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Saturday, January 8, 2011

Ecology

Ecology

To survive the harshness of winter, many animals have developed different behavioral and morphological adaptations for

  • is a common effect of winter upon animals, notably. However, the majority of birds do not migrate—the and, for example. Some also migrate seasonally.
  • is a state of reduced during the winter. Some animals "sleep" during winter and only come out when the warm weather returns; e.g., , frogs, snakes, and bats.
  • Some animals store food for the winter and live on it instead of hibernating completely. This is the case for, and
  • Resistance is observed when an animal endures winter but changes in ways such as color and musculature. The color of the fur or plumage changes to white (in order to be confused with snow) and thus retains its coloration year-round. Examples are the and
  • Some fur-coated mammals grow a heavier coat during the winter; this improves the heat-retention qualities of the fur. The coat is then shed following the winter season to allow better cooling. The heavier coat in winter made it a favorite season for, who sought more profitable skins.
  • Snow also affects the ways animals behave; many take advantage of the insulating properties of snow by burrowing in it. Mice and typically live under the snow layer.

Some never survive the winter. Other annual plants require winter cold to complete their life cycle, this is known as As for, many small ones profit from the insulating effects of snow by being buried in it. Larger plants, particularly usually let their upper part go dormant, but their roots are still protected by the snow layer. Few plants bloom in the winter, one exception being the which flowers in time for. The process by which plants become acclimated to cold weather is called.


 

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