Water balance and geographical distribution of amphibians

Abstract

Given the high cutaneous permeability of amphibians, their inter-specific variation in aspects of water balance could be associated to patterns of distribution in environments that differ in water availability. Comparative studies including species from different biomes evidence adaptations of several variables associated to water balance, such as dehydration tolerance, skin resistance to water loss, and rates of water uptake. However, to understand the underlying mechanisms of amphibian geographical distribution and sensitivity to environmental change, ecological and behavioral aspects must be integrated to physiology under a historical approach of clade diversification and environmental occupancy.