THE COLD
One environmental stress on humans is the cold. The cold can
negatively affect us as humans in a couple different ways. The first and most
likely cause of the cold on the human body is the restriction of blood flow.
Through this reaction the body can shut down either by not enough blood
reaching to the brain or even to the heart. This could lead to unconsciousness
or even heart failure. Also due to blood restriction certain limbs may lose
function such as the fingers, toes and even hands and feet.
A short-term adaption to the cold is shivering; this allows
the body to try to stay warm. It is the bodies attempt t staying warm.
A Facultative adaption to the cold would be
vasoconstriction, which is when the blood vessels constrict due to the
temperature. This is the body’s natural response and is the reason for
restricted blood flow.
DEVELOPMENTAL ADAPTION
The developmental adaption for colder climates would be that
those individuals in these climates have more weight. They tend to be shorter
and carry more weight in order to insulate more to keep in the heat. This is a
adaption that has occurred over the generations due to evolution.
Cultural adaptions to the cold include a number of things.
First there the use of layering clothing, this is of course considered style,
but is used also for the purposes of staying warm. The use of fire is also a
cultural adaption. This tool that humans invented is used to warm up the body.
Shelter is anther cultural way we defend ourselves from the cold. Blankets and
other tools we have developed are also in this category. This list can go on
and on, culturally there are many adaptions to the colder temperatures.
The benefit from studying these adaptions to different
humans stress on many different environments is high. The variety of climates
allows us to have more accurate data in order to make conclusive statements.
For example this data we have collected could come into use when someone
decides to change environments. With this information they can be better
prepared to go into that environment.
Race isn’t a good determination when it comes to understanding
the variation of adaptions. Race would most likely come into play in the cultural
adaptions of that specific race. Otherwise all of us can have very similar
short term, facultative, and developmental adaptions. Thus using environmental conditions
is a more accurate way to study adaptions in humans. It allows us to focus more
on simply the body’s reaction, and not on opinions, which have their role in
cultural adaptions.
Hi, I have to agree that race is not the best way to determined whether or not people adapt to certain environments. It is also good to know the way your body will react if it is exposed to the cold. I never knew that the shivers was a way for your body to warm up. I always thought the shivers was a sign of being cold, but that's it. Great post!
ReplyDeleteJaqulyne,
ReplyDeleteOverall great post. I especially liked the mention of not focusing on the opinions of race, but rather on the actual science and its role in the adaptation.
Good Job
Great post, the adaptation i choose was heat, almost the same topic but different adaptations. Over all i enjoyed your post!
ReplyDeleteGreat description of cold stress. I agree with all of your adaptations except for the facultative. Vasoconstriction is actually short term, primarily because you can't vasoconstrict for long or you risk frost bite. If cold stress persists, the body starts to alternate between vasoconstriction and vasodilation so the outer tissues have some blood supply. Increase in metabolism (turning up the body heat) and increasing fat layers are also facultative responses.
ReplyDelete"It allows us to focus more on simply the body’s reaction, and not on opinions, which have their role in cultural adaptions."
You hit on a good point there. Race is essentially based upon subjective opinion, not objective fact. Studying variation based upon biological/environmental responses offers an objective basis with which to explain that variation.