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5. Correlation between morphological features of human populations and climatic-geographical conditions

Correlation between morphological features of human populations and climatic-geographical conditions

Belkin V. (1), Korostishevsky M.A. (1), Batsevich V.A. (2), Pavlovsky O.M., Kobyliansky E. (1)

1) Department of Anatomy and Anthropology and Chair in Biological Anthropology , Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University; 2) Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mokhovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia

Belkin V., e-mail: vbelkin@post.tau.ac.il; Korostishevsky M.A., e-mail: korost@post.tau.ac.il; Batsevich Valery A., Ph.D., ORCID ID: 0000-0003-3833-1588, e-mail: batsevich53@mail.ru; Pavlovsky O.M.; Kobyliansky Eugene, Ph.D., e-mail: anatom14@post.tau.ac.il

Abstract

The present paper uses morphology data gathered from the 33 regions of the former USSR in the field studies carried out by research teams of the Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Moscow State University, in 1961–1991. Subjects included 4386 men and 4436 women aged 17–95. The individuals’ data were adjusted by age and sex before factor analysis and examined for possible correlations with climatic conditions. The factor analysis revealed five integral morphological factors that characterized parameters of the human body and explained 79.3% of the total variance: the 1st factor (M1) characterized body fat component, 2nd factor (M2) characterized the linear measurements of the body, 3rd factor (M3) stood for body proportions, the 4th factor - for chest parameters, and the 5th factor (M5) - for bone aging. In addition two integral morphological factors of face (H1) and head (H2) were defined, which explained 74.4% of the traits’ variance. The correlation analysis between human morphological features and climatic conditions in the studied populations suggests that the chest morphology is the most dependent on climatic impact.

Keywords

anthropoecology, human morphology, climatic conditions

Цит.: Belkin V., Korostishevsky M.A., Batsevich V.A., Pavlovsky O.M., Kobyliansky E. Correlation between morphological features of human populations and climatic-geographical conditions // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2012; 1/2012; с. 63-75