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. (5 pts)

When it comes to high levels of radiation it can disturb our homeostasis and our impact on human survival. When radiation begins it actually starts off in space and then affects us on earth later on. In space there are actually storms but they are different from our storms because they produce radiation waves. For example UVA rays are able to penetrate through the epidermis layer of human skin and affect the dermis layer, causing defects in human cells. Of course human skin has a negative reaction to radiation and can harm us presently and in the future.

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) 

 

Facultative: Have you ever notice that in the summer time we humans are usually darker in the summer or even on the” tan” side, and during the winter people are usually more white and pale. This is because the body is responding to environmental stress. In the summer, humans usually outside while we usually tend to be inside more in the winter because it’s so cold. so of course during the summer we expose ourselves to UV rays and high temperatures. When these rays are absorb in great amounts it causes our skin cells to absorb these rays negatively. When the human skin becomes tanner it is actually producing a sunscreen that will remain on our skin until we remove this environmental stress or UV rays. No one really understands why we do tan but it’s our bodies ways of protecting us or producing our own “sunscreen”.

 

Short Term: Have you ever had that feeling when you go to the beach and your skin is in the sun for to long your skin tends to feel raw and burned or turning red? Well that’s a sun burn. Sun burns ar created from UV rays that are taking negatively so it’s almost like its burning your skin. So yes of course ladies sun is not always great. This is also a warning reaction that the body produces to warn you of the harmful exposure. The body can only handle so much so when your body turns red and raw it’s time to get out of the sun and give your skin a break.

Cultural: For other cultures, many like wearing clothing that protects them from the environmental stress or sun. Of course we have also developed sunscreen that has helped many people. SO people can still have fun in the sun but not be harmed or feel like they are baking. Other way of helping your skin in to create a shelter or use an umbrella or even bringing a canopy or tarp to keep the sun from effecting you at all but still enjoying your day. Also migration can play a role, by fleeing one site in order to survive during a certain season and then returning back during the prime seasons.

 

Developmental:  Developmental changes are found in populations that have been subjected to a large amount of solar radiation there for their skin color has become dark to help shield themselves for an over absorption  of UV rays. An example I am African American and when I go to the beach I would see women or men that get sun burned and I don’t. So after I learned it’s because of my skin or because I’m darker I am able to withstand higher levels of solar radiation exposure. Even for those who live in different continents and its extremely hot but they are darker they rarely get skin cancers or negative reactions with their skin so they also adapted to their environment as well.

 

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) 

The benefits of studying human variation is to understand how humans have adapted and altered to be able to exist and protect themselves from harsh environmental stress or UV rays imposed by mother nature. We can see after research how our population have adapted or developed traits to endure the environmental stresses.  We can look back and see how humans have evolved throughout the years and adapted.  This information can give us insight about how our world and us as people have adapted and live today to adapt to the environments we live in.  By studying skin cancer and UV rays, we can determine what levels are acceptable to the human body and what we can take before we need sunscreen or proper attire for the sun.

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 use race to determine what areas in the world UV rays have affected the most of our population. When you think about it and after I have did research about It, we adapt to a lot of things and get past a lot of things to live in our world today, no matter what continent, there are things that effect some people and there are some things that don’t. I do believe that UV rays do affect Caucasians worse than African Americans but that is from the research I have did. I still could be wrong. Once you understand and research the environment of where certain people or races live you would understand why it effects certain people or races in the end.