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Giants, dwarfs and the environment

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Grasfroschgigant
Press release,

Giants, dwarfs and the environment

In order to understand the adaptation potential of species and populations to environmental changes, it is central to know how the environment influences organisms. The impact of single or few environmental parameters was often assessed in laboratory experiments. However, under natural conditions, with many potentially interacting factors, outcomes may be different. Researchers from the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin and the University of Bayreuth now investigated the influence of natural environmental conditions on the larval development of the Common Frog. Their results indicate that environment alone could only partly explain the variability of metamorphing frogs, these e.g. showing up to ten-fold differences in weight. These results emphasize the importance to assess the individual variability of organisms.

Full citation: GRÖZINGER, F., J. THEIN, H. FELDHAAR & M.-O. RÖDEL (2014): Giants, dwarfs and the environment – metamorphic trait plasticity in the Common Frog. – PLoS ONE, 9(3): e89982. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0089982.The paper is freely available at: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0089…

contact and pictures: gesine.steiner@mfn-berlin.de

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