What is diapause?
Q: What is diapause?
A: Diapause is a delay in development that evolved in response to adverse environmental conditions. It is a specific physiological state used by organisms to survive predictable periods of unfavourable environmental conditions.
Q: Which organisms is diapause most often observed in?
A: Diapause is most often observed in arthropods, especially insects, and in the embryos of many of the oviparous species of fish in the order Cyprinodontiformes.
Q: What stimulates diapause?
A: Diapause is stimulated by specific environmental conditions, such as temperature extremes, drought, or reduced food availability.
Q: How is diapause distinguished from other forms of dormancy?
A: Diapause is distinguished from other forms of dormancy because it is started by specific stimuli or conditions, and once it begins, only certain other stimuli can bring the organism out of diapause.
Q: Can diapause occur in completely immobile stages?
A: Yes, diapause can occur in completely immobile stages, such as pupae and eggs.
Q: Can diapause occur in very active stages?
A: Yes, diapause can occur in very active stages, such as the adult Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus, which undergoes extensive migrations.
Q: What happens to feeding and reproductive development during diapause in active stages?
A: During diapause in active stages, feeding is reduced, and reproductive development is slowed or halted.
