Dybowski’s frog goes through significant physiological and microbial changes as the species both prepares for and emerges from fall
hibernation. During their hibernation period, the frogs
migrate from their usual forest habitats to their hibernation sites, which include spring-fed ponds, fast-flowing streams, and rivers. Male frogs arrive at the hibernation site before females, and juveniles arrive before adults; Dybowski's frog hibernates in groups up to 1,000 individuals. The gut
microbiome of Dybowski's frog is more diverse in the summer than it is during the autumn and winter, probably in large part due to fasting during hibernation. During their migration, the frog's gut microbiota also show
circadian fluctuations in the abundance of different bacterial taxa. The specific genera involved depend on the sex of the frog; these changes are believed to help the regulation of digestion and energy storage in preparation for hibernation. During the hibernation period itself, the gut microbiota shift again. These changes are believed to support nutrient absorption and metabolism as the frogs prepare to resume their normal activity during the spring. Across all seasons, the dominant bacteria phyla in the gut microbiome of Dybowski's frog are
Firmicutes,
Proteobacteria,
Bacteroidetes, and
Actinobacteria. ==References==