Human Variations in High Altitude Populations

Human Variations in High Altitude Populations

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. Which include bitter potato, sweet potato, and a few

grain crops of quinoa and canihua. The rest of the fruits and vegetables of the

Quechua come from the eastern mountains on it’s way to the markets. The most

important subsistence pattern for the Quechua is stock raising. Which is limited

to the few animals that do well in the high altitudes. Their stock include

alpacas,llamas and sheep.

In the Himalayas only “5% of the geographical area(Baker,36)” can be

used for agriculture. The main crops are barley, wheat and buckwheat. The crops

are grown between 3,500 and 4,300 meters. These few crops are threatened by

drought, hail, frost, snow and erosion. The Himalayas also have extensive

pasture areas which are used by the nomadic and sedentary peoples. The higher

regions have pastures where yak, sheep, and goats are the main animals used.