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What Is Ecological Succession?

Ecological succession is the process of change in an ecosystem over time. It occurs in two main types: primary succession, which establishes an ecosystem where none previously existed, and secondary succession, which repairs an existing ecosystem after a disturbance. Primary succession is slower and begins with pioneer species like lichens and mosses that form soil. Secondary succession is faster as soil already exists, beginning with plants already in the soil or with wind-dispersed seeds. Succession proceeds through stages as pioneer species modify the environment and make way for other plants and animals, building up to a stable climax community.

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111 views4 pages

What Is Ecological Succession?

Ecological succession is the process of change in an ecosystem over time. It occurs in two main types: primary succession, which establishes an ecosystem where none previously existed, and secondary succession, which repairs an existing ecosystem after a disturbance. Primary succession is slower and begins with pioneer species like lichens and mosses that form soil. Secondary succession is faster as soil already exists, beginning with plants already in the soil or with wind-dispersed seeds. Succession proceeds through stages as pioneer species modify the environment and make way for other plants and animals, building up to a stable climax community.

Uploaded by

Jessica Maged
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Ecological succession

Ecological succession

What is ecological succession?


Ecosystems change over time. These changes can be caused by natural events or human caused events.
The changes can be small or large scale. The accidental pollution of a small pond would be a small scale,
human caused disturbance. On the other hand a volcano eruption would be a large scale, natural
disturbance. ​Ecological Succession​ is a series of changes over time that occur in a community particularly
after a disturbance.

1. Ecological succession:​ a series of changes that occur over time in a community, particularly after a
disturbance.

Ecological Succession: ​the series of changes in an ecosystem when one community is replaced by another
community as a result of changes in biotic and abiotic factors
• Can regenerate a damaged community
• Can create a community in a previously uninhabited area
• Occurs in all types of ecosystems (forests, ponds, coral reefs, etc)

Primary succession
2. Primary succession: ​succession that occurs in an area in which no trace of a previous community is
present.
The process of creating and developing an ecosystem in an area that was previously uninhabited.

This type of succession involves changing an area from one lacking any life forms (no plants, animals, or
soil) to one that includes a great diversity of plants, animals, and insects. The most important aspect of
this type of succession is that it starts without soil. This means that there could have been a previous
community, but if some kind of disturbance such as a volcanic eruption or glacial retreat removes only the
mineral substrate (a.k.a. bare rock), then that would be an example of primary succession.

Succession can occur in all ecosystems. The evolution of a body of water from a lake to a marsh to a
meadow or forest can last for thousands of years. The process cannot be observed directly.

→ Occurs in areas with no soil

→ Is a very slow process

→ The process of primary succession starts with the arrival of living things such as lichens and mosses
that do not need soil to survive

Pioneer species:​ the first organisms to live in a previously uninhabited area.


Secondary succession

1. Secondary succession: ​types of succession that occurs in an area that was only partially destroyed by
disturbance.

Secondary succession occurs when there has been a disturbance to an existing community that
removes or damages the vegetation, but does not remove the existing soil. The pioneer species in
secondary succession start with roots or seeds that remain after the disturbance. This type of
succession occurs faster than primary succession. Secondary succession follows disasters such as a
wildfire, hurricane, or other natural disturbance. Secondary succession can also follow human
activities like logging and farming.

Secondary Succession​: the process of repairing a damaged ecosystem

→ Occurs in areas where the soil was left intact

→ Is typically a much faster process than primary succession because there is already soil

→ Secondary succession is a never ending process

→ Any disturbance in an ecosystem results in secondary succession starting over

→ Looks very similar to primary succession but does not require soil forming pioneer species

Examples of events that damage ecosystems:

→ Natural disasters → Human activities → Death of organisms


If an ecosystem is frequently disturbed it will not be able to support large trees and animals so it will
consist of the animals typical of the early stages of succession

Stages of succession
The sequence of events that take place in ecological succession happen in fairly predictable patterns over
time.

Stage 1:​ (Pioneer species) ​First species to populate an area during succession. The first organisms to
occupy an area that has been disturbed by some kind of disruption. Typical examples of pioneer species
are annual plants (secondary succession) or lichens and mosses (primary succession). The job of the
pioneer species is to modify the environment by breaking down the rock or soil in which they live to make
a more nutrient dense base for other organisms to thrive.

Stage 2: ​(Opportunistic species)​ Second species to populate an area during succession. The next plants to
begin growing. They are called opportunistic species because they take advantage of the work done by the
pioneer species. These include weeds, grasses, and small shrubs. Animals also begin to inhabit the areas.
Insects usually appear first and then rodents. Larger mammals are the last to appear.

Stage 3: ​(Adding nutrients to the soil)​ Over time the weeds, grasses, and shrubs will die and decay and add
nutrients to the soil which allows for more complex species, such as softwood trees, to grow. The
biodiversity of a community continues to increase as it ages. More and more plants and animals will begin
to inhabit the area.

Stage 4: ​(Climax community) ​The final stage of succession which remains relatively unchanged and stable
until destroyed by an event such as fire or human interference.​ ​Succession takes many years (even
hundreds) before completion. Once the community reaches a stable state of maturity it is called a ​climax
community​.
Extra questions

1. What is the main difference between primary and secondary succession?


During primary succession, the soil must be formed from rock. During secondary succession, the soil
is already established.

2. As the lichen grows, what happens to the rock on which it grows?


The lichen breaks up the surface of the rock and starts the soil formation processes.

3. What are three characteristics of early colonizers (species)?


Early colonizers are fast growing, and the wind usually disperses the seeds, and it needs lots of light.

4. How old can a mature forest be?


The mature forest is over 300 years old.

5. What are the characteristics of the plants in a mature forest?


Plants in the mature forest have seeds that are not wind dispersed, are slow growing and have large
roots, tolerate shade, and need a lot more nutrients to grow.

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