Dormancy

Definition

Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy.

Related terms

Hibernation:

A type of long-term dormancy that is an adaptation to winter conditions with cold temperatures.

Estivation: A type of short-term dormancy that occurs in the summer to protect against extreme heat and dry conditions.

Diapause: A form of dormancy in insects that allows them to delay their development in response to regularly unfavorable environmental conditions.