The wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus), a widely distributed amphibian in North America, is renowned for its remarkable ability to survive extreme cold and freezing temperatures during winter.
State the biological term for the loss of genetic variation that occurs when a new, isolated population is established by a very small number of individuals migrating from a larger parental population.
Adaptations of organisms to their environment can be categorised into three main types:
The table below lists four distinct evolutionary adaptations of the wood frog.
Complete the table by identifying which of the three types of adaptation is represented by each trait.
| Wood frog trait | Type of adaptation |
|---|---|
| A camouflaged skin pattern consisting of brown, tan, and dark markings that mimic decaying forest floor debris | |
| Burrowing deep beneath leaf litter and organic soil layers prior to the onset of freezing winter temperatures | |
| Production and accumulation of high concentrations of glucose and urea in tissues to act as cryoprotectants, preventing cellular ice formation | |
| Reversible cessation of heartbeat, lung ventilation, and brain activity when body temperatures drop below freezing |
