Vernal pools are often breeding grounds for
frogs and other
amphibians. Some organisms in vernal pools are adapted to survive through the dry season. Algae and protozoans dig into the mud and make a cyst or hard cover out of lime! This protects the organism until water fills the pond in the spring.
Vernal pools or ponds usually develop in the spring, when rain and melting snow fill in depressions in the ground. Vernal pools usually dry up as the weather gets warmer.