Schounts. 2012. Transcriptome sequencing and annotation for the Jamaican fruit bat (Artibeus jamaicensis). PloS ONE.
20. Adams, R. A., E. R. Snode, and J. B. Shaw. 2012. Flapping tail membrane in bats produces potentially important thrust during horizontal takeoffs and very slow flight. PLoS ONE. Impact Factor: 4.411
21. Cogswell-Hawkinson A., R. Bowen, S. James, D. Gardiner, C. H. Calisher, R. A. Adams, T. Schountz. 2012. Tacaribe virus causes fatal infection of an ostensible reservoir host, the Jamaican fruit bat. J Virol. 86:5791-9.
22. Cogswell-Hawkinson, A. C., M. E. McGlaughlin, C. H. Calisher, R. A. Adams and T. Schountz. 2011. Molecular and Phylogenetic Characterization of Cytokine Genes from Seba’s Short-Tailed Bat (Carollia perspicillata). Open Immunol Journal: 4:31.
23. Adams, R. A. 2010. Bat reproduction declines when conditions mimic climate change projections for western North America. Ecology, 91: 2437-2445.
24. Adams, R. A. 2009. Of Darwin and bats. Bat Research News, 50: 87-88. Hayes, M. A., K. W. Navo, L. R. Bonewell, C. J. Mosch, and R. A. Adams. 2009. Allen’s big-eared bat (Idionycteris phyllotis) documented in Colorado based on recordings of its distinctive echolocation call. The Southwestern Naturalist, 54: 499-501.
25. Adams, R. A. 2009. The threat of climate change: bat reproduction may suffer in the American West. Bats, 27: 1-4.
26. Adams, R. A. and M. A. Hayes. 2008. Water availability and successful lactation by bats as related to climate change in western regions of North America. Journal of Animal Ecology, 77: 1115-1121. 
27. Adams, R. A. 2008. Morphogenesis in bat wings: linking development, evolution, and ecology. Cells, Tissues, and Organs, 187: 13-23.
28. Wyant, K.*, and R. A. Adams. 2007. Prenatal growth and development in the Angolan free-tailed bat, Mos condylura (Chiroptera: Molossidae). J Mammalogy, 88: 1248-1251.
29. Adams, R. A. 2007. Bats and humans. Encyclopedia of animal/human interactions. (M. Bekoff, ed.). Greenwood Publishing Group, New York.
30. Adams, R. A., and K. M. Thibault. 2006. Temporal partitioning by bats at water holes. Journal of Zoology, London, 270:466-472.
31. Armstrong, D.M., Adams, R.A., and K.E. Taylor. 2006. New records of the eastern pipistrelle (Pipistrellus subflavus) in Colorado. Western North American Naturalist 66:268-269.
32. Pedersen, S. C., H. H. Genoways, M. N. Morton, V. J. Swier, P. A. Larsen, K. C. Lindsay, R. A. Adams, and J. D. Appino. 2006. Bats of Antigua, Northern Lesser Antilles. Occasional Papers 249: 1-18, Museum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock.
33. Adams, R. A. 2004. The behaviors of bats.  Pp. 85-86 in The Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior, Vol. 1 of  3 (M. Bekoff, ed.). Greenwood Publishing Group, New York, 1,274 pp.
34. Adams, R.A., S.C. Pedersen, K.M. Thibault, J. Jadin, and B. Petru. 2003. Calcium as a limiting resource to insectivorous bats: can water holes provide a supplemental calcium source? Journal of Zoology, London, 260: 189-194.
35. Adams, R. A., and J. A. Simmons. 2002. Directionality of drinking passes by bats at water holes: Is there co-operation? Acta Chiropterologica, 4: 195-199.
36. Adams, R.A. and K.M. Thibault. 1999. Growth, development, and histology of the calcar in the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus. Acta Chiropterologica, 1:215-221.
37. Adams, R.A. and K.M. Thibault. 1999. Records of the Brazilian free‑tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis (Chiroptera: Molossidae) in Colorado. The Southwestern Naturalist, 44:542-543.
38. Adams, R. A. 1998. Evolutionary implications of developmental and functional integration in bat wings. Journal of Zoology, London, 246:165-174.
39. Adams, R. A. 1997. Onset of juvenile volancy and foraging patterns of little brown bats, Myotis lucifugus. Journal of Mammalogy, 78:239‑246.
40. Adams, R. A. 1996. Size‑specific resource partitioning among juvenile little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus): Is there an ontogenetic shift? Canadian Journal of Zoology, 74:1204‑1210.
41. Adams, R. A., and S. C. Pedersen. 1994. Wings on their fingers: despite 50 million years of evolution, bats don't become expert fliers overnight. Natural History, 103:48‑55.
42. Adams, R. A. 1993. Consumption of water boatmen (Hemiptera: Corixidae) by little brown bats, Myotis lucifugus. Bat Research News, 34:66‑67.
43. Adams, R. A. 1992. Comparative growth and development of the forearm between the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) and the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus). Journal of Morphology, 214:251‑260.            
44. Adams, R. A. 1992. Stages of development and sequence of bone formation in the little brown bat, Myotis lucifugus. Journal of Mammalogy, 73:160‑167.
45. Adams, R. A. 1990. Biogeography of bats in Colorado: ecological implication of species tolerances. Bat Research News, 31:17‑21.
46. Adams, R. A. 1988. Trends in the reproductive biology of some bats in Colorado. Bat Research News, 29:21‑25.
47. Adams, R. A., B. J. Lengas, and M. Bekoff. 1987. Variations in the avoidance responses of black‑tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). Journal of  Mammalogy, 68:696‑689.
48. Adams, R. A. 1982. The endothermic properties of Dinosaurs. Journal of the Northern Ohio Association of Herpetologists, 8:2‑13.

Book Reviews:

Adams, R. A. 2004. Bat Ecology (T. H. Kunz and M. B. Fenton, eds.) University of Chicago Press, 779 pp. Journal of Mammalogy, 85: 366-367.

Juried Books

1. Adams, R.A., and S.C. Pedersen, eds. 2000 Ontogeny, Functional Ecology, and Evolution ofBats. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 398 pp.
2. Adams, R.A. 2003. Bats of the Rocky Mountain West: Natural History, Ecology, and
   Conservation. University Press of Colorado, Boulder, 308 pp.
3. Adams, R. A. and S. C. Pedersen, eds. 2013. Bat Evolution, Ecology, and Conservation. Springer Press, New York
4. Adams, R. A., ed. 2013. Into the Night. University Press of Colorado, Boulder.

Recent Book Chapters

1. Korine, C, RA Adams, D Russo, and D Jacobs. 2016. Bats and water: anthropogenic alteration threaten global bat populations. Pp. 188-215 in Bats in the Anthropocene: conservation of bats in a changing world, (Christian Voigt and Tigga Kingston, eds.). Springer Press, New York.

2. Adams, R. A. and J. Shaw. 2013. Time's arrow in the Evolutionary Development of Bat Flight. Pp. 21-46 inBat Evolution, Ecology and Conservation (R. A. Adams and S. C. Pedersen, eds). Springer, New York

3. Adams, R. A. 2013. Chasing nightly marvels in the Rocky Mountains. Pp. 71-87 in Into the Night (R. A. Adams, ed). University Press of Colorado, Boulder.
4. Pedersen, S. C., G. G. Kwiecinski, P. A. Larsen, M. N. Morton, R. A. Adams, H. G. Genoways and V. J. Swier. 2010 Bats of Montserrat - population fluctuations in response to hurricanes and volcanoes: 1978-2005 pp. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation of Island Bats (T. H. Fleming and P. Racey, eds.) University of Chicago Press, Chicago.
5. Kunz, T. H. R. A. Adams, and W. R. Hood. 2009. Methods for Assessing Size and Birth and Postnatal Growth and Development in Bats, in Ecological and Behavioral Methods in the Study of Bats, 2nd Edition. (T. H. Kunz and S. Parsons, eds.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore
6. Adams, R. A. 2009. Techniques for the study of growth and development in the Chiroptera, in Ecological and Behavioral Methods in the Study of Bats, 2nd Edition. (T. H. Kunz and S. Parsons, eds.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.