by Justyn Plaskon
Anyone who has had to endure a rainy night camping in the Appalachian Mountains can testify that the wet conditions in high elevation are not the ideal conditions for a great weekend camping. Though if anyone caught in this position is curious enough to leave the comfort of their sleeping bag they could see things rarely seen during broad daylight, Plethodont salamanders actively foraging. Plethodont salamanders are a genus of salamanders that possess unique adaptations not found in other amphibians. Unlike other salamanders and frogs Plethodont salamanders do not have gills or lungs at any point in their life. Instead the oxygen from the environment diffuses directly from the air into their body through their skin. Their skin allows more than just oxygen to flow in and carbon dioxide to flow out, water can also flow in and out of their bodies. When it is dry out, water evaporates from their bodies at the same rate it evaporates from an open container of water of equal surface area. This limits them to hiding under the leaves where it is cool and wet during the day.
Physiological Ecology is the branch of biology that studies how an animal’s the make up of an animal’s body enables it to live in its particular habitat. When conditions in an animal’s habitat change an animal may react by changing its behavior or adjusting how its body functions to deal with the change. Better understanding of how animals or populations of animals deal with changes in their environment may help scientists explain why natural selection has favored unusual physiological adaptations in the past but more importantly it can help make predictions about the future
In addition to rising average temperature global climate change is altering many other variables in animals’ habitats. Studying physiological ecology can help scientists determine how animals deal with those variables. Some animals may be able to regulate their bodies’ processes in a way they can continue to thrive in their current range. Some may not be able to adapt to those changes so quickly and will be forced to move. A better understanding of Plethodont salamander physiological ecology would allow researchers to figure out how well they are capable to acclimating their bodies to a changing climate, as well as make predictions about how their populations may shift.
Anyone who has had to endure a rainy night camping in the Appalachian Mountains can testify that the wet conditions in high elevation are not the ideal conditions for a great weekend camping. Though if anyone caught in this position is curious enough to leave the comfort of their sleeping bag they could see things rarely seen during broad daylight, Plethodont salamanders actively foraging. Plethodont salamanders are a genus of salamanders that possess unique adaptations not found in other amphibians. Unlike other salamanders and frogs Plethodont salamanders do not have gills or lungs at any point in their life. Instead the oxygen from the environment diffuses directly from the air into their body through their skin. Their skin allows more than just oxygen to flow in and carbon dioxide to flow out, water can also flow in and out of their bodies. When it is dry out, water evaporates from their bodies at the same rate it evaporates from an open container of water of equal surface area. This limits them to hiding under the leaves where it is cool and wet during the day.
Physiological Ecology is the branch of biology that studies how an animal’s the make up of an animal’s body enables it to live in its particular habitat. When conditions in an animal’s habitat change an animal may react by changing its behavior or adjusting how its body functions to deal with the change. Better understanding of how animals or populations of animals deal with changes in their environment may help scientists explain why natural selection has favored unusual physiological adaptations in the past but more importantly it can help make predictions about the future
In addition to rising average temperature global climate change is altering many other variables in animals’ habitats. Studying physiological ecology can help scientists determine how animals deal with those variables. Some animals may be able to regulate their bodies’ processes in a way they can continue to thrive in their current range. Some may not be able to adapt to those changes so quickly and will be forced to move. A better understanding of Plethodont salamander physiological ecology would allow researchers to figure out how well they are capable to acclimating their bodies to a changing climate, as well as make predictions about how their populations may shift.