Succession

Question 1

Colonisation eg lichens and mosses

Answer 1

species grow that are capable of surviving difficult conditions such as bare rock. they begin to break down rock and add organic matter

Question 2

pioneer species

Answer 2

are able to grow when colonisers have made conditions more hospitable

Question 3

pioneer

Answer 3

pioneer species produce soil as dead material accumulates. this allows larger herbaceous plants to outcompete pioneers.
shrubs and bushes can be supported when soil becomes deep enough

Question 3

climax community

Answer 3

forms when the largest plants can grow. there is then no further succession

Question 4

What is succession

Answer 4

Entire forests can be wiped out by natural disasters like fire. the day after the fire the forest will look abandoned. over time the forest would grow back. the predictable changes that occur in a community is called succession

Question 5

primary vs secondary succession

Answer 5

primary change starts with an empty inorganic surface, such as bare rock.
secondary succession begins on existing soil that is clear of vegetation. it occurs after fires and floods, for example.

Question 6

net primary productivity. and units

Answer 6

Total energy fixed by photosynthesis
kjm^-2 year^-1

Question 7

Explain why temperature has different effects on NPP at these two light intensities

Answer 7

At high light intensities, as temperature increases, NPP increases because light is not limiting photosynthesis

at low light, as temperature decreases, NPP decreases as photosynthesis is limited by light