Community Succession

Question 1

Succession

Answer 1

Replacement of species over time

Change in species composition over time

Question 2

Why do communities change?

Answer 2

-species migration
-species extinction
-change in relative abundance
-population growth
-changes in conditions and resources

Question 3

Primary succession

Answer 3

Start of new habitat with no organisms
-all organisms prior were eliminated
-lava, nuclear explosion, new island

Question 4

Secondary succession

Answer 4

Disturbances that do not obliterate all of the species in the community
-fire

Question 5

Animals role in succession

Answer 5

-follow their food and their foods food
-affect plant communities
-heavy grazing or trampling

Question 6

Mechanisms of succession

Answer 6

Facilitation
Inhibition
Tolerance

Question 7

Characteristics of early succession

Answer 7

-many seeds
-small seeds
-wind or animal dispersal
-long seed viability
-less roots
-fast growth rate
-small size at maturity
-low shade tolerance

Question 8

Characteristics of late succession

Answer 8

-few seeds
-large seeds
-gravity or eaten by animals
-short seed viability
-slow growth rate
-large size at maturity
-high shade tolerance

Question 9

Climax succession

Answer 9

The end point of succession

Where the rage of change in the community is slow

Question 10

Mechanisms for succession

Facilitation succession
Inhibition succession
Tolerance succession

Answer 10

the presence of an initial species aids and increases the probability of the growth of a second species

Earlier successional species actually inhibit growth of later successional species and reduce growth of colonizing species already present

later successional species tolerate lower levels of resources than earlier occupants and can invade and replace them by reducing resource levels below those tolerated by earlier occupants