Lesson 6 Flashcards
ecological succession
Ecological succession is the observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.
pioneer species
Pioneer species are hardy species which are the first to colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems, beginning a chain of ecological succession that ultimately leads to a more biodiverse steady-state ecosystem.
pioneer community
In biology, the variety of plants, animals and fungi that first colonize a barren habitat is known as a pioneer community. These organisms are the first in the order of biological succession for that habitat and are followed first by seral communities and then by climax communities.
climax community
In ecology, climax community, or climatic climax community, is a historic term that expressed a biological community of plants, animals, and fungi which, through the process of ecological succession the development of vegetation in an area over time, had reached a steady state.