Black bears can hibernate for up to 7 months without food or water (lines 1–2) - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 10 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 10
Black bears can hibernate for up to 7 months without food or water (lines 1–2).
Suggest and explain how.
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Black bears can hibernate for up to 7 months without food or water (lines 1–2) - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 10 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Suggest and explain how black bears can hibernate without food or water.
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Answer
Black bears can lean on their fat reserves during hibernation, utilizing fat stores as their primary energy source. When bears hibernate, their metabolism significantly reduces, leading to decreased energy consumption. This results in less need for food or water, since the animal's physiological processes slow down. Furthermore, low activity levels during this period mean they do not require additional food intake to sustain energy levels.