Question

Under unfavourable conditions many zooplankton species in lakes and ponds are known to enter ________, a stage of suspended development.
1. Conform
2. Diapause
3. Migrate
4. Dormant

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : Diapause

The correct answer is Diapause.

• Diapause
  • Under unfavorable conditions, many zooplankton species in lakes and ponds enter diapause. Hence, Option 2 is correct.
  • It is considered to be a physiological state of dormancy with very specific initiating and inhibiting conditions, resulting in a delay in development.
  • Diapause can be defined as the physiological state of dormancy or developmental arrest where most life processes are shut down.
  • It is initiated during unfavorable conditions and is most commonly observed in insects, especially in arthropods.
  • The diapause stage can occur at any stage during an insect’s life cycle – from its pupae stage to the active, adult stage.
  • When this phenomenon occurs during the egg or the pupil stage, the development slows down to a halt. In the adult stage, feeding habits or reproductive behavior is halted or slowed down.

Conform	Conformer Any organism whose internal environment is highly influenced by external factors.
Migration	It is the regular, usually seasonal, movement of all or part of an animal population to and from a given area.
Dormancy	It 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. Dormancy tends to be closely associated with environmental conditions.