Community Succession Flashcards
succession
change in species composition as a function of time following a disturbance
serial stage (sere)
a successional stage during the process of succession
climax community
community that has reached a steady state under a particular set of environmental conditions
pioneer species
earliest species to arrive at a disturbed site
primary succession
the sequence of communities developing in a newly exposed habitat devoid of life
secondary succession
the sequence of communities developing following a disturbance that leaves some organisms in place
chronosequence
a sequence of communities that develop over time; a space-for-time substitution to study succession
pioneer plant traits
-great dispersal ability
-seeds can remain dormant
-many small seeds
-high shoot:root ratio
-rapid growth rate
-can tolerate full sun exposure
late successional species traits
-produce few, large seeds
-low seed dormancy
-low shoot:root ratio
-slow growth rate
-maximum size is large
-shade tolerant
three mechanisms of succession
-facilitation
-inhibition
-tolerance
facilitation
the presence of one species increases the probability that other species can establish
inhibition
the presence of one species decreases the probability that other species can establish
-can slow or alter succession in early stages
-can reinforce dominance of climax community
tolerance
the indifference of one species to the physical conditions of the environment and/or the presence of other species
climax community assumptions
-a constant environment
-disturbance is rare
-a source of species propagules (seeds)
hysteresis
the dependence of a system’s output on present and past inputs
-“you can’t go back the way that you came”
