Question

Define acclimatization.

Answer 1

Hint:- When an individual organism changes its environment (such as change in temperature, altitude, pH, humidity, photoperiod, etc.), then the organism also has to adjust and adapt according to its new environment.

Complete Answer:-Acclimatization is the process in which an individual organism adjusts to the change in its environment, allowing it to maintain the performance across a range of environmental factors.
Now we should know that it occurs In a short period of time (hours to week), and within the organism’s lifetime. This may be a discrete occurrence (for example, when mountaineers accommodate to high altitudes over hours or days) or may represent a part of a periodic cycle. During acclimatization an organism may undergo physical, physiological or biochemical changes.
In order to maintain performance across a range of environmental conditions, there are several mechanisms and ways that an organism uses to acclimate. In response to the environmental changes in temperature, organisms can change the biochemical activity of cell membranes, making them more fluid in cold temperatures and less fluid in warm temperatures by increasing the number of membrane proteins.
Acclimatization of an organism results in the theory of survival of the fittest. Those organisms who can adjust will be fit for living whereas the organisms who cannot adjust to the new changes become extinct.
Many plants also show acclimatization as they can even survive in the freezing climate.

Note:- Acclimatization term should not be confused with adaptation as acclimatization occurs in an organism’s lifetime whereas adaptation occurs over a few generations. Acclimatization term came from a word acclimatize, which means to adapt to a new environment, climate or area.