BIOL2010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 39: Tibetan Plateau, Andes, Red Blood Cell
Document Summary
Human populations still evolving: selection at high altitudes. Lots of complications including, fatigue, dizziness, altitude sickness, etc. Increased red blood cell production when you move to high altitudes: uptake of oxygen, athletes and training. Some populations have experienced changes in allele frequencies after generations have lived in higher altitude for an increased period of time. Andes mountains: indigenous people, variants of hemoglobin that carry more oxygen, allows greater uptake/delivery of oxygen. Tibetan plateau: naturally higher rates of breathing and greater lung capacity, also have expanded blood vessels=increased blood flow and delivery of oxygen, through natural selection, these alleles are passed down. Alleles for high cholesterol genetically would be lower fitness but because of pills we are changing the selection pressure. Can"t take a pill for every tiny thing. 17 different species: 2893 observations total as a class, 4 or 5 students assigned to each tree, measure general senescence.
