What evolutionary advantage do wood frogs gain by hibernating on the forest floor rather than underwater?
Answer
They can emerge and breed in shallow meltwater pools faster
The evolutionary strategy of freezing solid on the forest floor offers a substantial temporal advantage in reproduction compared to amphibians that must wait for water bodies to fully thaw. Land thaws much more rapidly than ice-covered lakes. Consequently, wood frogs can thaw and emerge earlier, gaining immediate access to shallow pools formed by melting snow and ice. These meltwater pools are ideal, temporary breeding grounds that dry up completely by midsummer. This early access to ephemeral water resources is unavailable to underwater hibernators who must wait for larger, deeper water bodies to clear of ice, thereby delaying their breeding cycle significantly.
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