Final answer:
Adaptation is a genetic evolution over generations, while acclimatization is a short-term physiological adjustment within an individual's lifetime to cope with environmental changes. Adaptation allows for thriving in a specific environment.
Step-by-step explanation:
Adaptation and acclimatization are both processes that enable organisms to cope with environmental changes, but they operate on different scales. Adaptation refers to the genetic evolution of a species over many generations, allowing it to thrive in a particular environment. For example, Indigenous populations living at high altitudes have developed unique genetic adaptations to cope with low oxygen levels.
In contrast, acclimatization is a short-term physiological adjustment to an environmental change by an individual within its lifetime. It is not passed on to offspring but allows animals, including humans, to maintain homeostasis when faced with challenges such as moving to higher altitudes. The process involves various organ systems adjusting to maintain a steady state in another system; such as an increase in red blood cells to combat low oxygen levels at high altitudes, or changes in animal coats for temperature regulation.