tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845873173371072581.post1606143663210440436..comments2012-08-02T23:05:36.839-07:00Comments on Zachary Hill: Zulus and Andean IndiansAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12351361764570140177noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845873173371072581.post-31628446119307220682012-06-21T21:01:32.506-07:002012-06-21T21:01:32.506-07:00Hey Zachary!
Just like you I brought up the fact ...Hey Zachary!<br /><br />Just like you I brought up the fact that the Andean Indians have a high amount of red blood cell (hemoglobin) however the point where I disagree with you is not so much about that physical adaptation but the mechanism behind it that you mention. You mention that if they were to come back down to normal sea level altitude, they would have a decrease in red blood cell count, however if this is a physical adaption, specifically one that involves genetic components, wouldn't it take generations for this trait of high hemoglobin to come back down to levels found in low altitude individuals? True, the body has many different mechanisms for the immediate homeostasis of hemoglobin levels like certain hormones produced by the kidney, however what about the long term effects? I know this is starting to tread into physical anthropology but if we were to analyze the hemoglobin levels of the offspring on an Andean Indian who had traveled to live at a lower altitude, my guess would be that that child would poses still high levels of hemoglobin reflective of the physical adaptation to high altitudes.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03840430007568056605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845873173371072581.post-34163216594156112702012-06-21T19:06:02.212-07:002012-06-21T19:06:02.212-07:00You seem to know a lot about the human body, which...You seem to know a lot about the human body, which is very interesting to read when you were describing the physical adaptations. And of course I have to agree with you in your last paragraph, adaptations make more sense, race does not tell you much. It just tells you skin color, that's about it, but if you understand why people look a certain way it makes more sense.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17274669284413628807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7845873173371072581.post-42368794523507866832012-06-21T15:40:35.656-07:002012-06-21T15:40:35.656-07:00Overall, very good post. Good descriptions and yo...Overall, very good post. Good descriptions and your final analysis was very good. Your identification of the red blood cell count was excellent, just make sure you spell out the words fully in future posts so all can follow your explanation without guessing the meaning of "RBC" and "CBC".<br /><br />A couple of points:<br /><br />The cultural adaptation of the Zulu that you identify is not an adaption to the natural environment you identify in the first paragraph. It is an adaptation to sociopolitical environment of aggression. Can you think of a cultural adaptation that helps them adjust to the natural stresses you have identified?<br /><br />A minor point: "Sherpas" are not really a race, it is more of a profession.L Rodriguezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08257404167710713925noreply@blogger.com