All of the following are responses to external stimuli in the passage EXCEPT - 1.hiding in a tree hole
2.animals returning to their homes
3.the mountain hare's white fur
4.winter's arrival

I think the answer is 4. winters arrival

fertilization, pictured in figure 24.23a is the process in which gametes (an egg and sperm) fuse to form a zygote. the egg and sperm each contain one set of chromosomes. to ensure that the offspring has only one complete diploid set of chromosomes, only one sperm must fuse with one egg. in mammals, the egg is protected by a layer of extracellular matrix consisting mainly of glycoproteins called the zona pellucida. when a sperm binds to the zona pellucida, a series of biochemical events, called the acrosomal reactions, take place. in placental mammals, the acrosome contains digestive enzymes that initiate the degradation of the glycoprotein matrix protecting the egg and allowing the sperm plasma membrane to fuse with the egg plasma membrane, as illustrated in figure 24.23b. the fusion of these two membranes creates an opening through which the sperm nucleus is transferred into the ovum. the nuclear membranes of the egg and sperm break down and the two haploid genomes condense to form a diploid genome.

explanation:

emerald ash borer

the emerald ash borer is a green buprestid or jewel beetle native to north-eastern asia that feeds on ash species. females lay eggs in bark crevices on ash trees, and larvae feed underneath the bark of ash trees to emerge as adults in one to two years. hope this !