POPULATION CONCEPT IN BIOGEOCENOLOGY

Under consideration is methodology of investigation of biogeocenoses t reated as systems of interacting populations. Elementary Demographic U nit (EDU) is defined as a minimal structural body at population level of biogeocenosis design. Specific characters of EDUs in the plants of different sizes and life forms are analyzed which are: range size, gen eration turnover ratio, spatial structure. A classification of EDUs is proposed on the basis of their integrity, range size, and discretness . Mechanisms of integration of EDUs are shown to be: population biolog y of autotrophic edificators in the forests; that of heterotrophic ver tebrates in the steppes; and that of both auto- and heterotrophs in th e deserts. Population biology of organisms is considered as a system-m aking factor that order the matter and energy fluxes within biogeoceno ses of various types.