Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Week 8: Human Variation Race Blog


06/02/2015
By: J Grajeda

1. Selected Cold as one of the following environmental stresses:
Humans adapt to different types of climate environments, on colder climates the danger is always present hypothermia can kick in if the core body temperature drops to 94 degrees F. or below.

2. Short term, humans adapt very quickly to
Human body reacts to extreme cold by initiating shivers; this causes certain muscles to function at higher rate and increases body heat to reduce combat cold.

Facultative
“Narrowing of blood vessels to reduce blood flow to the skin. It is an involuntary response to cold and reduces heat loss at the skin’s surface” I also think that this could lead to other serious health problems, if body fails to counter balance this adaptation.  

Developmental
For instance, in the sub-artic region the Inuit people consume large amounts of foods that are high on fats, most coming from fish, “this increases the basal metabolic rate, which increases the production of body heat”

When compared to the Aborigines from Australia, they respond physiologically very different way, “ thick fat insulation develops around the vital organs of the chest and abdomen” Heat loss is reduced and core temperature remains at normal levels.



Cultural
Humans living in cold climates learn to adjust their life style as require, they wear clothes, furs that are more resistant to cold. Adjust their diets to better suit their needs, including alcohol and other hot beverages.




3.
There are multiple benefits of studying human variation; it gives us a better understanding and can provide a more in depth knowledge of the human race, as a whole and not necessarily by nationalities. Also, studying climate variation will enable humans to better plan and prepare in cold environments.



4. The word “race” has different meaning to many people, but in this situation we can apply it to any human living in this cold regions, adapting to an array environmental changes.