Puerto Rican Coquí Climate Adaptation

Investigate how changes in environmental conditions (specifically global warming) lead to natural selection and adaptation in populations. Over the past decades on El Yunque mountain in Puerto Rico, scientists have observed that male Eleutherodactylus coqui frogs are adapting to rising temperatures. Because amphibians are ectothermic and sensitive to heat, higher temperatures drive a phenotypic shift: frogs become smaller to dissipate heat faster, which consequentially alters their vocal cords, resulting in a higher-pitched "co-quí" mating call.

Environmental Factors

Global Temperature Anomaly +0.0°C

Baseline (1980) +3.0°C (Future)

Simulates long-term climate warming. Note how it affects the base vs. peak of the mountain differently.

Simulated Year 1980

El Yunque Ecosystem

Base (Warmer): 24.0°C

Peak (Cooler): 18.0°C

Size (SVL)

Pitch (kHz)