High altitude is an environmental stress to the
human body. The main negative symptom
that occurs to the body when trying to adapt to the high altitude is the inability
to comfortably breath. At high
altitudes, the lower air pressure makes it more difficult for oxygen to enter
our vascular systems which can lead to hypoxia. Hypoxia occurs from not having
a sufficient amount of oxygen in body tissue. This symptom can affect the
heart, lungs, brain, reproduction, increased miscarriages, low birth rates, and
infant deaths. Hypoxia is one of the more severe stresses that occurs to the
body however increased solar radiation, reduced nutritional rates, humidity,
cold temperatures and wind are all stresses that affect the body and its homeostasis
state.
Scientists have found that there is evidence of
developmental adaptation. Reproduction as been a challenge in higher altitudes
because of the oxygen supply needed to support the baby while developing has
been the cause of miscarriages and infant death rates. The Tibet people have
lived in high alterations for as long as 25,000 years and have showed no
difficulties in reproduction. Infants have birth weights the same as infants
who are born in lower altitudes, and altitude is not negatively affecting the
development process.
The study of the human variation can be helpful in
the way that we are able to see how adaptation is occurring has occurred or
possible will if there is still a struggle occurring. Just as with the people
of Tibet we were able to see that they had adapted over time and were no longer
affected by the high altitude.
The study of environmental influences on adaptation
is a better way to understand human variation than by the use of race because it
the different adaptations that humans develop, and the different traits that groups
them into categories of race. Race shows different human populations that are
from different locations of the world. Understanding the environmental influences
of these areas and the adaptations that occurred in these regions will help understand
the differences in race are from the environmental stresses.
Your blog was very interesting. Your descriptions of hypoxia on the reproduction system was very detailed and informative. Although I blogged also about what high altitude does to the human body, you wrote more about this part of the subject. I learned a lot more.
ReplyDeleteThe people of Tibet had adapted to the high altitude that their birth rates were not affected. It was also interesting to learn that child births were normal too.
Good discussion of the effects of hypoxia on the human body, including the reproductive implications.
ReplyDeleteI agree that populations at high altitudes have had to have developed reproductive adaptations to allow pregnancy to proceed in a normal, healthy fashion in spite of the problems with oxygen transfer between the maternal and fetal circulatory systems. But can you be more specific on what that adaptation is? How has the female human body in Tibet (for example) changed to allow her to carry a pregnancy to term in spite of the hypoxia stress?
The guidelines asked you to identify an example of an adaptation for each of the four types of adaptations: Short term, facultative, developmental and culture. You've presented an example of developmental but not of the others.
I agree that we benefit by learning more about how humans adapt, but how can this information be used in a productive way? Can this be converted into medical or technological advances?
Yes, it is the descriptions of traits that humans use to create racial categories, not the other way around. Race does not create the traits. In order to use something as the basis for understanding biological traits, we need to have a causal relationship, and that doesn't exist between race and human variation. Good explanation.
Also... missing images?
DeleteI really like your introduction. You put a lot of background information and what you wrote about on hypoxia was really great. I did not know how fatal hypoxia was and all the different things that happen when you receive hypoxia until now. I also really liked how you used the Tibet people to show that reproduction can occur without any side affects at high altitudes. The one bad thing you did was not include any images.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the way you explained the negative impact high altitudes have on a person. You were extremely detailed and I also learned quite a lot about hypoxia. I knew that it could affect your heart, lungs, and brain, but I had no idea that it could also affect the reproductive system and lead to a miscarriage. I also like the way you explained how race is different than the scientific understanding of human variation. Overall, you got straight to the point, and I really enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteYou have a great information on your introduction and gave a lot of detail about the hypoxia. I really enjoy how you gave us many details about the hypoxia and it is sad that many infant baby are dying from this. It is great that the people in Tibet to be able to adapt on high altitude and many of their offsprings can survive from these environments. Overall you made a great post and I really found it interesting because I did not know that the Tibet were dealing with these sort of problems.
ReplyDelete