Water and Energy Relations of Terrestrial Amphibians: Insights from Mechanistic Modeling

Abstract

Amphibians are, in general, the least studied of the vertebrates. However, because amphibians are the most primitive terrestrial vertebrates, and therefore most amphibian species are coupled to aquatic environments during some or all of their life cycles, the relationship of these animals to their environmental water has been studied extensively. Yet, in a sampling of 68 papers dealing with water relations of amphibians (Table 19.1), 67 papers reported new experimental and/or descriptive data, only two papers appear to have incorporated experimental data into mechanistic models of water transfer, and none viewed the water relations of amphibians in terms of a total water-budget model. Furthermore, almost no research has been reported that illuminates the mechanistic interrelatedness of the total water- and energy-balance systems.