Геофагия как способ выживания растительноядных животных в ландшафтах с аномальным содержанием редкоземельных элементов

Abstract

The results of studies of the natural water composition, "edible" lands, forage vegetation, and animal tissues in the Sikhote-Alin, Altai Mountains, and the Caucasus, considering the literature data on Africa and Southeast Asia indicate that instinctive form of geophagy in animals (it seems, also in humans) develops in landscapes with an anomalously high and anomalously low concentration of rare earth elements (REE), with the disrupted ratio of LREEs and HREEs. The main reason for geophagy is to regulate the concentration and ratio of REE in the organism with the natural sorbents. The animals prefer sodium-containing analogs when they choose them.