From the functional ecology of animals to the theory of the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. On the scientific heritage of A.F. Alimov

Abstract

The article is devoted to the scientific heritage of the outstanding Russian hydrobiologist A.F. Alimov. Showing a deep scientific interest not only in the problems of aquatic ecology, but also in zoology, he laid the foundations of the functional ecology of animals as a common area of interest for ecology and zoology. Further, his views were successfully used in studying functional ecology of different groups of aquatic animals and on their basis important generalizations were carried out on productivity and energy flows through aquatic ecosystems and communities. An important stage in his scientific work was the development of a structurally functional approach to the study of the functioning of ecological systems of water bodies and watercourses. He showed that their structural and functional parameters are naturally interdependent. This approach allowed quantification of changes in the ecosystems of water bodies exposed to various types of environmental stress. To describe the response of aquatic ecosystems to external factors, A.F. Alimov proposed an original interpretation of the steadiness and endurance of ecological systems. As a result, he laid the foundation for a quantitative assessment of the influence of various factors, including anthropogenic, on aquatic ecosystems. The proposed measures of steadiness and endurance of populations, communities, and ecosystems made it possible to assess quantitatively the degree of influence of factors on aquatic communities and the ecosystem as a whole. A.F. Alimov made a great contribution to the development of theoretical ecology. He gave an original definition of the ecosystem and formulated the main provisions of the theory of the functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Of great importance for ecology and biology in general are the works of A.F. Alimov on the territoriality of animals and on mechanisms that determine the number of species in aquatic ecosystems depending on the morphometry of water bodies, their trophic status, geographical location and degree of water mineralization. Of crucial importance for theoretical biology is a series of his works devoted to the biological (physiological) time of organisms. Based on strict mathematical analysis, he convincingly showed that organisms exist in their own internal time, the speed of which depends on the rate of the processes occurring in the body and is closely related to its mass.