Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic Models
Several amphibian lineages epitomize the faunal biodiversity crises, with numerous reports of population declines and extinctions worldwide. Predicting how such lineages will cope with environmental changes is an urgent challenge for biologists. A promising framework for this involves mechanistic mo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2018-10-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/4/118 |
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| author | Rafael P. Bovo Carlos A. Navas Miguel Tejedo Saulo E. S. Valença Sidney F. Gouveia |
| author_facet | Rafael P. Bovo Carlos A. Navas Miguel Tejedo Saulo E. S. Valença Sidney F. Gouveia |
| author_sort | Rafael P. Bovo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Several amphibian lineages epitomize the faunal biodiversity crises, with numerous reports of population declines and extinctions worldwide. Predicting how such lineages will cope with environmental changes is an urgent challenge for biologists. A promising framework for this involves mechanistic modeling, which integrates organismal ecophysiological features and ecological models as a means to establish causal and consequential relationships of species with their physical environment. Solid frameworks built for other tetrapods (e.g., lizards) have proved successful in this context, but its extension to amphibians requires care. First, the natural history of amphibians is distinct within tetrapods, for it includes a biphasic life cycle that undergoes major habitat transitions and changes in sensitivity to environmental factors. Second, the accumulated data on amphibian ecophysiology is not nearly as expressive, is heavily biased towards adult lifeforms of few non-tropical lineages, and overlook the importance of hydrothermal relationships. Thus, we argue that critical usage and improvement in the available data is essential for enhancing the power of mechanistic modeling from the physiological ecology of amphibians. We highlight the complexity of ecophysiological variables and the need for understanding the natural history of the group under study and indicate directions deemed crucial to attaining steady progress in this field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:40:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-705f452cc95d4a2cad080c20932d5436 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T21:40:18Z |
| publishDate | 2018-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-705f452cc95d4a2cad080c20932d54362022-12-22T04:01:37ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182018-10-0110411810.3390/d10040118d10040118Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic ModelsRafael P. Bovo0Carlos A. Navas1Miguel Tejedo2Saulo E. S. Valença3Sidney F. Gouveia4Fapesp Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, SpainGraduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, SE, BrazilDepartamento de Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, SE, BrazilSeveral amphibian lineages epitomize the faunal biodiversity crises, with numerous reports of population declines and extinctions worldwide. Predicting how such lineages will cope with environmental changes is an urgent challenge for biologists. A promising framework for this involves mechanistic modeling, which integrates organismal ecophysiological features and ecological models as a means to establish causal and consequential relationships of species with their physical environment. Solid frameworks built for other tetrapods (e.g., lizards) have proved successful in this context, but its extension to amphibians requires care. First, the natural history of amphibians is distinct within tetrapods, for it includes a biphasic life cycle that undergoes major habitat transitions and changes in sensitivity to environmental factors. Second, the accumulated data on amphibian ecophysiology is not nearly as expressive, is heavily biased towards adult lifeforms of few non-tropical lineages, and overlook the importance of hydrothermal relationships. Thus, we argue that critical usage and improvement in the available data is essential for enhancing the power of mechanistic modeling from the physiological ecology of amphibians. We highlight the complexity of ecophysiological variables and the need for understanding the natural history of the group under study and indicate directions deemed crucial to attaining steady progress in this field.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/4/118amphibian diversitycomplex life cyclesconservationmodelingphysiological ecologywater and temperature |
| spellingShingle | Rafael P. Bovo Carlos A. Navas Miguel Tejedo Saulo E. S. Valença Sidney F. Gouveia Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic Models Diversity amphibian diversity complex life cycles conservation modeling physiological ecology water and temperature |
| title | Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic Models |
| title_full | Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic Models |
| title_fullStr | Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic Models |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic Models |
| title_short | Ecophysiology of Amphibians: Information for Best Mechanistic Models |
| title_sort | ecophysiology of amphibians information for best mechanistic models |
| topic | amphibian diversity complex life cycles conservation modeling physiological ecology water and temperature |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/10/4/118 |
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