Researchers from the University of Florida have used mathematical models and field data to study how the common coquí frog manages its energy. Specifically, they looked at how the frog chooses between growing and fighting a deadly fungal disease.

佛羅里達大學的研究人員利用數學模型與野外數據，研究常見的 Coquí 蛙如何管理其能量。具體而言，他們研究了這種青蛙如何在成長與對抗致命真菌疾病之間做出選擇。

The common coquí frog is native to Puerto Rico but has spread to Florida and Hawaii. Since 1976, these frogs have faced a fungal pathogen that has caused the decline of over 500 amphibian species worldwide. Because these frogs are very small and hatch as tiny froglets, it is difficult for scientists to track them in the wild. Therefore, the research team used computer models to simulate how young frogs balance their energy needs.

常見的 Coquí 蛙原產於波多黎各，但已擴散至佛羅里達州與夏威夷。自 1976 年起，這些青蛙一直面臨一種真菌病原體，導致全球超過 500 種兩棲類物種數量下降。由於這些青蛙體型非常小，且孵化時僅為微小的幼蛙，科學家很難在野外追蹤牠們。因此，研究團隊使用電腦模型來模擬年輕青蛙如何平衡其能量需求。

The study shows that energy use depends on the environment and the level of infection. When the fungus is not common, young frogs focus their energy on growing larger. This helps them avoid being eaten by predators and allows them to reach adulthood faster. However, when infection levels rise, the frogs move their energy toward their immune system to fight the disease. Consequently, their growth slows down, which explains why infected frogs in the wild are often smaller.

研究顯示，能量的使用取決於環境與感染程度。當真菌並不普遍時，年輕青蛙會將能量集中在體型成長。這有助於牠們避免被掠食者捕食，並能更快達到成年期。然而，當感染程度上升時，青蛙會將能量轉向免疫系統以對抗疾病。因此，牠們的成長速度會減慢，這解釋了為何野外被感染的青蛙通常體型較小。

Furthermore, the time of year when frogs hatch greatly affects their survival. Frogs born during the warm season (May to August) have more food available, which leads to faster growth and better survival rates. In contrast, those born in the cool season (December to April) face more problems. Although there are fewer infected frogs during this time, the cold weather weakens their immune systems and disrupts helpful bacteria, making the fungal infection more severe. These findings suggest that even non-lethal infections can harm the frogs by delaying their maturity and reducing their ability to have offspring.

此外，青蛙孵化的季節對其生存影響甚大。在暖季（五月至八月）出生的小蛙有更豐富的食物來源，導致成長較快且生存率更高。相比之下，在涼季（十二月至四月）出生的小蛙面臨更多問題。雖然這段期間被感染的青蛙較少，但寒冷的天氣會削弱牠們的免疫系統並破壞有益細菌，使真菌感染更為嚴重。這些發現表明，即使是非致命性的感染，也會透過延遲成熟及降低繁殖能力而對青蛙造成傷害。

The study concludes that the combination of seasonal timing and the need to balance energy between growth and health determines whether the coquí frog survives and reproduces successfully.

研究結論認為，季節時機以及在成長與健康之間平衡能量的需求，決定了 Coquí 蛙是否能生存並成功繁殖。