The Golden Toad of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica was known f

Question

The Golden Toad of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve in Costa Rica was known for its brilliant orange color. It was highly adapted to a small part of the cloud forest where it was typically cold and wet. Like many other frog species, the golden toad needed water to complete its life cycle The toads depended on the cool mists and rainfall of the area to complete reproduction during their short mating season which usually lasted a week or less. Once the toad's eggs were fertilized, the area needed enough rain to keep water in their shallow mating pools, but not too much rain so the fertilized eggs were not washed down the mountainside. The developing tadpoles also needed a couple of weeks in the water to complete their metamorphoses until they developed into adult toads. Adult toads survived the dry season by staying in their burrows underground. When conditions were good, reproduction was described as "explosive" as a result of the large numbers of offspring produced. Because of shifting climate patterns as a result of global climate change, the toad's habitat is warmer and drier and the cool mists are infrequent and unpredictable. The breeding ponds are reduced in number or absent altogether in some years. In years when there is sufficient rainfall to form the pools, they often dry very quickly during the breeding season, leaving desiccated eggs and tadpoles. Although the toads had a lifespan of 10-12 years and could withstand the occasional low reproduction that occurs as a result of these conditions, there were too many years of bad conditions. Sadly, the result has been the extinction of this species What adaptations may have improved the toads' fitness and prevented them from going extinct? Select all that apply. Choose one or more: A decreased egg production to conserve resources B. ability to mate outside of shallow pools C. tadpoles that could survive in drier conditions by burrowing in the mud of the pools D. tadpoles with a longer development period that allowed them to grow larger

Explanation / Answer

The golden toad of the Monteverde cloudcreServe in Costa Rica depends on the cool mist and rainfall in the area for reproduction. Because of changing climatic conditions, as a result of global warming, the toad's habitat became warmer and drier. So, in order to survive in this changing conditions, the fitness of toad can be improved by its ability to mate outside of shallow pools and tadpoles that could survive in drier conditions by burrowing in the mud of the pools (options 2 and 3).

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