BOTANY SEM4: ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION

GENERAL PROCESS OF
SUCCESSION
SUHANI KHANDELWAL
B.SC. LIFE SCIENCE
2023/1335
 1. NUDATION

This is the development of a bare area without any form of life.

i. Topographic. Due to soil erosion by gravity, water or wind, the existing community may disappear.
Other topographic causes include deposition of sand, landslide, volcanic activity and other factors.

ii. Climatic. Glaciers, dry period, hails and storm, frost, fire, etc., may also destroy the community.

iii. Biotic. Man forms a most important biotic factor; he is responsible for destruction of forests,
grasslands for industry, agriculture, housing, etc. Other factors are disease epidemics due to fungi,
viruses, etc., which destroy the whole population.
 2. INVASION
It is the successful establishment of a species in a bare area. The species actually reaches this
new site from any other area. Invasion includes the following three steps :
i. Migration (dispersal). The seeds, spores, or other propagules of the species reach the bare area.
This process is called migration and is generally brought about by air, water, etc.,

ii. Ecesis (establishment). After reaching to new area, the process of successful establishment of
the species, as a result of adjustment with the conditions prevailing there, is known as ecesis.
Ecesis is followed by full-scale colonization. In plants, after migration, seeds or propagules
germinate, seedlings grow, and adults start to reproduce.

iii. Aggregation. Colonization by successive offspring and new migrants help increase the
population, a process called aggregation. Thus, after ecesis, as a result of reproduction, the
individuals of the species increase in number and they come close to each other. Plants or
autotrophic organisms which are the first to colonize and aggregate are called pioneers. The
pioneer communities are likely to be more dynamic and have low-nutrient requirements and to
take minerals in comparatively more complex forms. They are small-sized and make less demand
from environment.
 3. COMPETITION AND COACTION
Due to aggregation of a large number of individuals of the species at the limited place, there
develops competition (i.e., interspecific and intraspecific competition) for space and nutrition.
Individuals of a species affect each other’s life in various ways and this is called coaction. The
species which fail to compete with other species are ultimately discarded. The reproductive
capacity, wide ecological amplitude, etc., help the species to withstand the competition
4. Reaction
Reaction includes mechanism of the modification of the environment through the influence of
living organisms on it. Due to this very significant stage, changes take place in soil, water, light
conditions, temperature, etc., of the environment. As a result of reaction, the environment is
modified and become unsuitable for the existing community which sooner or later is replaced by
an- other community (seral community). The whole sequence of communities that replaces one
another in the given area is called a sere, and different communities constituting the sere are
called seral communi- ties, seral stages or developmental stages.

5. Stabilization (Climax)
Finally, there occurs a stage in the process, when the final terminal community becomes more or
less established for a longer period of time and it can maintain itself in equilibrium with the climate
of the area. The final community is not replaced and is known as climax community and the stage
as climax stage.
 Importance of Ecological Succession
Characteristics of Ecological
Succession 1. Soil Formation And Nutrient Cycling
Subsequent characteristics have been Ecological succession plays a key role in soil formation. Pioneer species
possessed by ecological succession. break down rocks. Distinct stages utilise the accumulation of organic
They include the following: matter from microorganisms' degraded rocks, which enhances the
quality of soil and thus is helpful for plant growth.
It is the outcome of differences in
2. Ecosystem Services
the community’s physical Ecological succession makes many ecosystem services crucial for
atmosphere. humans. For example, forests grown because of ecological succession
Community development is are essential for carbon sequestration, water control, climate change
executed in a systematic mitigation, air purification and offering habitats for pollination. All these
procedure. actions aid in a healthy and properly functioning environment.
3. Biodiversity
It incorporates variation in
Biodiversity is stimulated by ecological succession to produce a wide
species structure and increasing range of habitats that promote distinct plants and animal species. Each
species variety. level of succession offers different ecological niches which support a
New community development is variety of creatures.
regulated by nutrient variation. 4. Conversion and Restoration
Conservation procedures are important to protect and maintain
Ecological succession works in a
diversity and ecosystem services. In contrast, restoration is a crucial
stabilised ecosystem. step to ease the natural procedures of ecological succession, which
ensures the conservation of ecosystems to reoccupy their functions.
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