Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Global Regulatory Systems01:28

Global Regulatory Systems

Global regulatory systems in bacteria enable rapid and coordinated responses to environmental changes by integrating sensory inputs with gene expression, ensuring efficient adaptation to fluctuating conditions. Key global regulatory mechanisms include regulons, two-component systems, sigma factors, and secondary messengers.Regulons and Global RegulatorsA regulon is a collection of genes and operons controlled by a common global regulator. These regulators enable bacteria to prioritize resource...
Microenvironments01:22

Microenvironments

Microorganisms inhabit highly localized spaces known as microenvironments, which are defined by distinct physical and chemical characteristics. These include oxygen concentration, pH, temperature, light availability, and nutrient levels. The conditions within a microenvironment can differ markedly from those in the surrounding area and significantly influence microbial growth, metabolism, and community structure.Microenvironments often display sharp physicochemical gradients over small spatial...
Non-equilibrium in the Cell01:16

Non-equilibrium in the Cell

An important concept in studying metabolism and energy is that of chemical equilibrium. Most chemical reactions are reversible. They can proceed in both directions, releasing energy into their environment in one direction, and absorbing it from the environment in the other direction. The same is true for the chemical reactions involved in cell metabolism, such as the breaking down and building up of proteins into and from individual amino acids, respectively. Reactants within a closed system...
Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles01:24

Microbes and Other Elemental Cycles

Microbial activity plays a pivotal role in the biogeochemical cycling of iron and manganese, especially at the redox gradients characteristic of stratified aquatic environments. These cycles are driven by microbial transformations between oxidized and reduced forms of the metals, allowing organisms to exploit them for metabolic energy and structural purposes.Iron Cycling Across Redox GradientsIn neutral, oxygen-rich surface waters, iron is predominantly found in its oxidized, insoluble ferric...
Regulation of Metabolism01:19

Regulation of Metabolism

Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...
Introduction to Metabolism01:30

Introduction to Metabolism

Metabolism encompasses all biochemical reactions in a living organism, facilitating both the breakdown and synthesis of biomolecules. These metabolic processes are categorized into catabolic and anabolic pathways, which operate in a coordinated manner to ensure energy balance and cellular function.Catabolic Pathways and Energy ReleaseCatabolic pathways involve the breakdown of complex macromolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins into smaller structures like monosaccharides, fatty...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Agricultural landscapes reshape progeny through transcriptomic and physiological changes.

Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology·2026
Same author

Silent Erosion: Impact of Forest Logging on Genetic Diversity in Tropical Understorey Birds.

Genome biology and evolution·2026
Same author

Gut microbial composition varies with host metabolic phenotype in juvenile Atlantic salmon.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Within-individual changes in mitochondrial DNA copy number across the life course and links to individual performance.

Biology letters·2026
Same author

Correction: Reproductive aging and age-dependent parental effects on offspring in a long-lived seabird.

Oecologia·2026
Same author

Reproductive aging and age-dependent parental effects on offspring in a long-lived seabird.

Oecologia·2026
Same journal

A New Framework to Empower Ecosystem Assessment Through the Integration of eDNA Inventories, Graph Theory and Niche Modelling.

Ecology letters·2026
Same journal

Correction to 'Artificial Light at Night Consistently Impacts Avian Physiology and Behaviour: A Meta-Analysis'.

Ecology letters·2026
Same journal

Lucky To Be Alive, Luckier to Breed: Lifetime Reproduction in Weddell Seals.

Ecology letters·2026
Same journal

Three-Dimensional Correlated Random Walks for Animal Movement and Habitat Selection.

Ecology letters·2026
Same journal

Higher-Order Interactions Can Promote Coexistence by Rewiring Intransitivities Into Competitive Networks.

Ecology letters·2026
Same journal

Plants That Evolved Under High Phylogenetic Diversity Have Higher Invasion Success, Particularly in Undisturbed Communities.

Ecology letters·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device
08:28

Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device

Published on: July 18, 2025

Ecological processes in a hormetic framework.

David Costantini1, Neil B Metcalfe, Pat Monaghan

  • 1Division of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK. d.costantini@bio.gla.ac.uk

Ecology Letters
|September 21, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Low exposure to certain stressors can benefit organisms, a phenomenon called hormesis. This concept links environmental conditions to organism function, aiding adaptation to changing environments.

More Related Videos

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Ecotoxicological Methodologies to Evaluate Biomarkers at Different Scales in Neotropical Anurans
08:14

Ecotoxicological Methodologies to Evaluate Biomarkers at Different Scales in Neotropical Anurans

Published on: April 28, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device
08:28

Creating Rapid Oxygen Oscillations in Microbial Single-cell Growth Analysis using a Microfluidic Double-layer Device

Published on: July 18, 2025

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
10:20

Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter

Published on: March 12, 2013

Ecotoxicological Methodologies to Evaluate Biomarkers at Different Scales in Neotropical Anurans
08:14

Ecotoxicological Methodologies to Evaluate Biomarkers at Different Scales in Neotropical Anurans

Published on: April 28, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Non-essential substances and environmental stressors can exhibit hormetic responses, showing beneficial effects at low doses and toxicity at high doses.
  • Hormetic responses, characterized by nonlinear dose-response relationships, have been observed across diverse organisms and numerous stressors.
  • The concept of hormesis extends beyond toxicology to ecology and evolutionary biology, linking environmental conditions to organism function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To clarify the various uses of the term 'hormesis'.
  • To provide a framework for ecologists studying the fitness consequences of stressor exposure.
  • To highlight the role of hormesis in animal adaptation to environmental changes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on hormesis.
  • Analysis of ecologically relevant examples.
  • Discussion of the connection between hormesis, acclimation, and phenotypic plasticity.

Main Results:

  • Hormesis describes beneficial effects of low-level stressors and toxic effects at high levels.
  • The phenomenon is widespread across organisms and stressors.
  • Hormesis is linked to acclimation and phenotypic plasticity, aiding environmental adjustment.

Conclusions:

  • Hormesis provides a crucial link between environmental stressors and organism function.
  • Understanding hormesis is vital for assessing the fitness consequences of environmental change in ecology.
  • Hormesis plays a significant role in enabling animals to adapt to dynamic environments.