Final answer:
Prior to harsh weather conditions, many species store food as fat to survive when food becomes inaccessible, with some tradeoffs in reproductive capability, competition, predation avoidance, and parasite resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
Prior to the onset of harsh weather conditions, many species consume large quantities of available food and store this food in the form of subcutaneous fat. This is to ensure their survival when food becomes inaccessible. While there may be some tradeoffs, such as reduced ability to mate, successfully compete, escape predation, or resist parasites, the benefits of storing fat outweigh the costs in terms of increased chances of survival.