BioConcepts

hibernationhibernation (fr.); Winterschlaf (ger.)

• The dormant condition into which many animals and plants pass when the temperature falls below certain limits; esp. the winter sleep of some warm-blooded animals, as the dormouse, hedgehog, badger, bear, bat, etc. (OED 2011)
  category sleep

  ca. 79

  in hiemes aliis provisum pabulum, aliis pro cibo somnus

  Plinius (um 79). Naturalis historia VIII, lviii (138); vgl. lxxxii (223); vgl. Leitner, H. (1972). Zoologische Terminologie beim Älteren Plinius: 218.

  1605

  der Behr, wann er von seinem Winterschlaff erwacht

  Rollenhagen, G. (1605). Wunderbarliche biss daher unerhörte und ungleubliche indianische Reysen durch die Lufft, Wasser, Land, Helle, Paradiss und den Himmel: 112 (nach DWB).

  1745

  Lind, Ek och Asp stodo ännu sofwande i sin winter-dwala

  Linné, C. von (1745). Öländska och Gotländska Resa: 1.

  1790

  During the Winter, from the absence of heat, and in a great measure light also, plants remain in a state of torpidity, analogous to the hibernation of animals

  Duncan, A. (1790). Medical news: Account of Mr John Gahagan’s observations on the irritability of vegetables. Medical and Philosophical Commentaries 4, 375-399: 391.

  1791

  ces animaux [les hirondelles] ne respirent point pendant l’hybernation

  Fabricius, J.C. (1791). Sur la coutume d’hyberner propre à certains animaux. La médecine éclairée par les sciences physiques 1, 325-327: 326; vgl. 325.

  1800

  the animal during its state of hibernation

  Darwin, E. (1800). Phytologia; or The Philosophy of Agriculture and Gardening: 215.

  1805

  L’hibernation est cet état de torpeur dans lequel se trouvent pendant l’hiver plusieurs espèces de corps organisés, et qui est manifestement le effet du frois

  Draparnaud, J. (1805). OEuvres sur divers sujets d’histoire naturelle: 63. 

  1818

  On the hybernation and torpidity of insects

  Kirby, W. & Spence, W. (1816/18). An Introduction to Entomology, vol. 2: 430.

  1982

  hibernation The act or condition of passing the winter in a torpid or resting state, typically involving the abandonment of homoiothermy in mammals; cf. aestivation.

  Lincoln, R.J., Boxshall, G.A. & Clark, P.F. (1982). A Dictionary of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics: 113.