3.2

Question 1

Ecological Succession

Answer 1

Transition in species composition over time.

Question 2

Primary Succession

Answer 2

Succession without a starting community of life.

Question 3

Secondary Succession

Answer 3

Succession with a starting community of life

Question 4

Pioneer Species

Answer 4

The first species of life that appear during primary succession.

Question 5

Serial Stages

Answer 5

The stages between when the pioneer species first appears and when the climax community appears.

Question 6

Climax community

Answer 6

The last stage of primary succession.

Question 7

Species Richness

Answer 7

The number of different species in a community.

Question 8

Species evenness

Answer 8

The abundance of different species in a community.

Question 9

Genetic Diversity

Answer 9

The range of genetics within species in a community.

Question 10

What are the differences between primary and secondary succession?

Answer 10

Primary succession comes from nothing, usually some abiotic event that causes the start of a new community like a glacier or volcano.
Secondary succession, on the other hand, comes from an already made climax community.

Question 11

Find the Shannon-Wiener Index for this community

Species:
A: 7,
B: 3,
C: 8,
D: 11

H = -sum(p_i * ln(p_i))
p_i = n/N
n = individuals of a given species
N = total number amount of species

Answer 11

H = ~1.3

Question 12

What is the difference between the two communities?

Community A:
H = ~1.56,
R = 10,
E = 0.8

Community B:
H = 1.12,
R = 13
E = 0.5

Answer 12

Community B most likely has a dominating species due to how the richness in Community B is higher than Community A despite how Community B’s H and E are lower than Community A’s H and E.

Question 13

What is an example of primary succession?

Answer 13

Stage 1: Volcano erupts forming rock on the surface.
Stage 2: Lichens and mosses start to grow.
Stage 3: Faster growing plants start to grow and flower like shrubs, helping the soil more.
Stage 4: Fast growing trees start to form a forest.
Stage 5: Slow growing trees like oak trees are established.

Question 14

What is an example of secondary succession?

Answer 14

Stage 1: Climax community Is established.
Stage 2: A forest fire happens
Stage 3: Plants are destroyed and animals flee, leaving the area covered in ash.
Stage 4: Grasses and low growing shrubs have begun to colonize the area.
Stage 5: Small trees begin to form
Stage 6: Slow growing trees and overall climax community is restored.