Section

Ecology

Title

GEOPHAGY AS A PHENOMENON OF INTERACTION OF LIVING SYSTEMS WITH ABIOTIC FACTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENT: A REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH (PART 2)

Сontributors

A. A. Sergievich, Doctoral candidate of the School of Natural Sciences, Head of Biomedical laboratory,

Far Eastern Federal University, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;

K. S. Golokhvast, Professor of the Department of life safety in technosphere of the School of Engineering,

Director of REC nanotechnology, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

The review presents the information on the experimental observation of the phenomenon of geophagy (litophagy) of animals in natural and laboratory conditions. Based on the researchers’ data analysis as well as on their own observations, it is noted that the interaction of the mineral-crystal factor of the environment with the organism depends on different biological purposes. In some cases, geophaginous behavior is aimed at alimentary fill because of the lack of a certain substances in the body, and in other cases mineral-crystal environmental factor acts as a kind of external controller of both behavior of the animal, and certain homeostatic constants.

Keywords

geophagy, animals, abiotic factors, mineral-crystal factor of environment.

References

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