Human Variation

1. Select only ONE of the following environmental stresses:  (a) heat, (b) high levels of solar radiation, (c) cold, or (d) high altitude.  Discuss specifically how this environmental stress negatively impacts the survival of humans by disturbing homeostasis. (5 pts)

 Living in an extremely cold environment can be harmful to the human body. A normal body temperature stays around 98.6 F/ 37 C, so we are relatively warmer species than not. The reason(s) why we need to be around this temperature is so that our organs can function in a relaxed state. When our body temperature goes up our organs work hard when our body temperature goes down our organs have to work even harder. If our body is unable to retain any amount of heat our organs would stop working. Mainly because there is no blood flowing throughout the body as well. So this is how this environmental stress negatively impacts the survival of humans by disturbing homeostasis.

2. Identify 4 ways in which humans have adapted to this stress, choosing one specific adaptation from each of the different types of adaptations listed above (short term, facultative, developmental and cultural).  Include images of the adaptations.  (5 pts each/ 20 pts total)

I think a short term adaptation could be when a student is studying for a test the night before the test is to be taken. Once the test is over the stress is most likely gone with it. A facultative adaptation is when I go on a roller coaster. That anxiety mixed with eagerness in riding a roller coaster provides phenotypic expressions. After the ride is over there is still excitement in the body. For a developmental adaptation I feel that people who become diabetic go through this. The sudden change in diet causes internal changes but also produces a phenotypic change as well. This change is for the individual’s rest of his or her life. And last a cultural adaptation, humans who live near the beach are more likely to wear less clothing than an individual who lives in the city. We may find people who live in suburban areas to be nicer than those in the city. An individual would definitely find themselves adapting to each setting if one were to change.

Short term adaptation          Facultative adaptation

                          

Developmental adaptation    Cultural adaptation

vs.

3. What are the benefits of studying human variation from this perspective across environmental clines?  Can information from explorations like this be useful to help us in any way?  Offer one example of how this information can be used in a productive way.  (5 pts)

We are able to understand the culture that is formed at what attracts people from diverse backgrounds to inhabit the same environmental community. Yes, I think we can find this helpful. An example I would think would be for an election. The election would be about the best candidate regardless of race, compared to a community that stands no human variation who may vote for one identical human being.

4. How would you use race to understand the variation of the adaptations you listed in #2?  Explain why the study of environmental influences on adaptations is a better way to understand human variation than by the use of race.  (10 pts)

I would understand it by generalizing how certain races handle short term stressors how a race would react to a facultative adaptation or which races go through more developmental adaptations the other races or seeing which races make cultural adaptations within a certain environment. Often times we generalize people by race because that’s how the social environment tells us to do rather than seeing people for what they can do or the skills they have. Most importantly we know that environmental influences have changed over time, but humans haven’t changed much. If we study human variation on environmental influences can prove why human variation is a certain way. If we choose to study human variation through race, there’s a chance of being incorrect about any observation.