Human Variations in High Altitude Populations
Human Variations in High Altitude Populations
Jessyca Caumo
26 november 1996
Thesis:The purpose of this paper is to describe the high altitude stresses and the general adaptations made by the Tibetan population in the Himalayas and the
Quechua in the Andes.
I Introduction II Background A Quechua People B Tibetan People III General Adaptations A Physical 1 Growth 2 Development 3 Core temperature 4 Extremity temperature B Non- Physical 1 Clothing 2 Houses 3 Schedule V Conclusion
"Some ten to twenty-five million people (that is less than 1% of the earth 's population) currently make it[high altitude zones] their home(Moran,143)." The adjustment high altitude populations must make are firstly physical and secondly cultural. Although most people adapt culturally to their surroundings, in a high altitude environment these cultural changes alone aren 't enough. Many physical adaptations that reflect "the genetic plasticity common to all of mankind(Molinar,219)" have to be made to survive and even more than that thrive in this type of environment. In this paper I will describe the high altitude stresses. Along with adaptations made by the populations living in them. The two high altitude populations which I will examine in this paper are the Tibetan people of the
Asian Himalayas and the Quechua of the South American Andes. The Quechua are an Indian people who inhabit the highlands of Peru and
Bolivia. They speak Quechua, which is a branch of the Andean-Equitorial stock.
They show many remnants of Inca heritage by their houses, music, and religion which has pagan rites under the Roman-Catholic surface. Their villages consist of kin groups . Their marriage partners are taken from within each village. Agriculture is the dominant subsistence pattern in the central Andean region but the Nunoa region where the Quechua reside can only support a few frost-resistant crops.
Jessyca Caumo
26 november 1996
Thesis:The purpose of this paper is to describe the high altitude stresses and the general adaptations made by the Tibetan population in the Himalayas and the
Quechua in the Andes.
I Introduction II Background A Quechua People B Tibetan People III General Adaptations A Physical 1 Growth 2 Development 3 Core temperature 4 Extremity temperature B Non- Physical 1 Clothing 2 Houses 3 Schedule V Conclusion
"Some ten to twenty-five million people (that is less than 1% of the earth 's population) currently make it[high altitude zones] their home(Moran,143)." The adjustment high altitude populations must make are firstly physical and secondly cultural. Although most people adapt culturally to their surroundings, in a high altitude environment these cultural changes alone aren 't enough. Many physical adaptations that reflect "the genetic plasticity common to all of mankind(Molinar,219)" have to be made to survive and even more than that thrive in this type of environment. In this paper I will describe the high altitude stresses. Along with adaptations made by the populations living in them. The two high altitude populations which I will examine in this paper are the Tibetan people of the
Asian Himalayas and the Quechua of the South American Andes. The Quechua are an Indian people who inhabit the highlands of Peru and
Bolivia. They speak Quechua, which is a branch of the Andean-Equitorial stock.
They show many remnants of Inca heritage by their houses, music, and religion which has pagan rites under the Roman-Catholic surface. Their villages consist of kin groups . Their marriage partners are taken from within each village. Agriculture is the dominant subsistence pattern in the central Andean region but the Nunoa region where the Quechua reside can only support a few frost-resistant crops.
References: Baker,Paul,ed. 1978.The Biology of High Altitude Peoples.Cambridge University Press:London. Gibbons,Ida. 1996.Andean Cultures Web Page. Gibbons@andes.org. Molinar,Stephen. 1992. Human Variation. Prentice Hall:New Jersey Moran,Emilio. 1982.Human Adaptability.Westview Press:Colorado. Outline