Moscow University
Anthropology
Bulletin

Sexual dimorphism as the indicator of microevolution dynamics of somatic status (based on infants data)

Fedotova T.K., Gorbacheva A.K.

Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mokhovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia

Fedotova Tatiana K, PhD., DSc.; ORCID ID: 0000-0001-7750-7924; tatiana.fedotova@mail.ru; Gorbacheva Anna K., PhD.; ORCID ID: 0000-0001-5201-7128; angoria@yandex.ru

Abstract

Introduction. The level of sexual dimorphism, SD, is treated as independent population quantitative indice – marker of the quality of the surrounding, the level of ecological stress, the indicator of temporal fluctuations of economic and social factors. Materials and methods. Secular dynamics of SD of body dimensions is analyzed at intergroup and intragroup levels. Meta analysis embraces the data of 112 samples of urban children of 12-months-age, examined during 1930-2010 years. The main source of information – books on physical development of children and adolescents of Russia and former USSR. The second part of the work describes the monthly patterns of secular dynamics of SD of body dimensions through the age interval from 0 to 12 months based on data of Moscow children only, also from 1930s till now. The quantitative estimation of the level on SD is realized using Kullback divergence. Results. According to the results of meta analysis, secular dynamics of SD height, weight, chest and head girths of 12-months-old children is not significant (p= 0,13–0,97). Analysis of secular variability of SD of somatic dimensions of Moscow children only showed the existence of common, over temporal and over population, mechanisms of growth, in particular, increase of SD of all somatic traits under discussion through the first trimester. Intergroup differentiation of SD of anthropometric traits is minimal at the start of postnatal ontogenesis. Secular variability of age dynamics of SD of somatic traits through the infancy has nonlinear curve. SD of height and weight of the sample of 1957 for the most age points exceeds SD of both earlier samples of 1930 and 1950 and later samples of 1971 and 2008, which is connected with height rates of acceleration of post-war children. Conclusion. SD of somatic traits is an informative and autonomic indicator of microevolution and age dynamics during infancy as well as during subsequent periods of ascending ontogenesis and definite age. Nonlinear dynamics of SD levels of analyzed body dimensions through the first year of life is fixed. The most significant quantitative indicators of secular trends, fixed for several data series of Moscow infants, is SD of height.

Keywords

human biology; auxology; anthropometric dimensions; sexual dimorphism as indicator of the quality of environment; interpopulation differences; over population growth mechanisms

DOI: 10.32521/2074-8132.2022.1.054-064

Цит.: Fedotova T.K., Gorbacheva A.K. Sexual dimorphism as the indicator of microevolution dynamics of somatic status (based on infants data) // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2022; 1/2022; с. 54-64 (Published: June 23, 2022)

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