Human Variation and Race

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.

The environmental stress I pick is heat. Heat can negatively impact the survival of humans in many ways. If it is too hot, our bodies sweat it out. If we sweat too much, our bodies can become dehydrated, which can have dire consequences. The heat goes as far as to hurt our crops by drying up the land, and can even evaporate bodies of water.

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.

A short-term adaptation to the environmental stress of heat is perspiration. Humans utilize thermoregulation through perspiration. The evaporation of sweat from the skin surface has a cooling effect.
              A facultative adaptation toward the environmental stress of heat would be fainting. Sometimes our bodies faint, turning off genes to alter a phenotypic expression in response to heat. This can allow our bodies to retain what little energy it has to keep surviving. This can take some time to return to the original state, before fainting.
              A developmental adaptation to the environmental stress of heat would be less body hair. Over generations, people who live consistently in a hot environment would have much less need for hair, which helps in cold environments with insulation. So much so that not being hairy would be beneficial to maintain homeostasis.

Some cultural adaptations toward the environmental stress of heat would be clothing, as well as availability of water. To adapt to the heat, some people may wear less clothing, such as a bikini, or just shorts. Also, water can be used to quench thirst, and is always accommodated in hot areas where people exist.

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.

It would definitely be very beneficial to study human variation from this perspective across environmental clines. The information from this kind of exploration can help us in many ways. For example, if there is a special kind of Air Conditioning system used in Japan, which not only keeps your entire house cold for cheaper, but also saves energy and does not excrete pollution. It would be very beneficial for anyone to consider the best way to deal with heat, while having the least negative impact on the environment.

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.  

One way that race can be used to understand the variation of adaptations listed earlier, is by comparing cultures closely related to the equator, and cultures located at the southern and northern poles. This would help us understand the development of adaptations of humans towards the environmental stress of heat. However, the study of environmental adaptations would be a better way to understand human variation, than the use of race. One primary reason for this is because of global transportation. There are many different races that exist in every culture. Because of this, it is not always race that would show a trend toward certain environmental adaptations. The study of environmental influences on adaptations would give more accurate results.