You might remember this from science class, but a quick refresher: amphibians are vertebrates that live in water and on land. They are ectothermic, which means they are unable to regulate their body temperature and must move between warmer and cooler environments to change their body temperature. They also have very thin skin that absorbs oxygen, water, and chemicals. For this reason, amphibians are quite sensitive to human activities that change their habitat, and are known as ‘biological indicator species,’ which means their health reflects the health of waterways, wetlands, and uplands they live in. Frogs, salamanders, and toads are the 3 types of amphibians found in Alberta.
The boreal chorus frog is a small frog commonly found in wetlands across Canada, even in habitat outside of the boreal, despite its name! This frog has the unique ability to freeze solid in the winter and hop back to life come springtime. Other amphibian species that are known to exist around Grand Prairie are the wood frog, which is distinguishable by a white stripe on its upper lip, and the western toad, which is larger and bumpier than the frogs described above (Figure 2).
The boreal chorus frog looks very similar to the western chorus frog, the spring peeper, and the pacific tree frog, all of which are not found in Alberta, but in Southwestern British Columbia. We bring this up because it’s a good example to show that the best way to differentiate these frogs is by their call: the boreal chorus frog has a shorter and faster call than that of the western chorus frog. This is why ARUs are so important in amphibian research.
