Acclimatization

Image:Hauteroute-alps-seabhcan.jpg Acclimatization, uh kly muh tuh ZAY shuhn, acclimatiz--165.138.19.814:07, 6 February 2006 (UTC)--165.138.19.814:07, 6 February 2006 (UTC)--165.138.19.814:07, 6 February 2006 (UTC)ation, and acclimation are general terms used to describe the process of an organism adjusting to changes in its environment, often involving temperature or climate. Acclimatization usually occurs in a short time, and within one organism's lifetime (compare adaptation). This may be a discrete occurrence or may instead represent part of a periodic cycle, such as a mammal shedding heavy winter furin favour of a lighter summer coat.

Plants

Many plants, such as maple trees, irises, and tomatoes, can survive freezing temperatures if the temperature gradually drops lower and lower each night over a period of days or weeks. The same drop might kill them if it occurred suddenly. This process is called hardening and involves several changes, such as a decrease in the water content and an increase in the sugar content of the plant, lowering the freezing pointof sap.

Animals

Animals acclimatize in many ways. Sheepgrow very thick woolin cold, damp, climates. Most human beingsbecome short of breath and tire easily when they move to higher altitudes. After the body adjusts to the new altitude, the symptoms disappear.

Fishare able to adjust only gradually to changes in water temperature and quality. Tropical fish sold at pet storesare often kept in acclimation bags until this process is complete.

Humans

It is important for humans to acclimatize to a new environment before doing strenous activities. When people move from a cool or temperate environment to a hot, dry desert environment or vice versa, they must spend up to seven days acclimatizing to the change in their environment. This lets the body make internal adjustments (see Homeostasis) to compensate for the change in environment conditions. If the acclimatization process is ignored, then the person is at higher risk for heat related injuries (heat stroke, heat cramps, pneumonia). The duration for the acclimatization process can be shortened by pre-emptively spending time in environments much like the new environment you're expecting to be in. Military units will spend time in an environment much like their future theater of operations so that they can hit the ground running.

Useful Internal Links

• altitude sickness

Sources of Information

• World Bookencycopedia 1989

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acclimatization Wikipedia article Acclimatization.