Problem: Children living at high altitudes develop a larger chest cavity by adulthood than children living at lower altitudes. What can be said about this adaptation?
This genetic adaptation arose in the population in which these children live, because of the relative lack of oxygen at this altitude. This is a behavioral adaptation that involves lung-enhancing exercises and the eating of certain foods. It is not genetic. Individuals who live at high altitudes temporarily develop greater lung volume and the ability to use oxygen more efficiently. This ontogenetic adaptation occurred during a critical period of development and is not reversible.