Final answer:
To cope with cold climates, plants enter dormancy and animals use insulation such as fur and fat. Humans shiver and increase metabolism to maintain body temperature, but extreme cold may cause bodily harm. Animals also migrate and acclimatize seasonally with coat changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Organisms have developed various adaptive strategies to survive in cold environments. Plants may enter a state of dormancy, conserving resources by slowing cellular activity and perhaps shedding leaves. Animals often insulate themselves with fur and fat, as evidenced by polar bears' thick coats. Some, such as newborn babies, possess brown fat that directly generates heat due to a high density of mitochondria, bypassing ATP production for thermogenesis. Humans exhibit acute responses to cold, such as shivering and an increased metabolic rate to generate warmth. However, prolonged exposure to extreme cold can lead to reduced circulation to extremities, risking frostbite, or in severe cases, hypothermia and death from oxygen deprivation at the cellular level. Tissues, particularly cell membranes which are sensitive to crystallization at cold temperatures, can be permanently damaged. Some microorganisms, or psychrophiles, have adapted cell membranes to function in extreme cold. Migratory behaviors in animals like the Arctic Tern and Monarch butterflies are seasonal adaptations to avoid cold temperatures and find food. More generally, acclimatization can be seen in changes to animal coats depending on the season, ensuring proper insulation against the cold or preventing overheating in warmer months.