What Is the Human-Environment Interaction in Russia?

The human-environment interaction in Russia is three-fold: depending upon the environment for food and water, adapting to the cold and dark of the environment, and modifying the land through mining and pollution. Humans adapt to Russia by passing on certain genes that help them to withstand the cold.

People who live in the Siberian region of Russia that has long, dark winters have evolved to adapt to the environment by passing on certain genes. For instance, PRKG1 is a gene that helps people to avoid losing heat through shivering. ENPP7 helps people to metabolize food more effectively, while UCP1 causes the body to use fat for heat rather than energy.

Another aspect of human-environment interaction is the way that people use the environment such as for the natural resources. The Norilsk region of Russia is rich in copper, cobalt and nickel on which humans depend for trade. They mine these resources, but as a result modify the environment causing pollution. This pollution has inhibited vegetation growth in the immediate area, and any berries are inedible because of the toxicity in the environment. In fact, environmental modification include water pollution from manufacturing plants as well as increasing hazardous waste. This pollution not only harms the environment, but humans as well.