Why are these experiments of acclimation and not adaptation? Explain the difference between these two using these corals in your explanation. How could scientists research the ability of coral to adapt to sea temperature changes?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
Acclimation and adaptation are distinct biological processes that organisms undergo in response to environmental changes, but they differ in how they occur and the time scale involved.
Acclimation refers to the process by which an organism adjusts to a change in its environment in a short-term, reversible manner. This process occurs within the individual’s lifetime and does not involve genetic changes. For example, corals exposed to slightly warmer water may undergo physiological changes, such as altered enzyme activity or adjustments in their symbiotic relationship with algae, to tolerate the higher temperatures. However, these changes are not passed on to the next generation.
In contrast, adaptation is a long-term evolutionary process that occurs over multiple generations. It involves genetic changes in a population, often driven by natural selection. In the case of corals, if a population of corals is consistently exposed to warmer waters over many generations, those individuals that possess genetic traits allowing them to survive the heat will reproduce more successfully. Over time, the population as a whole will become better suited to warmer conditions, and these beneficial traits will be passed down to future generations.
In the case of the corals, experiments involving short-term exposure to temperature changes, such as adjusting water temperature in a lab setting, would be examples of acclimation. If the corals change their physiological responses (e.g., heat shock protein production) to cope with the temperature, but these changes are not genetic or inherited, they are simply acclimatory responses.
To research coral adaptation to temperature changes, scientists could conduct long-term studies that involve tracking genetic changes in coral populations exposed to different thermal conditions. By comparing coral populations that live in consistently warm waters to those in cooler waters, scientists could identify genetic markers associated with heat tolerance. Furthermore, they could use controlled breeding or artificial selection experiments to determine whether specific traits confer greater resistance to temperature stress, indicating genetic adaptation.