1. Ecology: The Silence of the Frogs
Lesson 1

2. Frogs live two lives, they live on land in the water
Hence the name Amphibian
Amphi (on both sides) Bios (life)

3. Frogs and their relatives have adapted to the ice age and global warming and can be found just about every ecosystem.
They can live in Swamps, mountains and even cities.
Almost any ecosystem that has water.

4. ECOSYSTEM – is a term used to describe the relationships among the many species living in an environment and the relationship among those organisms and the non-living components of the environment.
Examples: Wetlands, marshes, deserts, lakes, oceans, forests.
Abiotic (non-living)
Biotic (living) component

5. Why are Scientists Concerned
Scientists are concerned about the health of amphibians because they indicate the health of the ecosystem that they live in. they are considered to be excellent BIOINDICATORS due to the following reasons:

6. Why are Scientists Concerned
Frogs and toads have survived during times on earth when many other living things did not
They are extremely adaptable
Found in many ecosystems that include water
They have two life-cycles which means they are part of 2 ecosystems and 2 food chains
Breathe through their skin

7. Frogs occupy two different ecosystems:
Tadpoles – water ecosystem
Adult Frogs – Land and Forest

8. Since they are in two ecosystems, they are also in two FOOD CHAINS.
FOOD CHAIN – Is a step-by-step sequence linking organisms that feed on each other, starting with a food source such as a plants (producers), and continuing with animals and other living things that feed on plants and on each other (consumers)

9. FOOD CHAINS

10. Parts of a Food Chain:
All Food Chains start with the sun as it’s source of energy!
PRODUCER – an organism that can make their own food to give themselves energy.
EXAMPLE: Plants, algae
CONSUMERS: an organism that must get its energy by eating another organism ( cannot make their own food )
EXAMPLE: animals

11. FROGS IN THEIR ECOSYSTEMS
What do adult frogs eat?
Insects ( mostly )
Small fish ( limited )
What animals eat frogs?
Large fish
Predatory birds
Reptiles
Small mammals

12. The adult frog is part of a food chain that includes PRODUCERS, HERBIVORES , CARNIVORES , OMNIVORES.
HERBIVORE – Organism that eat only plants
EXAMPLE : Deer, Cow
CARNIVORE – Organism that eats only animals
EXAMPLE : Hawk, Tiger

13. OMNIVORE : Organism that eats both plants and animals.
EXAMPLE: Bears, Humans
What do tadpoles eat?
Algae ( small plant-like organisms)
Both living and dead

14. The Tadpole is a Herbivore, where the adult frog is a Carnivore.
Therefore, the Tadpole is in a different food chain.
The Tadpole has two food sources:
1. producers ( algae )
2. Detritus
DETRITUS – Waste from plants and animals, including their dead remains

15. Detritus food chains are critical in the recycling of matter in ecosystems.
Decomposers are in a Detritus food chain which helps release nutrients to the soil and water. Plants and algae use those nutrients to grow.
DECOMPOSERS – An organism that gets its energy by consuming and breaking down detritus.
EXAMPLES: Bacteria, fungus

16. WHY ARE FROGS DISAPPEARING?

17. There are 4 reasons why frogs are disappearing

18. 1. LOSS OF HABITAT
Wetlands, ponds, and lakes with clean water are disappearing or being polluted
Forests are being cut down
Growth with cities and farming takes this away as we build roads between woodlots and ponds and cut down trees used for camouflage

19. 2. AIR AND WATER QUALITY (pollution)
Frog skin is thin and has no protection from the sun
Frogs breath through their skin (acid rain can affect this) and through their lungs
Acidity affects frog’s ability to reproduce

20. 3. ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
Thin skin makes the frogs susceptible to UV radiation causing cell damage (ozone layer breaking down)

21. 4. CLIMATE CHANGES
Human activities are causing changes in the climate.
Increase use of fossil fuels ( coal, oil, gas)
Climate changes affect the local ecosystems.