Succession and Climatic Climax Flashcards
What is succession?
The change in a plant community over time
What factors make up a plants’ habitat?
Climate Relief Soil Clearance Fires Livestock grazing
What is a climatic climax?
Where plant species love in perfect balance when succession is allowed to continue undisturbed
What is primary succession?
A form of succession that forms on surfaces with no previous vegetation
What are the two types of primary succession?
Xeroseres - formed on dry land; subdivided into lithoseres on bare rock and psammoseres on sand dunes
Hydroseres - formed in water; halos were in salt water, hydroseres in fresh water
What is secondary succession?
Occur on surfaces after the destruction or modification of an existing plant community
What is a plagioclimax?
When a succession is stopped from reaching its climax
What are the stages of a psammosere? (Sand dune)
Strand line Embryo dune Fore dune Yellow dune Grey dune (semi-fixed) Dune slack Dune scrub Mature dune/woodland (fixed)
What grows in an embryo dune?
Lyme grass, a pioneer plant
Leaves are waxy reducing water loss
Can withstand strong winds and high salinity
Their roots help stabilise the sand dune
What grows in a fore dune?
Sea rocket and prickly saltwort
Thick, fleshy leaves to minimise water loss
Tolerate dry, salty windy conditions
Stabilise dunes
Which plant grows in a yellow dune?
Marram grass Main dune builder Stabilises sand Intolerant of salt Waxy leaves to reduce transpiration Dry soil, little nutrients
What kind of plant grows in a dune slack?
Silver weed
Fine mat of hair
Shiny white surface
Typical of damp places
What plant grows in a mature dune?
Creeping willow
Grow into bushes
Not tolerant of salty conditions
