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Aestivation (Latin: aestas (summer); also spelled estivation in American English) is a state of animal dormancy, similar to hibernation, although taking place in the summer rather than the winter. Aestivation is characterized by inactivity and a lowered metabolic rate, that is entered in response to high temperatures and arid conditions. [ 1 ]
Facultative hibernators enter hibernation only when either cold-stressed, food-deprived, or both, unlike obligate hibernators, who enter hibernation based on seasonal timing cues rather than as a response to stressors from the environment. A good example of the differences between these two types of hibernation can be seen in prairie dogs.
Hibernation is a mechanism used by many mammals to reduce energy expenditure and survive food shortages over the winter. Hibernation may be predictive or consequential. An animal prepares for hibernation by building up a thick layer of body fat during late summer and autumn that will provide it with energy during the dormant period.
Many mammals (including some primates) hibernate, and the strategy can be seen across the animal kingdom—even occurring in the summer in a process known as estivation.
Some animals seasonally go into long periods of inactivity, with reduced body temperature and metabolism, made up of multiple bouts of torpor. This is known as hibernation if it occurs during winter or aestivation if it occurs during the summer. Daily torpor, on the other hand, is not seasonally dependent and can be an important part of energy ...
Aestivation or estivation is the positional arrangement of the parts of a flower within a flower bud before it has opened. Aestivation is also sometimes referred to as praefoliation or prefoliation , but these terms may also mean vernation : the arrangement of leaves within a vegetative bud.
Secondly, I would like to see more of a comparison to hibernation. I originally heard of aestivation as "hibernation but in the heat", so if there are any differences between hibernation and aestivation other than the temperature, I think it could be included. Good informative article already though. Cjohnso4 03:49, 31 March 2014 (UTC)
The four-toed hedgehog is an oval bodied animal approximately 210 millimetres (8.3 in) in length and weighing between 250 and 600 grams (8.8 and 21.2 oz). [3] Females are typically larger than males. It has short legs, short tail typically around 2.5 centimetres (0.98 in) in length, a long nose, and small beady eyes.