For my final blog post I chose the cold as the environmental stress. This stress effects us more directly as we are a tropical species, our bodies have adapted better to warmer climates. The cold can bring about changes in our homeostasis in the forms of shivering, frost bite, hypothermia and even death. It was important for our early ancestors to quickly adapt to changing climates, not just for survival but it was important for migration.
The quickest and initial method of relieving the cold, is the ability to shiver. This is done by muscles contracting and expanding quickly in order to generate heat. This action also conserves heat in the body. The start of this action might be signaled by goosebumps or the raised hair follicles on our bodies. This response is leftover from the time when our ancestors had fur, the point being the raised hair gives us an added layer of warmth. Although since we no longer have hair you just see raised skin. Excuse the image finding a proper representation of movement is somewhat difficult in a photo.
A developmental change to the environment would be the way our body stores body fat and it's overall shape. Someone who live in colder climates will tend to be more heavy and have a rounder body. This shape is the most effective at storing both heat and fat. Providing internal organs with a protective layer. The extra layers would be effective than the skinny body we would see in someone who lives in a hot environment.
Clothing is major part of how we stay warm. As mammals it is important for us to stay at a certain temperature. Although like our ancestors we no longer have fur. Clothes allow us to regulate our body temperatures through the effective layering of material. Someone may only wear a sweater and or scarf when it becomes a little chilly outside. Those who live or work in the arctic may have more in terms of special gloves, goggles, boots, and heavy jackets.
Environmental studies provide scientists an important look at how our world is affecting us as a species. Within each climate and region we have differences that allowed us to survive and adapt. While race may provide some answers as to why these changes took place race varies from person to person, while an environmental adaption will be constant within those people. Studies such as these help us unlock more about ourselves as a species as well. It might give us insight into our ancestors would have survived such conditions.
Hey Victor,
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I think that it is very interesting in how our body fat plays a big role in how our body temperature keeps warm during the winter. I also found that shivering made it easier for us to adapt to the cold. I think that basically wearing warm clothing is the best way to keep warm in order to temporarily adapt to the cold weather.
Good opening explanation of cold stress.
ReplyDeleteGoose bumps and shivering are actually two separate adaptive responses, but great explanation on how goose bumps use to be adaptive.
Very good discussion on your developmental and cultural traits.
Missing the facultative trait?
The last two points were different questions. I agree with the positive feedback we can get from the adaptive approach, but how can this information be applied in a real-world way to help us? Are there medical applications? Can it tell us how to design clothes for cold weather?
"While race may provide some answers as to why these changes took place race varies from person to person..."
But that is the question here. Can race provide any answers as to why humans vary as they do? You suggest it can provide "some answers"... such as what?
Race is a social construct, subject to the biases and preconceptions of individual cultures, and it is designed to divide humans into categories, not to explain variation. It is not a biological/genetic construct, so how can it be used to objectively explain biological/genetic variation?