Effects of toxicants on amphibian populations

Vodozemci su razred kopnenih kralježnjaka kod kojeg je za većinu vrsta karakterističan dvodijelni životni ciklus i prolazak kroz proces metamorfoze. Prvi dio života provode u vodi, u obliku punoglavca ili ličinke, a zatim kroz proces metamorfoze prelaze u odrasli stadij. Vrste vodozemaca bez ličinačkog stadija nisu vezane uz vodu, već su prilagođene kopnenom načinu života. Oblik embrija i punoglavca/ličinke osjetljiv je na promjene sastava vode te se promjene mogu očitovati morfološki ili fiziološki. Ksenobiotici su sve strane tvari koje se mogu pronaći u organizmu, a nisu proizvedene u njemu i nisu neophodne za njegovo preživljavanje. Vodozemci nam služe kao bioindikatori kvalitete voda u vrijeme sve većih antropogenih utjecaja kopnene vode i staništaAmphibians are a class of terrestrial vertebrates whose main characteristic is a life cycle of two stages, which includes metamorphosis. They spend the first part of their lives in water, in the form of a tadpole or larvae, and then undergo metamorphosis into the adult stage. Amphibian species without larval stage are not associated with water but are adapted to terrestrial life. The embryonic and larval stages are sensitive to changes in water quality, and these changes can be manifested morphologically or physiologically. Xenobiotics are all foreign substances that can be found in an organism's body that are not produced by it and are not necessary for its survival. Amphibians serve as bioindicators at a time of increasing anthropogenic impacts on freshwater and habita