Sucession

Question 1

What is succession?

Answer 1

a directional change in a community of organisms over time

Question 2

What is primary succession?

Answer 2

The first time anything has grown on the land, newly exposed land so no soil or humus

Question 3

What is secondary succession?

Answer 3

land has been cleared and new organisms develop on it, soil is present but there is low biodiversity

Question 4

what is a pioneer species?

Answer 4

begin the process of succession often the first species to colonise land
eg. lichens and algae
- there have no roots so there doesn’t need to be soil
- get there by the wind, sea blown spores
- erode rock to produce a thin layer of soil, they change pH/nutrient content of the land
- change the habitat to make it more suitable for other larger organisms

Question 5

what organisms out-compete the pioneer community?

Answer 5

mosses then grasses and weeds then mixed herbaceous plants then shrubs then young forest then mature forest then it reaches a climax forest
- this is because they are better adapted to their new environment

Question 6

what is a climax community?

Answer 6

the final stable community that exists after succession has occurred

Question 7

what is deflected succession?

Answer 7

when succession has been stopped or been interfered with and it produces a sub-climax community that results in a plagioclimax

Question 8

how can succession be deflected?

Answer 8

• cutting grass
• grazing
• burning
• applying fertiliser
• application of herbicide