What is dormancy?
Q: What is dormancy?
A: Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped.
Q: Why do organisms enter a dormant phase?
A: Organisms enter a dormant phase to minimize metabolic activity and therefore conserve energy.
Q: How is dormancy associated with environmental conditions?
A: Dormancy tends to be closely associated with environmental conditions. Organisms can synchronize entry to a dormant phase with their environment through predictive or consequential means.
Q: What is predictive dormancy?
A: Predictive dormancy occurs when an organism enters a dormant phase before the onset of adverse conditions.
Q: How do plants use predictive dormancy?
A: Plants use day length and decreasing temperature as triggers to start dormancy before the onset of winter.
Q: What is consequential dormancy?
A: Consequential dormancy occurs when organisms enter a dormant phase after adverse conditions arise.
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of consequential dormancy?
A: The use of consequential dormancy can be advantageous, as organisms remain active longer and are able to make greater use of available resources. However, sudden changes in conditions may lead to a high mortality rate among animals relying on consequential dormancy.
