Frogs-SS

 Frogs 

Frogs live on land near ponds or swamps. They are ectotherms which means that they lack the ability to generate their own body heat. Thus, their temperature changes with the temperature of their surroundings. They use various physiological and behavioural mechanisms, that rely almost solely on the environment, to regulate their body temperature.

Behavioural thermoregulation is achieved by changes in location and alterations in posture. In order to warm up they bask in the sun, spreading out their bodies to increase their surface area so they may absorb maximum solar radiation, or they dive into warm water. It's important to keep in mind that prolonged basking can lead to internal water loss, which can be lethal, and therefore, frogs don’t bask in the Sun for too long. Some frogs can also change the colour of their skin to affect how much heat from the Sun they absorb.

When it's too hot and they need to cool down they move into the shade and alter their posture to achieve maximum surface area in order to aid evaporation. Interestingly, the skin of the bullfrog secretes more mucus when it is hot in order to cool down quicker by evaporation.

When the weather is warm frogs become more active and they slow down as the temperature drops.

Temperature affects rate of growth, digestion and most bodily processes, heat increasing the rate of growth and cold slowing it. When it's cold frogs may enter a state of torpor in which their physiological activity and metabolism slows down-in the case of the wood frog it effectively stops.

Frogs can survive hot, dry weather through estivation; burying themselves in the mud and shutting their bodies down until it rains. They shed several intact layers of skin, forming a waterproof cocoon that envelopes the entire body except the nostrils so the frog may still breathe. When it rains, they get rid of their cocoon and make their way through the moist soil to the surface.

Hibernation is a common response to cold winters. Aquatic frogs, such as the leopard frog, hibernate underwater. They must be near oxygen-rich water and be either above the mud or partially buried in it. They may slowly swim around from time to time. Terrestrial frogs, such as American toads, hibernate on land; they burrow deep into the soil, safely below the frost line. Their heart and breathing rate slow to almost zero to help them survive.