What is referred to as the life cycle of an organism?

The life cycle of an organism refers specifically to the generation-to-generation sequence of stages that an organism undergoes during reproduction. This encompasses all the transitions from one developmental stage to the next, starting from fertilization, through growth and development, reaching maturity, and leading to the production of the next generation.

Understanding the life cycle in this way is crucial for studying biological processes, such as reproduction, survival strategies, and population dynamics within ecosystems. It illustrates how organisms grow, reproduce, and pass on their genetic material to the next generation, which is a fundamental concept in biology and ecology.

The other options touch on specific aspects that are part of some organisms' life cycles but do not encompass the full breadth of what a life cycle entails. For example, a single reproductive event is only a part of the overall cycle, and a dormant state is not present in all organisms. Metamorphosis describes a transformation that some organisms undergo but isn't applicable to every lifecycle. Thus, the chosen answer accurately captures the comprehensive nature of an organism's life cycle.