AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Hibernation is a hypothermic condition when animals save energy during cold seasons by lowering body temperature, metabolism, breathing, and heart rate. This makes it possible for an animal to survive the winter on a fat deposit that would otherwise not last the winter.

Detailed explanation-2: -Background: Hibernation involves periods of severely depressed metabolism (torpor) and decreases in body temperature (Tb).

Detailed explanation-3: -During hibernation, an animal’s body temperature, heart rate, breathing, and other metabolic activities slow down significantly in order to conserve energy. While resources are scarce, hibernation allows animals like bears, chipmunks, and bats to use their stored energy much more slowly.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hibernating animals slow their metabolisms, cooling their bodies by 5° to 10°C (9° to 18°F). Arctic ground squirrels (Spermophilus parryii) can take this much further, cooling their bodies to subfreezing temperatures.

Detailed explanation-5: -Most hibernating species exclusively rely on body fat reserves as metabolic fuel for hibernation, while others store food which can be used as external energy reserves [6–10].