4.3 Succession Flashcards
What is ecological succession?
A series of more or less predictable changes that occur in a community over time.
Ecological succession can be categorized into primary and secondary succession.
What are some disturbances that can cause changes in an ecosystem?
- Floods
- Earthquakes
- Volcanoes
- Blizzards
- Forest Fires
- Climate change
These disturbances can lead to ecological succession by altering habitats.
When does primary succession occur?
When volcanic eruptions produce new land that is sterile and previously uninhabited by organisms.
This type of succession begins on lifeless surfaces.
Give an example of primary succession.
- Lichens growing on the surface of rocks
- Plants growing in volcanic rock
Lichens are often the first organisms to colonize bare rock.
What is the first species to colonize an area during primary succession called?
Pioneer Species.
Pioneer species are crucial for initiating the process of ecological succession.
What is secondary succession?
Occurs when existing communities are not completely destroyed by changes, allowing soil to survive.
Secondary succession tends to happen more rapidly than primary succession.
What typically triggers secondary succession?
- Fires
- Floods
- Hurricanes
Unlike primary succession, secondary succession occurs in areas where soil and some organisms still exist.
Why does succession occur?
- Natural disasters
- Organisms change their environment
- Some species adapt better to environmental changes than others
These factors contribute to the dynamic nature of ecosystems.
True or False: Secondary succession takes place much faster than primary succession.
True.
This is due to the presence of soil and some surviving organisms.
What is a climax community?
A stable and mature ecological community that has reached the final stage of succession.
Climax communities are characterized by a diverse range of species and stable ecosystems.
Over the course of a succession the:
number of difffernet species tpically increases
As one species alters its environment, other species find it easier to:
compete for resources and survive
Secondary succession in healthy ecosystems following natural disturbances:
reproduce the original climax community
Ecosystems may or may not recover from:
extesive human caused disturbances
