Syngenesis as a synonym for development process of biogeocenoses: their organization and self-organization
Authors: Voroshуlova N. V. 
Published: March 2019

Syngenesis is leading and determining factor in development of biogeocenoses (Sukachev, 1942) as a phenomenon means its movement over time, and as a process describes its incremental changes toward more or less stable state. Syngenesis is a process of simultaneous formation and development of biogeocenose by living things of all kingdoms of life. We consider the process as: 1) forming, creating (stocking of free land or aquatic areas); 2) a continuous process having indefinite duration, that characterizes constant mobility of composition, structure, and linkages of biogeocenosis; 3) reorganizing process which shows fractures and changes in biogeocenosis structure; 4) recovering, that reflects restoration of general and local disturbances in biogeocenosis, that is as discrete stage-phase processes. Syngenesis is multifactorial grouping process defined by penetration and interaction, cohabitation of living organisms. It is directly related to chaos at various levels and stages of biogeocenosis state and it characterized by different-scale patterns. Statics or kinetics of syngenesis are evidenced in all its forms. Statics reflects certain fixed time points or slowing of movement, and the delay between stages; kinetics should be considered as a process of biogeocenosis motion over time. All syngeneses are subordinated to zonal type of biogeocenosis reproduction and development towards achieving a more or less steady state. All these processes fit together in «organization» category. The organization defines: development of state of being organized; systematic, that is, it embodies the integration and interaction of system-forming factors reflecting development of parts, subsystems, components, elements forming a system sustainability. It is: 1) a constant attribute property of all dynamic systems; 2) a multi-step process for development of any system with a certain level of parallelism on multi-directional and subordinates to general direction of the partial phenomena and processes; 3) completeness, simplification, expansion of composition, structure, and linkages; 4) characteristics of changes in total stereostructure of organism community, above-ground and underground layering, occupation of vertical and horizontal spatial niches. The organization determines reorganization of the network interaction system: 1) reconstruction of nature of influences; 2) changes in their power, intensity, concentrations, ranges, and 3) variability in space and time relations, accordingly to biogeocenosis demands. The organization is characterized by follow: 1. Features: 1) discreteness; 2) inequivalence of stages; 3) inequality; 4) different duration; 5) acceleration or deceleration on the background of biogeocenosis demands; 6) slowing as it approaches more or less stable state. 2. Properties: 1) importance; 2) mobility; 3) biogeocenotical conditionality; 4) continuity; 5) equifinality. 3. Functions:1) formation the state of being organized; 2) establishment of structure; 3) development of biogeocenosis; 4) self-development. Self-organization is one of the characteristic properties of the organization; it is pronounced in biogeocenosis as realization of hidden resources and capabilities by the following phenomena: 1) occurrence of necessary elements qualitatively and quantitatively different in their composition at a certain point of development; 2) elimination of their excessive amounts; 3) preservation of forms adaptive to environment; 4) numerous transitions into latent status for certain elements; their migration (removal) outside of the grouping; 5) modifications: a) taxonomic and ecomorphic spectra; b) changes in polymorphy and size of population; c) total stereostructure of community and its above-ground, subterranean layering; d) occupation of vertical and horizontal spatial niches; e) patchiness and composition; 6) reorganization of the whole network system relationships on the impact. In general, it should be noted that concept on group development and organization is one of broad and insufficiently differentiated in biogeocenology. Self-organization is an objective process of self-moving of biogeocenosis over time. It is subject to the same common factors regardless of their orientation to stable or unstable condition in the group. The same factors, phenomena and processes can be both system-forming and system-destroying: interaction of organisms, competition, adaptive response, composition replenishment and depletion, structure complication and simplification, changing in ratios of functional groups.