A new lab collaboration led by graduate student Jessa Aretz at the University of South Florida appeared today in The Journal of Thermal Biology. Tadpoles, like all amphibians, are especially vulnerable to rising global temperatures, as their physiological processes are directly influenced by their environment. The study with the pinewoods tree frog (Dryophytes femoralis) in Central Florida sought to understand how these tadpoles respond to warmer conditions. Jessa conducted common garden experiments with tadpoles reared in temperatures mimicking rural, suburban, and urban ponds. Her findings suggest that while these tadpoles do exhibit some adaptability to warming temperatures, their ability to cope may have limits. This research highlights the critical role of phenotypic plasticity, or the ability of an organism to adjust to its environment, in the face of climate change and urbanization. The study also emphasized that variations in the tadpoles' traits were often better explained by maternal effects rather than the experimental rearing temperature, suggesting that the mother's characteristics have a significant influence on her offspring's thermal ecology and swimming performance.
Tadpoles raised in warmer conditions had a higher critical thermal maximum and a wider thermal safety margin, meaning they tolerated higher temperatures before their physiological functions failed. However, the researchers also found that the tadpoles' thermal preference was a fixed trait and did not change with rearing temperature. While tadpoles showed a clear increase in swimming performance with higher temperatures, the relationship was complex and varied with their rearing temperature. These findings stress the need to conserve cooler habitats and better understand how specific amphibian species will respond to a warming environment. Overall, while tadpoles showed some ability to adjust their thermal limits, this may not be enough as warming ponds could soon exceed what tadpoles can tolerate.
Citation: Aretz, J.M., D. Cassill, S.M. Deban, A. Catenazzi, A.M. Gainsbury. 2025. Thermal ecology and swimming performance of native tadpoles Dryophytes femoralis in Central Florida. Journal of Thermal Biology 104237.
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