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OCR
§ The aspects | 101 populations of the zoocoenosis and, thus, are actively participating in the energy flow as active users of the energy sources. The latent part of a zoocoenosis is composed of the populations that are not active, do not influence the plant cover and, temporarily, do not take part in the energy flow; they influence the other populations of the zoocoenosis only by being a potential energy source for them. From the perspective of the zoocoenosis, the apparent element is composed of all animals that move, feed, take exercise of any sort, or carries out any element of sexual activity. The periods of rest, sleep and hiding (see later) are only temporary breaks in these otherwise continuous activities, characteristic of the ethology of the given semaphoronts, but do not change the apparent character of the semaphoront. Apparent members of a zoocoenosis include, for example, a larval population of Operophthera brumata at bud-breaking time, or its imagoes during leaf fall, or the imagoes of Entomoscelis (Entomoscelia) adonidis (adonidia) in spring and autumn. In the latent part of a zoocoenosis are all the animals that stop moving, feeding, etc. for longer periods; they do not exercise any muscle, and enter a resting phase during which their life functions are supported by energy stores in their own bodies and, from the external world, they only use water and oxygen. Latent constituents are the insect eggs and pupae; larvae and adults if they enter diapause. Latent members of the zoocoenosis include the bird egg and the hibernating mammal. The latent populations have no effect on the plant cover, nor do they disturb the other populations. They continue, however, to influence the composition of the community; they remain potential members of the zoocoenosis, because their presence can attract predators and parasites, insectivorous birds and mammals into the zoocoenosis. Looking at the populations of the zoocoenosis from the positive and negative phases of activity, we can state the following. The zoocoenosis contains populations that remain active through the year; they are always apparent, e.g. the field vole, the thrush, etc. These are the permanent populations and it is obvious that the permanent populations are members of supersocia. The activity of the next group is profoundly influenced by environmental temperature, and they become latent during the cold season, irrespective of our ethological or physiological definition. Such examples are all poikilotherms, including arthropods, reptiles, amphibians, but also a few homeotherms such as the hibernating ground squirrel, hamster, marmot, etc. These species are sub-permanent populations (predominant species, Shakleford, 1929)°. All sub-permanent populations are only active during the vegetation period, and their role can be different: either they remain active during the whole period, or are tightly bound to a certain part of it. The former comprise We cannot use the term “predominant” because it can be misinterpreted; dominance means something different, and the permanent populations are not necessarily dominant.
