Acclimation of animal organisms: basic theory and applied aspects

Abstract

For decades, acclimation was understood as a laboratory method for the obtainment of material applicable for comparison by physiological indicators. Based on the published data and studies on salinity adaptations performed at the White Sea Biological Station of the Zoological Institute, acclimation can be recognized as a biological phenomenon of phenotypic adaptation characterized by the following features: oscillation mode of function changes; duration of 1–4 weeks; reversibility; and regulating mechanisms via gene activity. Some examples of medical situations related to acclimation are given. Approaches for the assessment of potential tolerance, which is suggested as a synonym for reaction norm, are recognized to be especially important ecological aspects of acclimation.