What biological activity resumes first when the wood frog thaws out in the spring?
Answer
The heart resumes beating first
The process of revival for the wood frog after deep winter freezing is a sequential, carefully managed return to biological function. The most immediate sign of life returning is cardiovascular activity; the heart begins to beat again first, signaling the re-establishment of basic circulation. Following the resumption of cardiac function, the next step involves neurological recovery, as the brain activates. Only after these vital systems are reactivated does muscle movement gradually return, allowing the frog to resume normal activity. This strict order suggests a prioritization of circulatory and central nervous system function during the critical thawing phase.
Related Questions
What sugar floods wood frog cells to act as an intracellular cryoprotectant during freezing?What substance do gray tree frogs rely on for freeze tolerance, differentiating them from Alaskan wood frogs?What biological activity resumes first when the wood frog thaws out in the spring?What evolutionary advantage do wood frogs gain by hibernating on the forest floor rather than underwater?What did the Skelly Lab research reveal about wood frog embryos from 2018 versus 2001?What two metrics were compared in the eastern clade study to assess trait divergence drivers?How did wood frog populations from climatically challenging, less suitable habitats generally develop in the common garden?What resilience did high-suitability region larvae show when reared under high-density conditions?What did the $Q_{ ext{ST}}$ versus $F_{ ext{ST}}$ analysis confirm about trait variation drivers?What physical change occurs to the wood frog's eyes during the absolute metabolic shutdown?