Describe the phenomena of acclimatization. Animal acclimatization. See what “Acclimatization” is in other dictionaries

Acclimatization is the process of gradual adaptation of the human body to new climatic conditions. Acclimatization is based on the body’s ability to adapt (rebuild) to new conditions in order to ensure the constancy of the internal environment (body temperature, blood pressure, metabolism, etc.). During the process of acclimatization, a person’s well-being deteriorates to a certain extent, fatigue appears and performance decreases. The more the climatic conditions of the new place of stay differ from the usual ones, the less prepared a person is for life in new conditions, the more difficult and longer the acclimatization process takes place.

Acclimatization when changing place of residence is inevitable, since any organism reacts to changes occurring in the external environment and adapts to them. But different people experience acclimatization differently. It has been noted that healthy, seasoned people with good physical fitness adapt to new living conditions faster and with fewer deviations. In addition, more successful acclimatization is facilitated by a person’s ability to change their lifestyle, clothing, nutrition and bring them into line with new conditions, using the experience of local residents.

Therefore, you need to prepare for a vacation that will take place in other climatic conditions and try to do everything to help the body quickly adapt to new conditions. In order to increase the body's ability to quickly acclimatize, constant and intense physical training is necessary long before the trip. Daily physical exercise, hardening procedures, running, skiing, participating in hiking trips - all this significantly increases the adaptive capabilities of your body.

Arriving at your holiday destination, do not rush to immediately get all the pleasures in one day, constantly monitor your well-being and capabilities, do not overload yourself with excessive exposure to the sun, excessive and repeated bathing, plan your loads wisely. Do everything in moderation. As an example, let's look at some features of acclimatization in different climatic conditions.

Acclimatization in cold climates

Acclimatization in cold climates, especially in the Far North, is associated with adaptation to factors such as low air temperatures, strong winds, and disturbances in light conditions (polar night and polar day). Acclimatization here can last a long time and be accompanied by excessive fatigue, irresistible drowsiness, and loss of appetite. As a person gets used to new conditions, these unpleasant phenomena disappear.

Proper nutrition helps speed up acclimatization in cold climates. At this time, your caloric intake should be increased compared to your usual diet. Food must contain the necessary set of vitamins and microelements. In cold climates, clothing must have increased heat-protective and windproof properties.

Acclimatization in hot climates

Hot climate conditions may vary. Thus, the subtropics and tropics are characterized by high temperature, humidity and solar radiation; for desert zones - high temperature, solar radiation and low air humidity. The beginning of acclimatization in hot climates may be accompanied by muscle weakness, palpitations, and increased sweating. In hot climates, the likelihood of heat and sunstroke increases.

Heatstroke (a condition that occurs during general overheating and is characterized by fatigue, headache, weakness, dizziness) is most likely at high temperatures and humidity. Under these conditions, the heat exchange between the body and the environment is disrupted - overheating of the body occurs.

Sunstroke can happen if you stay in the sun for a long time without covering your head. The consequences of sunstroke are no different from the consequences of heatstroke.

To avoid these and other troubles, it is important to adapt your regime to local climatic conditions from the first day. To do this, you should take a close look at the clothes and daily routine of the local residents. In hot weather, it is better to wear light-colored clothes made of cotton fabric, and wear a light white hat on your head. On a hot day, you need to be in the shade more often; during the hottest time (from 13 to 16 hours) you can sleep.

Don't tan too much. It is better to sunbathe in the morning with a gradual increase in the dose of sunbathing.

To acclimatize faster, It is very important to maintain a water-salt regime, which ensures a normal ratio between the amount of water and mineral salts entering and leaving the body.

You need to drink when it's hot not only to quench thirst, but also to compensate for the loss of water and mineral salts, which leave the body along with sweat. You need to drink slowly, in small sips. You can drink mineral water; tea quenches your thirst well.

Let us draw your attention to several general provisions to ensure accelerated acclimatization when changing climatic conditions. In the first days of your stay in a new place, do not overload yourself with various activities, especially if the trip was associated with a change in time zones. Give your body a chance to get used to the new conditions for two to three days.

Keep drinking regime taking into account local conditions and the needs of your body. Don’t get carried away with the local cuisine; you can try them, but it’s better to stick to familiar foods when it comes to nutrition. Keep everything in moderation. Constantly monitor your well-being and physical condition. Do not do anything through force or without desire.

The main goal of your trip is not to set a record for something at any cost, but to explore the world and improve your health.

Test yourself

■ What is acclimatization and how does it manifest itself?
■ What factors primarily contribute to the rapid acclimatization of a person to new conditions?
■ What are the features of acclimatization in hot climates?
■ Are you physically fit enough to travel to a country with a hot climate?

After lessons

Consider how to avoid heat and sunstroke in hot climates. Write down your recommendations in your safety diary.

Consider the safety precautions that must be taken in cold climates. Select examples from popular science and fiction literature. Develop recommendations for yourself in matters of clothing, daily routine and nutrition in case you find yourself in places with a cold climate.

Additional material

The spread of organisms around the planet is a very widespread phenomenon in nature, which has probably existed almost since their appearance on the planet. In certain periods of the existence of the animal and plant world, settlement proceeded with varying intensity. During the twentieth century, the intensity of such settlement increased significantly, which is associated not so much with natural processes as with active nature-transforming human activity (Elton, 1960).

As noted by A.F. Karpevich (1975), in the field of acclimatization of aquatic animals for a long time there were no solid theoretical principles. It was assumed that at the present stage of the evolution of aquatic organisms, the process of their settlement has stopped, and the complex of adaptations of aquatic organisms is adapted to a specific habitat. In addition, there cannot be free ecological niches in nature, so the successful introduction of a new species of aquatic animals into a particular biocenosis is extremely unlikely. However, the experience that accumulated as civilization developed showed that the settlement of aquatic organisms is not only theoretically possible, but also actually exists in nature.

The lack of theoretical justification for acclimatization led to the low intensity and efficiency of this process if it was carried out artificially. The first documented experiment in the artificial relocation of fish in Russia was carried out with sterlet ( Acipenser ruthenus), universe in 1763 in the river. Neva. In 1857, the Russian Society for Acclimatization was created. However, until the 20s. XX century the intensity of acclimatization work was low: from 1820 to 1850. Only 5 fish transfers were registered, from 1990 to 1920. - 200 (Karpevich, 1975; Stroganova, Zadoenko, 2000).

The number of introductions increased sharply in 1920-1940. During this period, more than 1,500 transplants of 40 types and forms were carried out. However, “their efficiency coefficient” was very low due to poor theoretical knowledge of the laws of the acclimatization process and a number of other reasons (Karpevich, 1975).

The first theoretical justification for the need and possibility of acclimatization of aquatic organisms in the former USSR was given by L.A. Zenkevich (1940), who examined the problems of the introduction of food invertebrates into the Caspian Sea. In the 1940-1980s. The greatest contribution to the solution of theoretical and practical issues of acclimatization of aquatic organisms was made by A.F. Karpevich (1947, 1948, 1960, 1962, 1968, 1975, etc.), E.V. Burmakin (1956, 1961), P.A. Dryagin (1953, 1954), F.D. Morduchai-Boltovskoy (1960), T.S. Russ (1962, 1965) and a number of other researchers. In the Azov-Black Sea region, among the most significant, in our opinion, studies are the works of S.I. Dorosheva (1964), Yu.I. Abaeva (1971).

A detailed interpretation of the terms used when considering issues related to acclimatization is given by A.F. Karpevich (1975, 1998). According to her views:

Introduction is the transfer of organisms with the aim of introducing them into a new area, body of water, or culture. It is the first stage of the acclimatization process, but the introduction does not necessarily end with the acclimatization of the introduced species.

Acclimatization is the process of adaptation of introduced individuals and their offspring to new environmental conditions, as well as the formation of a new population of the species in them on the basis of a limited gene pool and under the influence of natural selection, as a result of which changes occur in the biology and morpho-physiological appearance of subsequent generations of the migrant.

Invasion is the process of transferring individuals to a particular body of water.

Stocking is the regular release of juveniles of the same species into certain water bodies for feeding.

Naturalization is the final phase of the acclimatization process, when the invader has adapted to new conditions, its niche and relationships with the natives in the ecosystem of the reservoir have been determined, a mobile equilibrium in the number of the new population has been established, and the possibility of its use for food or fishing purposes has emerged.

Staged acclimatization is incomplete acclimatization, when some stages of the development of the invader cannot be completed in the conditions of the inhabited reservoir and take place in other reservoirs or under the direct influence of humans.

Reacclimatization is the introduction of individuals of a species in order to restore its lost habitat.

Autoacclimatization (self-acclimatization) is the independent introduction of aquatic organisms with their subsequent acclimatization in a new body of water. A.F. Karpevich (1975) identified two components in this process - paleospontaneous settlement and self-acclimatization without human participation and non-spontaneous settlement and acclimatization with direct or indirect human participation.

Of course, the interpretation of these terms is quite diverse.

For example, L.A. Zenkevich (1940) understood acclimatization as the successful existence and development of any living organism in a new habitat under natural conditions and distinguished between acclimatization in the natural environment and in the process of artificial cultivation.

The Biological Encyclopedic Dictionary (1989) provides the following interpretation of this concept: “Acclimatization is the adaptation of organisms to new or changed conditions of existence, in which they go through all stages of development and produce viable offspring” (p. 14).

According to N.Z. Stroganova and I.N. Zadoenko (2000), acclimatization of aquatic organisms is “a biological and biotechnical process, which is the introduction of objects delivered from one reservoir, region, country to another, where they previously did not exist or they have disappeared, with the aim of their full or partial naturalization, and also other forms of economic use...” (p.51).

The reservoir from which the organism moves is called the donor reservoir, and the reservoir to which the organism moves is called the recipient reservoir. The directions of invasion of new species are called vectors and are usually divided into natural and anthropogenic. The former are usually characterized by relatively low rates of settlement, the latter – by faster ones (Alimov et al., 2000; Gorelov, 2000).

The process of acclimatization of a species is always accompanied by certain interactions with elements of local biocenoses. In this regard, L.A. Zenkevich (1940) identified two types of acclimatization - acclimatization of introduction and acclimatization of replacement. The first form of acclimatization occurs when there is a free ecological niche in the reservoir occupied by the acclimatizer, as a result of which it practically does not compete with local species. During acclimatization of replacement, invaders invade the ecological niches of local species and enter into competitive relations with native forms for certain environmental factors.

Representations L.A. Zenkevich (1940) about the types of acclimatization were supplemented by A.F. Karpevich (1975), who also distinguished the acclimation of rejection, the acclimatization of replenishment and the acclimatization of construction. In the first case, the acclimatizer enters into a competitive relationship with local species, but is inferior to them in this fight and either dies or turns out to be very few in number. During acclimatization of recruitment, invaders replenish the composition of the depleted population of water bodies. During acclimatization construction, settlers are selected to build food chains, communities, or faunas of water bodies.

The number of acclimatizing species in a reservoir does not remain constant. This was noticed by L.A. Zenkevich (1940). A.F. Karpevich (1975) identified five “nodal phases of the process of acclimatization and naturalization of a species in new conditions” (p. 119):

1. Survival of resettled individuals in new conditions is a period of physiological adaptation;

2. Reproduction of individuals and the beginning of population formation;

3. The maximum number of migrants is the “explosion” phase;

4. Exacerbation of the contradictions between the immigrant and the biotic environment;

5. Naturalization in new conditions.

However, it should be noted that traditional approaches to the degree of usefulness of acclimatization work have recently begun to be significantly revised. So, Yu.Yu. Dgebuadze (2000) uses the concept of “biological invasion”, by which he understands all cases of penetration of living organisms into ecosystems located outside their natural range. He points out that in the former USSR it was long believed that with extensive farming it was possible to significantly increase the yield of fish products through acclimatization work, and therefore large-scale resettlement of aquatic organisms was carried out. At the same time, when selecting acclimatizing species, we primarily took into account their production and consumer qualities, and the potential for their adaptation to the abiotic factors of the new reservoir. One of the most important criteria was also the presence of free ecological niches. But most of the acclimatization activities carried out ended in failure (which means the researchers did not take into account some of the most important factors for acclimatization). So, E.V. Burmakin (1963) indicated that in the period from 1763 to 1957. in 73% of transplants, the result of acclimatization was either negative or not detected at all. A number of similar examples can be given in relation to fish introduced into the water bodies of the North-Western Caucasus. The introduction of white fish and Aral barbel into the region ended in failure, despite the huge financial costs, and work to populate the Sea of ​​Azov with juvenile Caspian sturgeon was ineffective. There was no acclimatization of white and bighead carp, white and black carp, and paddlefish. Their numbers in natural reservoirs can only be maintained through artificial reproduction. At the same time, various self-acclimatizing agents appear and quickly settle in reservoirs.

There are many examples of the negative impact of invaders on local ecosystems and, most likely, they even outweigh the positive impact.

Let us give just a few examples concerning fish.

1. A textbook example was the consequences of the introduction of sea lamprey into the Great American Lakes ( Petromyzon marinus). For a long time she lived only in the lake. Ontario, in whose tributaries it spawned. The penetration of lamprey into other lakes of the system was prevented by Niagara Falls. However, in 1829, to ensure navigation, a bypass canal was built, which ensured the passage of lampreys into other reservoirs. As a result of its predation, enormous damage was caused to local ichthyocenoses and, above all, to the stocks of whitefish, salmon, and chukuchans, the catches of which decreased hundreds of times (Elton, 1960).

2. In the 1950s. British ichthyologists decided to introduce Nile perch into African Lake Victoria ( Lates niloticus), one of the largest predatory fish species in Africa. The purpose of such acclimatization was to occupy the niche of a large predator. Due to the flood, several fish kept in ponds near the lake fell into it. By the beginning of the 1970s. the perch spread throughout the reservoir and significantly undermined the stocks and species diversity of local cichlids. Thus, catches of haplochromis fell from 1200-2200 kg/ha in the mid-1970s. up to 200-400 kg in the mid-1980s. The local population switched from eating sun-dried haplochromis to catching perch. These large fish had to be heat-treated before being eaten. To achieve this, people began cutting down forests along the banks, which increased the flow of nutrients into the waters of the lake and led to its eutrophication and “blooming” of the water. The final result of the acclimatization of the Nile perch was the transformation of the local ecosystem, a sharp drop in the species diversity of the ichthyofauna (Dgebuadze, 2000).

The most powerful anthropogenic factor in the spread of aquatic organisms on a global scale is currently considered to be their transportation using water transport with ballast water or on ship hulls (Alimov et al., 2000). This phenomenon has intensified recently, because... The transportation process itself intensified and ship designs changed. Now ballast water is pumped into the so-called. “second bottom”, which allows the hydrobionts that come with them to avoid the negative effects of toxic substances and more easily endure transportation. The capacity for processing ballast water in most Russian ports is insufficient, which leads to its discharge directly into the sea. With a very high degree of probability, it can be argued that it was with the ballast waters of ships that ctenophores and the rapana gastropod were brought to the Black Sea. It is possible that the northern blue whiting ( Micromesistius poutassou) and whitefin butterflyfish.

In the continental water bodies of Russia, most likely, the most important factors in the settlement of aquatic organisms were targeted acclimatization measures and the connection of rivers from different river systems by canals (Alimov et al., 2000).

Acclimatization is the adaptation of living organisms to new, unusual climatic and geographical conditions. Without acclimatization preparation, the success of an ascent is problematic, especially when it is made to a height of more than 5000. Almost everyone feels the influence of altitude in the first days after climbing to a level of 1500-2000 m, and the main manifestations for many begin to affect themselves from 2500-3000 m. This is a headache pain, nausea, vomiting (so-called mountain sickness).

In addition, an organism that is not prepared for oxygen starvation is more susceptible to various diseases, performance is significantly reduced, and volitional qualities are reduced to zero. Often these symptoms appear when descending from 3000-3500m, in others they intensify at stops and decrease when moving. But they disappear completely only with a decrease in altitude and (or) taking appropriate medications. As a rule (if you go down) these symptoms disappear by morning, but you need to take a day of rest.

Oxygen is necessary for all organs and tissues of the human body during metabolism. Its consumption is directly proportional to the activity of the body. The transfer of oxygen is carried out by red blood cells - erythrocytes containing a substance - hemoglobin (oxyhemoglobin), which, due to the difference in the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood and in the alveoli, is saturated with oxygen and transports it throughout the body. With altitude, the partial pressure of oxygen in the air decreases (and not the amount of oxygen in general, which is one of the widespread misconceptions), which causes a decrease in blood oxygen saturation.

Therefore, the first reaction (first phase) of the body to a decrease in external pressure is an increase in heart rate, an increase in blood pressure and an increase in pulmonary ventilation (the so-called hyperventilation), which is actually the cause of headaches, etc. There is an expansion of capillaries in the tissues of the body even before just in the muscles. In addition, reserve blood from the spleen and liver is included in the blood circulation. These are compensatory processes that occur in the first phase of acclimatization, which usually ends after 7-14 days.

In the second phase of acclimatization, the lack of oxygen begins to affect the bone marrow, which begins to produce an increased number of red blood cells and introduce them into the blood circulation. This increases hemoglobin in the blood. The normal number of red blood cells in 1 cubic mm is about 4.5-5.0 million in men and 4.0-4.5 million in women. During the acclimatization period, the number of red blood cells increases to 7.0 and even 8.0 million per 1 cubic mm, which leads to an increase in hemoglobin. It has been established that the second phase of acclimatization is completely completed three weeks after the start of work on the route. This is what should determine the planned duration of the acclimatization period and influence the acclimatization tactics. Reaching high altitudes can only be achieved reliably after full adaptation.

From a physiological point of view, the best system is to gradually reach higher altitudes with a load (preferably with a short stay at the achieved height, for example, spending the night), alternating with a descent down to the base camp. Staying and resting at the base camp for one or two days restores strength and consolidates the resulting acclimatization while maintaining a relative balance between acclimatization and deterioration - exhaustive exhaustion of the body, although the climber will never reach the level of his performance under flat conditions. This implies the need for the climber to strive to achieve very high performance in conditions of the plain, or better yet, mid-mountain conditions. You can't buy it in one year. It is developed, as a rule, by many years (depending on the genetic characteristics of the body) of training in general and special physical and functional training with regular periodic medical monitoring (including at least an annual medical examination for an in-depth examination) and daily constant self-monitoring of well-being (lying pulse after waking up, body weight, etc.).

As the experience of high-altitude expeditions shows, for better recuperation while maintaining the achieved acclimatization after completing the installation of intermediate and assault camps, a 2-4-day rest at an altitude of 500-1000 m below the altitude of the base camp is advisable. According to modern ideas, 5300 m is the boundary of the high-mountain zone, in which complete acclimatization may yet occur. In the range from 7000 to 7800 m, one cannot speak of complete acclimatization, so the body begins to consume its own reserves without the possibility of replenishing them. A climber can stay in this zone for up to 4-5 days, after which it is necessary to descend lower. The zone above 7800 m is called the “altitude death zone”. Staying there for 2-3 days without an oxygen apparatus causes rapid deterioration. When developing a strategy and tactics for oxygen-free high-altitude ascent, it is advisable to take the above into account

Under adaptation usually understand the maintenance of normal functioning of the body and adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

There are social adaptations - to the team, production, study; functional - to physical activity, performing individual exercises; medical and hygienic - immunity to infections, drug tolerance; climatic - to various weather and climatic factors, etc.

Adaptation of the human body to new climatic conditions is also referred to as acclimatization, meaning by this a complex socio-biological process that depends mainly on adaptation to natural and climatic conditions- cold, heat, rarefied air of high mountains, etc.

Acclimatization to cold climates in the taiga, tundra and especially in the Far North zone is associated both with the effect of sudden cooling and with the influence of the landscape. The weather in these areas is characterized by long, harsh winters, polar night, lack of sunlight, increased cosmic radiation, frequent magnetic disturbances and storms.

Staying in the Arctic conditions of newly arrived people is accompanied by a decrease in performance, an increase in heat transfer, and a predominance of inhibitory processes in the nervous system.

It is customary to divide the acclimatization process in the North into three phases: 1) initial or indicative; 2) restructuring of the dynamic stereotype; 3) alignment. In the second phase, newly arrived people, as a rule, experience not physiological, but pathological disorders. They arise due to a weakening of the body's adaptive forces. If climatic factors act simultaneously and their intensity is high enough, then they provoke an acute stress state. When these factors act gradually, they cause disadaptation meteoneurosis. Neurotic reactions manifest themselves in the form of malaise, the appearance of various pains, and a feeling of discomfort. This condition is aggravated by negative emotions, unsatisfactory sanitary and hygienic conditions, and violations of a healthy lifestyle.

The conducted studies show that rational working and living conditions smooth out the acclimatization process. Adequate (high-calorie, fortified, balanced) nutrition, appropriate clothing, comfortable housing, as well as qualified medical care (dispensary observation, preventive prescriptions, modern diagnosis and treatment of diseases) ensure good acclimatization of people to the effects of cold and high latitudes.

Acclimatization to hot climates associated with overheating, excess ultraviolet radiation, and in the desert zone - with the phenomena of desert disease.

The most important factors determining the effect of the subtropical climate on humans are: high air temperature (close to or exceeding body temperature), intense solar radiation (direct and reflected), in dry subtropics - sharp temperature fluctuations reaching 20-30 ° C during days; in humid subtropics - high relative humidity.

High temperatures and humidity impede heat transfer and cause overheating of the body, which is manifested by serious metabolic changes, dyspeptic disorders, decreased blood pressure and other symptoms. A hot, dry climate makes it difficult to regulate water-salt metabolism and kidney function, but at the same time increases heat transfer from the body by increasing sweating. In a hot, humid climate, sweating, on the contrary, decreases, and heat transfer occurs mainly through heat radiation, accompanied by a significant expansion of the superficial vessels of the skin.

In subtropical climate zones, various types of sun protection structures and devices, measures for landscaping and watering the territory, and the installation of air conditioning units in the premises are of great hygienic importance. A positive role can be played by changing the regime of work, rest, and nutrition. The climatic conditions of the hot and humid subtropics are widely used for sanatorium and resort treatment of people suffering from various diseases (resorts of Sochi, Bayram-Ali, etc.).

Acclimatization to a temperate climate is not associated with large loads on the human body. It is known that moving every 10° latitude requires a person to adapt to new thermal and ultraviolet regimes, and moving in the meridional direction can cause a violation of the usual periodicity of the daily regime.

In the temperate climate zone, most people who constantly live in the harsh conditions of the North or the sweltering heat of the South feel great in the summer.

Acclimatization to mountain climate associated with the specific impact of the mountain landscape. In terms of medical and health resorts, there are low-mountain (at an altitude of 500-1000 m above sea level), mid-mountain (1000-2000 m) and high-mountain (over 2000 m) climates. In a mountain climate, the main influencing factors are: low atmospheric pressure, increased ultraviolet radiation, changes in electrical potential, hypoallergenic environment, etc. The higher the area is located above sea level, the more intense the effect of all these factors and the more difficult it is to acclimatize.

The nature and duration of acclimatization in high altitude conditions depend both on the complex of mountain-climatic factors and on the initial functional state of the body and its reserve capabilities.

The first phase of acclimatization usually lasts from several days to several weeks and months. A major role during this period is played by such physiological mechanisms as redistribution of blood flow between organs, disruption of microcirculation, a decrease in oxygen content in tissues and cells, and slight activation of metabolic processes. In the second phase, the amount of hemoglobin and red blood cells (erythrocytes) increases, the level of basal metabolism decreases, and the activity of oxidizing substances increases. In the third phase of acclimatization, the physiological functions of the body are stabilized, which is usually manifested by a slight decrease in heart rate, a slowdown in blood flow, and a decrease in basal metabolism, i.e. more economical use of the energy resources of the human body.

Acclimatization to resort conditions It is also a process of adaptation of the body to new climatic influences and to the environmental conditions in which sanatorium treatment and recreational recreation take place. According to academician P.K. Anokhin, in order to adapt to specific environmental conditions, the body at each given moment mobilizes certain metabolic reserves that support its vital activity at the required level according to the principle of self-regulation of functional systems.

Acclimatization to resort conditions has a multifaceted focus. It is necessary to adapt to new natural conditions, to a new social environment, to special medical procedures. Meanwhile, the adaptive capabilities of the patient's body are usually limited. The goal of sanatorium-resort treatment is to increase the level of functional reserves of the body by training its adaptation mechanisms, to achieve a favorable course and outcome of the pathological process, and recovery of the patient.

Thus, the ability to acclimatize allows people to live temporarily or permanently in different climatic conditions. When prescribing sanatorium-resort treatment, doctors take into account the possibility of adaptive reactions of a stimulating adaptive nature in people with various sluggish and chronic diseases.

Before our first visit abroad, many of us may not even be aware of the concept of “acclimatization.” It’s different - you live in your usual environment, and you don’t even realize that your body can present such an unpleasant surprise in the form of resistance to new environmental conditions. In this material we will tell you about what acclimatization is, when, how and under what conditions can it manifest itself, and how to deal with it?

Acclimatization is a process when the body adapts to new conditions that arise outside its usual habitat. In essence, we are talking about the restructuring of the human body and adaptation to new conditions of the surrounding world. Some people practically do not notice acclimatization, while others experience characteristic signs of this phenomenon - the temperature rises, chills are observed, migraines are tormented, sometimes even nausea, chronic diseases worsen.

As practice shows, acclimatization lasts on average 2-3 days, after which the body adapts and returns to normal. Children under the age of 10-12 years are especially susceptible to this process - their acclimatization can take from 1 week to 10 days, respectively.

Is acclimatization the norm or a negative phenomenon?

Doctors believe that acclimatization is a completely normal phenomenon. This is how the body reminds itself of itself, “expresses its interest” in new living conditions. Some doctors even recommend that their patients change their habitats - the more often the body experiences acclimatization, the better for it - many chronic diseases may completely recede.

Acclimatization is an inevitable process of the body adapting to new environmental conditions, and you can cope with this unpleasant phenomenon by strengthening the immune system and taking certain medications.

Who is most susceptible to acclimatization?

As we have already noted, children are most susceptible to this process. In addition, it is more difficult for people with weakened immune systems, the elderly, and those who are most sensitive to climate change to acclimatize to new conditions.

By the way, the healthier a person leads a lifestyle, the easier it is for him to adapt to a new environment. If the immune system is weakened, then acclimatization abroad cannot be avoided.

Acclimatization is especially pronounced when a person goes to hot countries, although during this period of time he is accustomed to living in winter. As a result, a person’s heat transfer process is disrupted abroad and disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are observed. Dry climates, by the way, are much easier to tolerate than humid ones. Acclimatization also occurs when a person moves from summer to winter. Everything affects a person’s well-being: a change in time zone, a change in humidity, temperature, food, water.

When should I expect acclimatization?

Acclimatization does not occur instantly - you should not think that immediately after crossing the border you will immediately suffer from suffocation and headaches. This process is gradual and manifests itself, as a rule, on the second or third day of being in a new environment. Most often, people think that they suffer from colds that were triggered by ordinary events - drinking cold water, swimming in the pool, or a draft in the car. Usually this lethargic state lasts for 2-4 days. Therefore, if you go on vacation for a week, be prepared that acclimatization will interfere with your relaxation - you may spend half of your vacation in your room. On the other hand, even such passive rest will help you unload after a hard work marathon.

Reacclimatization - the reverse process after returning home

There is also such a thing as reacclimatization - this is the return of the body to its normal state. It manifests itself in the same way as acclimatization - body aches, headache, chills, fever. This phenomenon is also often experienced by people with weakened immune systems. how sad it is, children and old people.

How to reduce manifestations?

Doctors recommend preparing for new climatic conditions in advance. At least a month in advance, you need to do exercises every morning, and also concentrate on a balanced diet. For 1.5 months, you can take homeopathic medicines that strengthen the immune system. If you are prone to colds, your doctor may also prescribe you a special course of vitamins. All these activities will significantly improve your health and help you go through the acclimatization process more easily.

If acclimatization could not be avoided, you can get out of the situation while on vacation by taking anti-allergy medications. They help well to adapt to new conditions, but first you should consult a doctor and choose an individual set of medications for yourself.

Acclimatization is the process of adaptation, or adaptation, of the animal body to a new habitat for them - climatic conditions, as well as to the conditions of feeding, housing, care, local diseases, etc. Successful acclimatization is of great importance when breeding farm animals and birds of various species and breeds in countries and areas where they had not previously lived.

Animal acclimatization- the process of complex interaction of an organism with its external environment. It occurs as a result of repeated exposure to a complex of stimuli during the individual life of an animal and a number of generations.

The phenomena of acclimatization should be approached from the position of the teachings of I. P. Pavlov on the importance of restructuring the dynamic stereotype in health and pathology. In this regard, more or less permanent morphological and physiological changes occur in the body, allowing it not only to survive in new conditions, but also to reproduce and maintain its economically useful qualities. Therefore, the emergence of features that distinguish acclimatized animals from individuals of the same species or breed in their previous habitats is one example of intraspecific variability.

Acclimatized are those animals that, under the influence of new living conditions, have actively adapted to existence in these conditions, reproduce, produce viable offspring and exhibit high productivity. The acclimatization process must satisfy the needs and requirements of practice and be guided by human creative activity. The degree of adaptability of the body varies, and therefore not every animal can acclimatize. Farm animals show some conservatism to climatic and environmental conditions, determined by the fact that each breed has its own climatic optimum.

The diversity of climatic conditions of the Soviet Union contributed to the emergence of various indigenous breeds of animals adapted to local conditions. Thus, in the conditions of the tundra, reindeer are well acclimatized, in the arid zones of Central Asia - the camel, the Saradzhin and Karakul breeds of sheep, in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan - fine-fleece sheep, and in Tajikistan - semi-fine-fleece mountain breeds of sheep, in the south and southeast - fat-tailed sheep, in in the steppes of the south and temperate climate - fine-wool breeds of sheep, in the northern conditions of the RSFSR - Romanov sheep, in the Trans-Volga steppes of Kazakhstan and the Caspian lowland - Kalmyk cattle, in Transcaucasia - buffaloes, etc. Some species have a good ability to adapt to new living conditions and acclimatize easily and quickly, for others this process is slow, and some species acclimatize only under certain conditions of selection and selection, maintenance and feeding, which are created by man. Different acclimatization abilities are determined by the phylogeny of the species, hereditary characteristics and the nature of the relationship of organisms with living conditions. The acclimatization of organisms is greatly influenced by air temperature and humidity, light intensity, duration and rhythm of lighting, soil, food, etc. New living conditions can either help increase the survival rate of a species or cause its deterioration. Under severely unfavorable living conditions, organisms are not able to acclimatize. The practice of animal husbandry knows many examples when excellent breeds of livestock, placed in conditions that do not correspond to the direction of their productivity, lost their qualities, were inferior in productivity to outbred animals and degenerated.

Not all animal species acclimatize equally at different latitudes. For example, reindeer have difficulty adapting to the southern regions, and camels and buffalo - to the northern regions, while cattle, sheep and pigs coexist over vast areas. In the same way, within the same species there are different breeds, and within a breed, different individuals have different abilities for acclimatization. For example, in black-and-white and Swiss cattle brought to Central Asia, in the early years there was a decrease in fertility and milk production, increased respiration, heart rate and increased temperature, a decrease in oxidative processes and changes in the structure of the hair coat. Subsequently, when the conditions necessary for it were created, this cattle acclimatized well and served as the basis for the development of the Aulieata and Alatau breeds of cattle bred in all the republics of Central Asia. The transfer of Kostroma cattle to the conditions of the Kirghiz SSR also had a negative impact on its reproductive ability in the early years. Acclimatization in the hygienic sense is not only the development of appropriate physiological adaptations or reactions, but also the creation in new climatic regions of feeding and housing conditions organized on a scientific basis, mitigating the effects of unfavorable factors.

The dependence of animals on climatic and environmental conditions is greatly weakened and modified by human activities. As studies have shown, for the successful acclimatization of animals of a particular breed, the enrichment of the heredity of organisms through crossing, artificial selection and selection of acclimatizing animals capable of variability in the direction of acquiring useful qualities, as well as the conditions for their directed education (feeding, maintenance and care) are of decisive importance. ). All other things being equal, the ability to acclimatize to new environmental factors is better expressed in young animals and, in particular, in offspring born and growing in these conditions.

In the development of the theory of acclimatization, the research of Acad. M. F. Ivanova. He practically carried out the acclimatization of a number of species and breeds of animals unusual for various zones of the Soviet Union.

Acclimatization of imported breeds of farm animals used for crossing with native livestock, under conditions of directed selection, selection and education of the resulting crosses, led to the creation of new highly productive breeds of animals. Based on the acclimatization of animals of different breeds and their crossing with local breeds of livestock, first-class breeds and breed groups of animals distinguished by stable health and high productivity were created in the USSR.

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