MOTION AS A FUNDAMENTAL BASIS OF LIFE

• Main Authors: A. P. Geraskina, O. V. Smirnova, V. F. Antoschenkov, N. A. Leonova, V. N. Korotkov, A. V. Gornov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Penza State University Publishing House 2020-09-01
• Series: Russian Journal of Ecosystem Ecology
• Subjects: biodiversity; ecological pyramid; cycle of matter; terrestrial ecosystem; phytophages; megafauna

This commentary is devoted to the article by V. G. Gorshkov and A. M. Makaryeva (2020), in which the division of biota in forest ecosystems is considered using the concepts of both "immotile life" and "locomotive life". The article presents well-known arguments to prove the erroneousness of using such concepts, because motion is a fundamental property of living creatures and is realised at all levels of living system organisation. Representatives of all the kingdoms are widely distributed in space at different stages of the life cycle. In opposite the view by Gorshkov and Makarieva (2020), which the large herbivorous are destroyers of terrestrial ecosystems emphasizes, in the current commentary is considered the importance of mammals in forests, for the circulation of matter and energy flow in forest ecosystems to maintain biodiversity and the efficiency of trophic systems.