Elevation Changes of Morphometric Traits Structure in Pterostichus montanus Motch. (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

We studied morphometric variation in ground beetles populations inhabiting plots at different altitudes of the Barguzin mountain transect (Russia, Buryatia). Sample size was 1200 specimen, six measurements were analyzed. Beetles size did not differ in altitude gradient. Multivariate analysis showed that population structure was not the same at different altitudes with variation in factors loading on the studied traits. PCA extracted two factors that affected body size variation in species studied in altitudinal gradient: the first – climatic conditions of the shore (coast) and high altitudes (false subbald and high mountains belts, correspondingly), the second – altitude gradient.