Climate change may create 'ecological trap' for species who can't adapt
Even as autumn days grow shorter, a warming climate means Ohio winters aren't as cold as they were just a few decades ago, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration data. This increasing mismatch between ...
Scientists studying gray tree frogs—a species that survives freezing temperatures by storing "antifreeze" compounds in their bodies—have discovered that these amphibians naturally begin to prepare for winter by responding to shorter days rather than colder temperatures.
"This means they may be allocating precious energy resources toward winter preparation they don't actually need," said Michael Benard, professor and chair of the biology department at Case Western Reserve in whose laboratory the study took place. "The broader implication is that species with overwintering strategies cued by day length may prepare for winter too soon and respond poorly to climate change."
The research was the result of the BioScience Alliance, an internationally recognized program in biological research and student training involving Case Western Reserve, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Holden Arboretum.
Manipulating nature's clock
Gray tree frogs survive winter by freezing solid and thawing when the weather warms up. (They do this by storing glycogen in their livers, later converted to glycerol that is pumped throughout their bodies to prevent cells from bursting in freezing temperatures.)
Adult gray tree frog on a blade of grass. Credit: Troy Neptune / Case Western Reserve University
Members of the Bioscience Alliance tour the University Farm Bioolgy Field Station and tadpole experimental pond. Credit: Case Western Reserve University