Ecology, compared to botany, zoology or anatomy, is a relatively young biological discipline that emerged in the middle of the 19th century. It considers the connections of living objects and their communities between themselves and the physical environment. One of its sections - synecology - studies ecology and its living organisms that are part of biogeocenoses: plants, insects, fungi, animals in interaction with each other. Science itself originates in the works of such scientists as L. Dollo, O. Abel, D. N. Kashkarov, V. N. Sukachev.
In this article we will get acquainted with the basic concepts of this section of ecology and find out the structure and mechanisms of functioning of ecological systems.
Biogeocenoses as components of the biosphere
Assemblies of individuals of different biological species - populations - do not live separately. They are united in larger communities - biocenoses. Moreover, between individuals within a givenecosystems, various kinds of relationships arise, for example, such as allelopathy, parasitism, mutualism, competition, trophocenotic connections. Synecology studies the relationships between organisms that are part of the biogeocenosis, and also explores the specifics of the interspecific relationships of plant and animal subsystems that form a living community.
What is meant by ecological system
Currently, environmental science actively uses not only the term "biogeocenosis", but also such a concept as "ecosystem", introduced by A. Tansley. Both words are used to refer to natural complexes and their components: phytocommunities and animal populations, which synecology studies based on the concept of the relationship of all living organisms with their environment. It should be noted that between the two terms it is not necessary to put an equal sign. The definition of "biogeocenosis", given by V. Sukachev, carries a great semantic load, as it considers natural complexes, taking into account the circulation of substances and energy flows occurring in them. But the concept of "ecosystem", which has become widespread, especially in popular science literature, due to its streamlined nature, is now used to characterize a wide variety of biocomplexes, both natural and artificial.
Theory of biogeocenosis by V. N. Sukachev
The views of the scientist were formed under the influence of prominent Russian biologists: V. Dokuchaev, who was engaged in soil science, and V. Vernadsky, the founder of the doctrine of the biosphere. Combining the knowledge of geochemistry, forestry, geobotany, V. Sukachev created a new discipline -biogeocenology. It, like synecology, is a branch of ecology that studies the relationships of living organisms within a biome, considers the patterns of interspecific and population relationships of individuals belonging to phyto- and zoocenoses. Based on the ideas of the scientist, all layers of the biosphere are saturated with life, processes of interconversions of biomass and energy take place in them. They are based on food chains.
They include producers - autotrophic organisms, primarily plants. This is followed by consumers of the first, second, third order, which are heterotrophs.
The final link in the trophic chains are utilizers of dead organic matter - decomposers. These include soil bacteria, saprotrophic fungi, and some insects. All factors of inanimate nature included in biogeocenosis, such as soil, water, atmosphere, are called biotopes.
Methods of synecological research
At the beginning of the formation of science, scientists received experimental material through research - expeditions. In the middle of the 20th century, such methods as stationary year-round experiments, the method of tagged atoms, and radio tracking became dominant. In the 21st century, tracking with the help of artificial Earth satellites of the movement of animal populations began to be actively used. For example, large artiodactyls marked with radiochips. Given the fact that synecology is a branch of ecology that studies the relationships of a large number of organisms with each other, scientists use both mathematical analysis and cybernetics. The latter is used to model and predict the components that make up natural systems.
What does functional phytocenology study
Plants are the most important participants in the life of ecosystems. As a result of photosynthesis, they provide all other living beings with food that provides a certain energy reserve. Synecology studies the relationship between the components of phytocenosis and populations of heterotrophic organisms: insects, herbivores and carnivores.
The floristic composition of plant communities in most biocenoses is quite complex and is called species saturation. Plant organisms are represented in ecosystems in the form of tiers, which is of great importance for creating a variety of ecological niches. The horizontal heterogeneity of plants is called mosaic and, in contrast to layering, depends little on the length of daylight hours. But it is directly due to the types of relationships, such as allelopathy and competition. Phytocenoses change, their dynamics is determined by circadian rhythms and successions, such as deforestation, geocataclysms, forest fires.
Causes of animal population dynamics
Such famous scientists as S. A. Severtsov, N. V. Turkin, C. L. Elton studied changes in the number of individuals in intraspecific communities. And C. Hewitt introduced the term "waves of life." They occur in natural complexes and, together with trophocenotic processes, are indicatorsbiotic potential of the ecosystem. The study of the quantitative dynamics of individuals is of great practical importance for anti-epidemic measures that control the circadian rhythms of reproduction of rodents that spread such zoonoses as plague and tularemia. Synecology also studies the impact of human activity on the state of zoocenoses, in particular, a decrease in the populations of rare and endangered species, a decrease in the number of valuable game animals in communities.
Types of relationships between organisms in biomes
Recall that synecology is a branch of ecology that studies the relationship between individuals of the flora and fauna. These include mutualism, competition, allelopathy. For example, phytocenology has long known about the incompatibility of some plants with each other: black walnut releases substances toxic to pome and stone fruit trees, inhibits their growth and fruiting, and also leads to the death of plants.
Mutualism is a form of coexistence of populations of different biological species, from which organisms receive mutual benefit (hermit crab and sea anemone, flagellates that live in the intestines of insects and help them break down fiber).
Energy exchange in the biosphere
Biogeocenoses that make up the living shell of the Earth, carry out the transformation of both biomass and energy, and are open systems. These natural complexes need an influx of light energy. Phototrophs use it for the synthesis of organic substances, ATP molecules andNADPxN2. Synecology is a science that studies the mutual transformations of biomass and energy.
They look like an ecological pyramid and its food chains. The dynamics of energy from the lowest to the highest trophic level obeys general physical laws, moreover, the difference between the energy potentials of neighboring levels is 10-20%, and the rest of the energy is dissipated in the form of heat. In this work, we got acquainted with the section of ecology - synecology, and found out the methods of its research, as well as the importance for the life support of the biosphere.
