Grades K–2 · Organisms
How can a pond that dries up help young frogs?
A low place in a woodland may fill with rainwater or melting snow. For part of the year it becomes a small pond. Some frogs lay their eggs there, and tadpoles grow in the water.
Because this pond dries up, fish usually cannot live there all year. That can mean fewer fish to eat the eggs and tadpoles. Other hungry animals still visit or live in the pool, so it is not a place without danger.
The three scenes show water arriving, tadpoles growing and a frog leaving.
The young frogs must develop before their watery nursery disappears. As they grow legs and change into frogs, they become able to leave the water. A pond does not have to stay full forever to matter. Its filling and drying can create a home with just the right timing for some animals.
About this explanation
Only some kinds of frogs use seasonal pools, and young frogs may not survive if water dries too soon.
Starting knowledge: Recognize plants, animals and places where they live.
Sources
- National Park Service — Wetlands and Seeps