Dormancy is a crucial concept in the animal kingdom that allows organisms to conserve energy during harsh conditions. One common form of dormancy is hibernation, where animals like bears lower their body temperature, slow their breathing rate, and metabolic rate to survive when food is scarce.
Another example of dormancy can be seen in viruses like the herpes virus, which enters a cycle called the lysogenic cycle after infecting a host. The virus lies dormant in nerve fibers, waiting for the right conditions to reactivate and cause symptoms.
Insects and arthropods exhibit a form of dormancy known as diapause, where most life processes are shut down to survive unfavorable conditions. This state of dormancy allows these organisms to remain inactive until conditions improve.
Amphibians go into a state of torpor during hot and dry weather to conserve energy and survive. Aestivation is another form of dormancy similar to hibernation but occurs in the summer rather than the winter.
In worms, the period of dormancy or stasis to survive harsh conditions is called the Dauer stage, which is induced by pheromones called daumones. These pheromones trigger distinctive metabolic and morphological changes in the worms to help them survive unfavorable conditions.