Through out time humans have been able to adapt to different environments and climates. which led to the us being able to expand throughout the world. but can there be some climates that are to harsh for the human species to adapt to? for example what affects can high altitude have on a person? this could be dangerous if not done cautiously because of the lack of oxygen and thin air.
an example of short term adaptation would be the way humans are able to adapt to high altitudes. this is done by breathing deeply and faster to maximize the amount of oxygen that gets into the blood. then the heart can pump the blood and oxygen through out the body. facultative adaptation research has found that over 140 million people have been able to adapt to living in a high altitude environment but this process does take longer. it can take up to multiple days or weeks. full adaptation depends on the altitude your at. the higher you go the longer it takes to complete full adaptation. after a long process your body must go through full adaptation is achieved when the red blood cells reach a high peck then stop. developmental and cultural adaptation for high altitudes would be through what we've learned in research. we have been taught what the causes of altitude sickness are. as a culture we do what we need to do to avoid this. for many while on high altitudes trips they prepare in advance. some choose to use medication and become physically fit before.
the study of human variation has been helpful in bringing important information as to how to avoid illness and dangers in high altitudes. even though everyone is different research found that people who are not prepared for high altitudes have the same illness symptoms. for example before trips such as hiking to high altitudes we've learned that it is important to be physically fit and hydrated. Things such as dehydration can cause the process of full adaptation to take longer which can cause illness or even death because of the lack of oxygen. it is also important to travel to higher altitudes slow to be able to regulate breathing in thinner air and adapt to having less oxygen.
Using the 4 different adaptations for high altitudes an example of race could be explained through the Tibetans, Andeans, and Ethiopians because of their genetic adaptations to their environment. This has happened because they've lived there for many generations and are no longer affected by any of the symptoms. But besides them there are many more different races and cultures in our world and it would not be accurate enough to use race because of the lack to represent the differences in individuals. because of this it would be better to use the variations in the environments and climates to see how individuals or species adapt on their own.
an example of short term adaptation would be the way humans are able to adapt to high altitudes. this is done by breathing deeply and faster to maximize the amount of oxygen that gets into the blood. then the heart can pump the blood and oxygen through out the body. facultative adaptation research has found that over 140 million people have been able to adapt to living in a high altitude environment but this process does take longer. it can take up to multiple days or weeks. full adaptation depends on the altitude your at. the higher you go the longer it takes to complete full adaptation. after a long process your body must go through full adaptation is achieved when the red blood cells reach a high peck then stop. developmental and cultural adaptation for high altitudes would be through what we've learned in research. we have been taught what the causes of altitude sickness are. as a culture we do what we need to do to avoid this. for many while on high altitudes trips they prepare in advance. some choose to use medication and become physically fit before.
Using the 4 different adaptations for high altitudes an example of race could be explained through the Tibetans, Andeans, and Ethiopians because of their genetic adaptations to their environment. This has happened because they've lived there for many generations and are no longer affected by any of the symptoms. But besides them there are many more different races and cultures in our world and it would not be accurate enough to use race because of the lack to represent the differences in individuals. because of this it would be better to use the variations in the environments and climates to see how individuals or species adapt on their own.
So how does high altitude, with it's reduced air pressure (not lack of air), negatively impact homeostasis? Missing this explanation.
ReplyDeleteGood explanation for your short term adaptation.
So a facultative response to high altitude is to increase the production of red blood cells? You kind of throw this in at the end of your explanation of the time it takes to adapt facultatively (which was correct), but the emphasis needed to be on how we adapt, not when.
I agree that high altitude sickness is a risk of moving into a high altitude climate, but this doesn't explain HOW human adapt through developmental and cultural changes. Needed to be explained.
Good discussion on benefits of the adaptive approach.
I think you are on the right track in the discussion of race but not seeing the key point. Race is a social construct, not a biological one, and varies subjectively across cultures to categorize humans based upon external appearances and is influenced by preconceived cultural biases. So how could you objectively understand biological variation using a subjective social system of human categorization? The answer? You can't.