As a Pond Starts to Dry Out at the End

As a pond starts to dry out at the end of the rainy spring season, a researcher notices that toads burrow into the soil where they can hibernate for up to nine months. What is the benefit of hibernation?

A) reduced metabolic rate that ensures survival
B) increased body temperature that ensures survival
C) a period of time during which the animal completes sexual maturity
D) all of these