adaptive strategies in alpine environments: beyond ecological particularism

This paper is an attempt to identify some regularities in ecological adaptation and social organization in agricultural-pastoral communities in high altitude environments. Comparisons are made between the Alpine Swiss and Khumbu Sherpas of northern Nepal, and the model which is developed is tested against data drawn from the Andean literature. In spite of the fact that these mountain ranges are in different parts of the world, their inhabitants have made remarkably similar adaptations to their alpine environments.