Final answer:
High altitude populations with barrel-shaped chests and a genetic mutation giving hemoglobin higher oxygen affinity include Indigenous populations in the Andes, Tibet, and the Ethiopian highlands. These populations teach us that different populations adapt to the same environmental challenge in unique ways, resulting in genetic variations that enhance their ability to survive at high altitudes.
Step-by-step explanation:
High altitude populations that are characterized by a barrel-shaped chest and a genetic mutation giving hemoglobin more oxygen affinity include Indigenous populations in the Andes, Tibet, and the Ethiopian highlands. Tibetans compensate for low oxygen levels by taking more breaths per minute, while those living at high altitudes in the Andes have higher concentrations of hemoglobin in their blood. A key lesson that high altitude populations teach us about adaptation and microevolution is that different populations can adapt to the same environmental challenge in unique ways, resulting in genetic variations that improve their ability to thrive in their specific altitudinal environment.