What is the equivalent of hibernation in summer

A. Although, as we're gripped by winter, it may be hard for us to understand, some animals do have to employ special mechanisms to cope with summer conditions. Beth wanted to know the official name of this mechanism, thanks to incitatus for this answer.

The name given to an animal's coping mechanism for surviving extreme summers is aestivation. Basically it's the opposite of hibernation.

Want to find out more about hibernation Click here.

Q. What kind of animals under go aestivation

A. Generally those that live in extreme conditions, like the water-holding frog that has to endure the intense heat and arid conditions of southern Australia.

Q. What kind of adaptations does the water holding frog make

A. When the dry season kicks in the water-holding frog buries itself in sandy ground and becomes inactive, adopting a reduced metabolic rate. It protects its stores of water by forming a rock-hard chamber lined with mucus, which it secretes from its skin.

Only after the rains have arrived does the frog remerge and break open this cocoon.

Q. Sounds effective

A. It is, so much so that Aboriginal people go hunting for the frogs, which, when squeezed, release their precious resource.

Q. Is burying a major form of aestivation

A. It's definitely one of the favoured ones, also practise by apple snails, which also head underground when things get dry and lower their metabolic rate as they enter a period of aestivation.

Q. But doesn't burying prevent the animal from breathing

A. Not if you switch from your normal aerobic respiration to partly anaerobic, oxygen free, respiration when buried in reduced oxygen conditions, as the apple snail does.

Q. What environmental conditions drive an animal to aestivation

A. The most important factor is the availability of water. Most living things are dependent upon water to a greater or lesser extent and those animals that live in environments where its supply can disappear for months have had to adapt to survive.

Obviously the lack of water can also affect the ambient temperature and availability of food, which also influence whether or not an animal enters aestivation.

Curious about how an animal survives extreme environmental conditions Click here to ask The AnswerBank.

by Lisa Cardy