Freeze-tolerant frogs accumulate cryoprotectants using photoperiod: A potential ecological trap

Climate change is disrupting the reliability of photoperiod as a cue signaling seasonal changes in temperature. Organisms relying on autumn photoperiods to trigger physiological adaptations to survive winter may incorrectly time the onset of winter and exhibit maladaptive responses. Here, we demonstrate that a mid-autumn photoperiod causes a freeze-tolerant amphibian (Hyla versicolor) to accumulate large reserves of cryoprotectants (i.e. “antifreeze”) and exhibit greater cold tolerance. Treefrogs raised under a mid-autumn photoperiod had both higher concentrations of glycogen in liver tissue and larger livers compared to individuals from other photoperiods. This resulted in treefrogs with much greater total liver glycogen reserves. However, treefrogs in the mid-autumn photoperiod also had reduced size-specific growth rates. Photoperiod alone, without decreases in temperature, induced these physiological changes. As global warming continues to expand the growing season, organisms relying..., , , # **Freeze-tolerant frogs accumulate cryoprotectants using photoperiod: a potential ecological trap**

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ffbg79d2n](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.ffbg79d2n)

## Description of the data and file structure

Theses datasets include data collected from an experiment where we manipulated photoperiod across gray treefrog (*Hyla versicolor*) development. We assessed a variety of traits ranging from growth to cryoprotectant accumulation. We provide data on phytoplankton and periphyton abundances during larval treefrog development in outdoor mesocosms. We also provide data on water temperature and dissolved oxygen in these mesocosms.

## List of datasets

* 2023_Photo-Gray_all-hobo.xlsx
* 2023_Photo-Gray_Amphibian.xlsx
* n/a refers to animals that were preserved at metamorphosis and thus were not part of the thermal physiology trials/measurements.
* 2023_Photo-Gray_daily-hobo.xlsx
* 2023_Photo-Gray_Daylength.xlsx
* 2023_Photo-Gray_DO.xlsx
* n/a refers to measurem...,