Ecological Succession Flashcards
What is the definition of Succession?
Succession is the change in an ecological community over time
What is Secondary Succession?
Secondary succession is when succession is disrupted
What is the difference between Primary Succession and Secondary Succession?
Difference is Primary Succession starts from bare rock serial
Secondary Succession starts again but soil already created
What changes the harsh conditions first in primary succession?
Primary succession starts with a pioneer species
Pioneer species such as lichen adapted to survive in harsh abiotic factors
Through the death and decomposition of lichen it changes abiotic factors to become less harsh and form thin layer of soil called Humus
Why is Humus important?
Humus allows for mosses and smaller pants can survive and further increase the
Depth and nutrients content of soil
What happens if the environment continues to be less harsh?
As the environment becomes less harsh it becomes less suitable for the previous species.
Each existing species is outcompeted by a new species
What is the advantage of a less hostile environment?
Increase Biodiversity
What is the final stage in primary succession?
Final stage is a succession is known as climax community and is dominated by trees
What is lichen?
Is two different species co-existing together Algae and Fungus
What is the function of Algae in Lichen?
Algae function is photosynthesis to make glucose and shares with fungus
What is function of fungus in lichen?
Can absorb water.
Release enzymes out of its cells on rocks and breaks down so can be absorbed by the algae and fungi
Succession Summary?
Species richness+Number of organisms increase so biodiversity increases
Food webs become more complex
Why do we Actively prevent succession from Conservation of Habitats?
Destruction of habitats result in loss of food and space for organism which leads to extinction.
Conserving habitats succession often managed
Why does Conservation of Habitats need to be managed?
Management between conflict between human needs and conservation
