anabiosis

/,ænəbi'ousis/

Thân thiện

A tardigrade enters a state of anabiosis in a dried-out moss sample.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A state of suspended animation in organisms during periods of extreme drought, from which they can revive when moisture returns: Anabiosis refers to a biological state where metabolic activity is brought to a reversible standstill due to severe desiccation, allowing the organism to survive until water becomes available again.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Certain species of tardigrades enter a state of anabiosis to survive complete dehydration.
  • The study of anabiosis helps scientists understand the limits of biological survival in extreme environments.

Advanced Usage

• Scientific Context: The term is primarily used in biology, ecology, and astrobiology to describe a specific survival mechanism.
  • Researchers are investigating the genetic triggers that induce anabiosis in resurrection plants.

Variants and Related Words

• Anabiotic (adj): Pertaining to or characterized by anabiosis.
  • The anabiotic state is not true death, as the organism can be rehydrated.

Synonyms

• Cryptobiosis: A more general term for a metabolic state of life in which all metabolic processes stop.
• Suspended animation: A temporary cessation of vital functions.

Notes on Meaning

• Anabiosis is a specific type of cryptobiosis (specifically, anhydrobiosis) triggered by the absence of water. It is a dormant state, not death, as the process is reversible upon rehydration.

Học thuật

Noun

1. suspended animation in organisms during periods of extreme drought from which they revive when moisture returns