Observe a man made vernal pool..
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See videos showing what is happening in a man made vernal pool.
This was not planned, it just happened! One day when the Mulanaphy family was doing yard work it was discovered that an old sandbox had filled with water and some frogs and salamanders decided to make it their home. They then layed eggs and made their own little vernal pool ecosystem.
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What is a vernal pool? Click here to learn.
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Species found in this man made vernal pool:
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yellow spotted salamander (click here to learn about them)
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four toed salamander (click here to learn about them)
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wood frog (click here to learn about them)
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In the video you can see baby salamanders, they are
called "salamander nymphs".
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Salamanders go through a complex life cycle. Most salamanders lay their eggs in water. When the eggs hatch, the baby salamanders look more like tadpoles than salamanders, and are called "salamander nymphs." The nymphs have feathery gills that extend from the sides of their necks and help the young salamanders absorb oxygen from the water. While they continue to grow, over a period of usually about 1-3 months, the nymphs feed on small animals and organisms that live in the water.
As the nymphs grow, and eventually develop lungs, the feathery gills slowly fade. When they have grown into their recognizable salamander form they leave the water and move onto the land where they eat a variety of small insects and other invertebrates (animals without backbones) including worms, spiders and slugs.
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This information is from: Kids Out and About