Dynamic Saccharomyces cerevisiae responses to increasing ethanol stresses were investigated to monitor yeast viability and to optimize bioprocess performance when gradients occurred due to the specific configuration of multi-stage bioreactors with cell recycling or of large volume industrial bioreactors inducing chemical heterogeneities. Twelve fed-batch cultures were carried out with initial ethanol concentrations (P(in)) ranging from 5 g l(-1) to 110 g l(-1) with three different inoculums in different physiological states in terms of viability and quantity of ethanol produced (P(o)). For a given initial cell viability of 50%, the time to reach the maximum growth rate and maximum ethanol production rate was dependent on the difference P(in) - P(o). Whatever the initial physiological state, when the initial ethanol concentration P(in) reached 100 g l(-1), the yeasts died. Experimental results showed that the initial physiological state of the yeast was the major parameter to determine, the microorganisms' capacities to adapt and resist environmental changes.