dormancy

thumb|250px|During winter dormancy, plant [[metabolism comes to a virtual standstill, due in part to low temperatures that slow chemical activity.]]

Dormancy is a period in an organism's life cycle when growth, development, and (in animals) physical activity are temporarily stopped. This minimizes metabolic activity and therefore helps an organism to conserve energy. Dormancy tends to be closely associated with environmental conditions. Organisms can synchronize entry to a dormant phase with their environment through predictive or consequential means.