Zooplanktons enter a state of suspended development, called diapause, under unfavourable conditions. [True/False]
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The abiotic conditions of many habitats are never constant and keep changing significantly with time. These changes in abiotic conditions also affect the organisms living in that particular habitat. To sustain life, many species go through a process called homeostasis to maintain the constancy of their internal environment. Homeostasis is defined as a physiological process by which an organism regulates its internal environment in response to the fluctuating external environment.
There are various ways by which organisms can respond to adverse external environments. They can regulate, conform, migrate, hibernate, aestivate or suspend themselves under such circumstances.
Organisms that are capable of maintaining homeostasis by physiological or behavioural means are called regulators. The mechanism by which organisms regulate their constant body temperature irrespective of the external temperature is called thermoregulation. Similarly, the mechanism by which organisms regulate a constant osmotic concentration irrespective of the external osmotic concentration is called osmoregulation. A few lower invertebrates and vertebrate species along with birds and mammals are capable of regulation. Evolutionary biologists believe that the success of mammals is greatly due to their ability to maintain a constant body temperature, which enables them to survive in extreme climates.