Coping with extremes

Abstract

The vast majority of humans live at altitudes where respiration usually appears to ‘come for free’. However, high altitudes as well as diving teach us that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Hypoxia probably is one of the most common critical factors that animals can endure, be it only for short periods, which include processes called acclimatization, or permanently, which requires specific adaptations. This chapter looks at some of the ways of living under extreme conditions such as high altitude and diving in a wide variety of invertebrate and craniote groups, including us humans. The chapter also discusses other extreme conditions such as heat or cold and how the organisms deal with this in order to keep their respiration going.