Final answer:
Estivation is a state of dormancy in animals that occurs during periods of high temperature and low water availability, where they slow their metabolism, conserve water, and perform only necessary activities. For example, a lizard would seek shade, decrease its heart and breathing rates, and maintain homeostasis during estivation.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is Estivation?
Estivation is a type of dormancy similar to hibernation but occurs during the hot and dry periods of summer rather than winter.
During estivation, an animal's metabolism slows down, conserves water, and limits its activities to those that are critical for survival. In response to environmental triggers, such as extreme heat and water scarcity, a lizard that estivates would seek a shaded spot to reduce water loss and decrease its vulnerability to predation.
While estivating, the lizard's breathing and heart rate would slow down, and it would enter a state of torpor, demonstrating a remarkable adaptation to maintain homeostasis.
Lizards and other animals that undergo estivation exhibit a dynamic equilibrium to survive in challenging environments.
Through estivation, these animals are able to adjust their bodily functions to optimize survival until conditions become favorable again. The term estivation also underlines the importance of adaptive strategies like daily torpor and metabolic adjustments in smaller animals, which help in energy conservation.