User:Muffinwrites/sandbox

Arctic ecology human adaptations draft
Outline:


 * Talk about metabolic and hormonal adaptations
 * Talk about behavioral adaptations
 * Remove the sentence that says that no group has adaptations to the cold, this is scientifically inaccurate
 * ADD SOURCES

Original paragraph:

"Humans living in the Arctic region generally rely on warm clothing and buildings to protect them from the elements. Acclimatization, or the adjustment to new conditions, appears to be the most common form of adaptation to cold environments. No genetic advantage has been found when different people groups or races are compared. There is no evidence that fat is grown in response to cold, although its presence is advantageous. Most people living in the Arctic region live a lifestyle that is very connected to the environment, spending significant time outside and depending heavily on hunting and fishing."

Draft paragraph:

"Humans living in the Arctic region rely on acclimatization along with physical, metabolic, and behavioral adaptations to tolerate the extreme cold in the Arctic. There is evidence that modern Inuit populations have a high prevalence of specific genes that code for fat to aid in thermal regulation and that Arctic indigenous populations have significantly higher basal metabolic rates (BMR) than non-indigenous populations. BMR is defined as "the rate of oxygen uptake at rest in the fasting and thermo-neutral state" by W.P.T. James, meaning that this adaptation increases "oxygen uptake" rates. Research has also suggested a link between adaptations to cold climates and mitochondrial responses to thyroid hormones which "enhance" "metabolic heat production". "

Arctic Ecology Draft Lead

 * The first paragraph can stay as is.
 * The second paragraph should give a several sentence overview of the history of Arctic ecological research.
 * The third and final paragraph should summarize further discussions of climate change in the arctic.

Original Lead:

"Arctic ecology is the scientific study of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in the arctic, the region north of the Arctic Circle (66° 33’N). This region is characterized by stressful conditions as a result of extreme cold, low precipitation, a limited growing season (50–90 days) and virtually no sunlight throughout the winter. The Arctic consists of taiga (or boreal forest) and tundra biomes, which also dominate very high elevations, even in the tropics. Sensitive ecosystems exist throughout the Arctic region, which are being impacted dramatically by global warming.

The earliest hominid inhabitants of the Arctic were the Neanderthal sub-species. Since then, many indigenous populations have inhabited the region and continue to do so to this day. Furthermore, the Arctic is a valued area for ecological research.

In 1946, The Arctic Research Laboratory was established in Point Barrow, Alaska under the contract of the Office of Naval Research in the interest of exploring the Arctic and examining animal cycles, permafrost and the interactions between indigenous peoples and the Arctic ecology. During the Cold War, the Arctic became a place where the United States, Canada, and the Soviet Union performed significant research that has been essential to the study of climate change in recent years. A major reason why research in the Arctic is essential for the study of climate change is because the effects of climate change will be felt more quickly and more drastically in higher latitudes of the world as above average temperatures are predicted for Northwest Canada and Alaska. From an anthropological point of view, researchers study the native Inuit of Alaska as they have become extremely accustomed to adapting to ecological and climate variability."

Draft Lead:

"Arctic ecology is the scientific study of the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors in the arctic, the region north of the Arctic Circle (66° 33’N). This region is characterized by stressful conditions as a result of extreme cold, low precipitation, a limited growing season (50–90 days) and virtually no sunlight throughout the winter. The Arctic consists of taiga (or boreal forest) and tundra biomes, which also dominate very high elevations, even in the tropics. Sensitive ecosystems exist throughout the Arctic region, which are being impacted dramatically by global warming."

The earliest hominid inhabitants of the Arctic were the Neanderthal sub-species. Since then, many indigenous populations have inhabited the region and continue to do so to this day. From the late eighteenth century onward, the Arctic saw increased research interest from numerous countries, culminating in the establishment of the the Arctic Research Laboratory in Point Barrow, Alaska under the contract of the United States Office of Naval Research. The Arctic was a place where the United States, Canada, and the Soviet Union performed significant research during the Cold War.

Arctic ecology is currently a dynamic field of study as climate change influences the interactions between all aspects of Arctic ecosystems and threatens natural foundations such as sea ice, permafrost, and species interactions."

Peer reviewer redirect
Due to the nature of my work on the article (especially adding reliable sources for information already present), the work I do is typically migrated quickly to the article, or occurs in the article itself (such as adding a citation). Due to this, I would suggest that any peer reviewers who found this page continue on to Arctic ecology and review the article itself while leaving comments on my talk page as directed. Thank you!