Succession
Succession is the development of plant ecosystems over time as a result of either first colonisation of new land (primary succession) or recolonisation of area after habitat destruction (Secondary succession)
Types of Succession
There are Two types of Succession: Primary and Secondary.
Primary succession begins as a result of new land creation, through lava flow etc. This begins with no soil and no life, but over time there is colonisation of the land by simple organisms such as moss and lichen and annual plants. We call these pioneer plants. Over time, soil begins to slowly develop, allowing grasses and perennial plants to move into the area, and over time shrubs begin to appear. Over a period of hundreds of years shorter-lived trees (young forests) are able to survive in the area as the level of soil has been build up. The final stage of Primary Succession is the Mature Forest (Climax forest) which involves the growth of trees such as oaks and eucalyptus trees.
There are Two types of Succession: Primary and Secondary.
Primary succession begins as a result of new land creation, through lava flow etc. This begins with no soil and no life, but over time there is colonisation of the land by simple organisms such as moss and lichen and annual plants. We call these pioneer plants. Over time, soil begins to slowly develop, allowing grasses and perennial plants to move into the area, and over time shrubs begin to appear. Over a period of hundreds of years shorter-lived trees (young forests) are able to survive in the area as the level of soil has been build up. The final stage of Primary Succession is the Mature Forest (Climax forest) which involves the growth of trees such as oaks and eucalyptus trees.
Secondary Succession
Secondary Succession occurs following the removal of the existing ecosystem through for example fire, hurricane or removal for farming. As there is already adequate biomass (Soil and nutrients in soil) succession occurs over a much shorter period of time, a few years instead of many hundreds.
Secondary Succession occurs following the removal of the existing ecosystem through for example fire, hurricane or removal for farming. As there is already adequate biomass (Soil and nutrients in soil) succession occurs over a much shorter period of time, a few years instead of many hundreds.
Test your understanding (Past exam questions)
Q1. The communities A to D are composed of different species. Explain how the change in
species composition occurs in a succession. (3 marks)
Q2. Which community, A to D, is the most stable? Explain what makes this the most stable community (2 marks) Q3. Explain why it would be more appropriate to use a transect rather than random quadrats when investigating this succession. (1 mark) |