High Altitude:
High altitudes have an obvious connection with cold temperatures and thin air. High altitudes cause a decrease in air pressure, which disturbs the homeostatsis by minimizing the amount of oxygen being released through our vascular system. Symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and hemorrhaging in the lungs are a direct result of the change in air pressure. And in serious cases can cause death. Hypoxia is the biggest problem related to high altitudes exclusively. Being so high up, our bodies aren't used to that kind of pressure so naturally we struggle in that kind of environment, however that hasn't stopped people from climbing mountains and using high altitudes to train their body to a new level.
A short term adaptation to high altitude by humans would be a change in breathing methods, change in amount breathes, increased pulse rate , and increased blood pressure due to the low levels of oxygen circulating throughout the body.
A facultative adaptation to high altitude by humans is the body's increase of it its production of red blood cells and capillaries to carry more oxygen through the body and create carbon dioxide. As a direct result our lungs increase in size from the production of oxygen.
A developmental adaptation to high altitude by humans is having greater lung and heart capacities.The EPAS1 and PDP2 gene was evolved over time in response to low oxygen levels from high altitudes, which also helps the body burn food as fuel for the body.
A cultural adaptation to high altitude by humans would be the mere existence of thriving civilizations in high altitudes and very high altitudes. Places like Colorado or Tibet. Along with the people that actually live and endure these conditions everyday there are also athletes who use high elevation and altitudes to train their bodies in harsher conditions to strengthen them inside and out.
It is beneficial to study human variation from this perspective because of the mere beneficial information of each environment and stresses. In order to thrive and evolve we must father data and use that to increase our chances of survival. For example if a person living in Southern California there whole life were to move to Colorado, they would need to know what to expect living there and if there body can take it.
I wouldn't use race to understand the variation of adaptations because it has no direct correlation. Race is a product of our environment, i.e. sun exposure or lack there of, flat/rough ground/, and son on, so it would not make sense to make sense of the adaptations to any environmental stress a result of race. Although one would be able to see how constant exposure to an environmental stress shapes a culture in both existence of living and body characteristics. The study of environmental influences on adaption is a better way to understand human variation because the environment effects all people differently and doesn't rely on a persons race as the reason for change.
A short term adaptation to high altitude by humans would be a change in breathing methods, change in amount breathes, increased pulse rate , and increased blood pressure due to the low levels of oxygen circulating throughout the body.
A facultative adaptation to high altitude by humans is the body's increase of it its production of red blood cells and capillaries to carry more oxygen through the body and create carbon dioxide. As a direct result our lungs increase in size from the production of oxygen.
A developmental adaptation to high altitude by humans is having greater lung and heart capacities.The EPAS1 and PDP2 gene was evolved over time in response to low oxygen levels from high altitudes, which also helps the body burn food as fuel for the body.
A cultural adaptation to high altitude by humans would be the mere existence of thriving civilizations in high altitudes and very high altitudes. Places like Colorado or Tibet. Along with the people that actually live and endure these conditions everyday there are also athletes who use high elevation and altitudes to train their bodies in harsher conditions to strengthen them inside and out.
Good description on the dangers of high altitude stress. Are their any additional dangers that might impact women when they are pregnant and traveling in high altitude environments?
ReplyDeleteI agree with the physiological changes you identify in your short term section. How do these help the body in high altitude environments?
Good discussion and explanation for your facultative and developmental traits.
Cultural traits will be tools or cultural practices that help humans adapt to high altitude environments. The existence of populations in high altitude environments doesn't meet that definition. How about the use of oxygen tanks in mountain climbers? Some suggest that the practice of chewing cocoa leaves also helps.
More information and knowledge is always a good thing, but can you think of a more concrete way this information can be used? Can understanding the way high altitude impact the absorption of oxygen into the body have any medical implications? Can learning about new genes that address high altitude stress have genetic research implications?
"Race is a product of our environment, ..., so it would not make sense to make sense of the adaptations to any environmental stress a result of race. "
That is a good way of explaining the problem of a causal relationship. In order to use something as the basis for explaining another factor (such as using race to explain human variation) the first must cause the latter. As you explain, the causal relationship isn't there. The environment causes the expression in humans which we interpret as different races. Race itself doesn't cause that expression. It is the expression itself. Well done.
Regarding your images, how do they demonstrate the traits you talk about? Lung capacity works, but I don't follow the others and you are missing the fourth image.
Hey George,
ReplyDeleteI feel like you really dug deep and gathered up a lot of research for this post! I thought it was a great read. I never knew about Hypoxia i guess you really do learn something new everyday!