Difference Between Diapause and Hibernation

Diapause and hibernation are two different ways in which animals cope with harsh environmental conditions. Despite both involving a decrease in metabolic rate, they vary in terms of duration, purpose, and the stimuli that trigger them.

What is Diapause? 

Diapause, a state of stopped metabolism and development, helps some organisms endure harsh environmental conditions. Diapause is a physiological state in which growth and reproduction are suspended until the environment is more favorable. Insects, mites, and several other invertebrates frequently employ this tactic to withstand seasonal changes or other environmental pressures.

What is Hibernation?

Several animals go into hibernation, a state of reduced metabolic activity and inactivity, to store energy during times of food scarcity or harsh weather conditions. The animal’s body temperature, respiration rate, and heart rate all drop during hibernation, and it might not awaken for several months.

Similarities between Hibernation and Diapause

• Both hibernation and diapause are physiological reactions that help animals preserve energy and endure adverse environments.
• In both cases, the animal’s metabolic rate is greatly reduced, as it is during diapause and hibernation. As a result, the animal can preserve energy and get by on a small amount of food and resources
• Both involve a drop in body temperature, which further lowers metabolic needs. Animals in diapause and hibernation also experience a drop in body temperature.
• Both entail behavioral changes: Animals may alter their activity to gather food, save energy, or find a suitable location to bunker down and wait out the tough conditions before diapause or hibernation.
• Both diapause and hibernation have developed in response to environmental obstacles, enabling animals to withstand harsh situations including drought, severe temperatures, and food shortages.

Difference between Hibernation and Diapause

	Diapause	Hibernation
Definition	A state of stopped development known as diapause happens in reaction to unfavorable environmental factors including low temperatures, a lack of food, or drought. Insects, some fish, and invertebrates frequently exhibit it.	Hibernation, a period of decreased metabolic activity, enables animals to save energy throughout the winter when food is in short supply. Typically, mammals like bears, squirrels, and bats exhibit it.
Purpose	Diapause allows an animal to save energy and resources because the metabolic activity is drastically lowered. Once the habitat is better, the animal goes into a dormant stage that might last for months or even years.	The animal’s metabolism slows down and its body temperature decreases dramatically during hibernation. As a result, the animal can minimize its energy needs and go without food for a long period of time.
Timing	Contrary to hibernation, diapause can start at any stage of life—from the egg to the adult—and can be brought on by a number of environmental stimuli.	Changes in day length and temperature, which warn an animal that winter is near, are frequently the cause of hibernation.
Metabolic Activity	The animal’s body temperature and metabolic rate remain constant during diapause. Instead, it goes into a state of suspended development that enables it to withstand challenging circumstances.	The animal’s body temperature can drop to 0°C while it is hibernating, and its breathing and heart rate both dramatically slow down.
Medical changes	Changes in gene expression, hormone levels, and physiological processes all occur during the carefully controlled process of menopause.	A highly specialized form of dormancy known as hibernation includes adaptations like greater fat storage, a decreased heart rate, and the capacity to recycle waste.
Habitat	Species that live in habitats with extreme seasonality, like the Arctic tundra or the desert, frequently adopt diapause as a survival tactic.	Many animals that dwell in temperate or arctic climates, where winters can be long and harsh, rely heavily on hibernation as a means of survival.
Organisms	Animals are not the only species that may go through diapause; some plants and even microbes can do so in order to endure poor environmental conditions.	Torpor, a brief period of decreased metabolic activity experienced by some animals throughout the day or night, is not the same as hibernation. While hibernation can endure for several months, torpor can last for several hours.

Both hibernation and diapause are adaptations that help animals endure harsh environmental conditions.

FAQs on Diapause and Hibernation

Question 1: How are Diapause and Hibernation Similar?

Answer:

Both diapause and hibernation are mechanisms that help animals survive harsh environmental conditions by conserving energy and avoiding unfavorable environmental factors.

Question 2: How are Diapause and Hibernation Different?

Answer:

Diapause is typically triggered by external environmental cues and can occur at any time of the year, while hibernation is usually triggered by changes in temperature and occurs primarily during the winter months.

Question 3: Which animals undergo Diapause?

Answer:

Many insects, such as mosquitoes, fruit flies, and beetles, undergo diapause. Some fish, amphibians, and mammals can also enter a state of diapause.

Question 4: Which animals undergo Hibernation?

Answer:

Hibernation is primarily observed in mammals such as bears, bats, and rodents, as well as some reptiles and amphibians.