Sucession/Conservation

Question 1

Pioneer Species

Answer 1

Resilient organisms which can colonise harsh environments and reproduce

Question 2

How does the pioneer species (PS) change the environment? (Example of bare rock)

Answer 2

• The lichen (PS) grow into the rock causing it to crumble
• The lichens die and decomposers act on their remains and release minerals into the crumbled rock
• The dead remains, crumbled rock, and minerals, form a primitive soil
• Mosses can now grow here and outcompete the lichen

Question 3

7 basic steps of succession

Answer 3

1: organisms colonise and area
2: change the abiotic conditions
3: these changed conditions allow other species to colonise the area
4: the new species outcompetes the old species and become dominant
5: the new species then change the environment more
6: more species enter and change the environment
7: this continues until a climax community is reached

Question 4

What is a serial stage?

Answer 4

The stages between the pioneer species and the climax community

Question 5

What happens when successive producers colonise an area?

Answer 5

More niches are created

Question 6

What happens due to more niches being created during succession?

Answer 6

The complexity of food webs increase, as there are more organisms

Question 7

What is a climax community?

Answer 7

The final and most complex state of succession

Question 8

How else can a woodland climax be reached?

Answer 8

When the water in a lake or pond is filled with sediments, allowing land plants to grow and give rise to succession

Question 9

Primary succession

Answer 9

When succession starts from previously uncolonised ground, or a new pond

Question 10

Secondary succession

Answer 10

When succession begins on previously colonised land which has been destroyed, such as by a fire or ploughing

Question 11

Conservation

Answer 11

Method of maintaining ecosystems and the living organisms that occupy them
It requires planning and organisation to make the best use of resources while preserving the natural landscape and wildlife

Question 12

Succession

Answer 12

Changes over time which result in a climax community is reached

Question 13

What does conservation often include?

Answer 13

The management of succession

Question 14

What are the 5 main conservation strategies?

Answer 14

Management of succession, seedbanks, captive breeding, relocation, and protected areas

Question 15

What is involved in the management of succession?

Answer 15

Using human interference to prevent a climax community from being established
This causes a plagioclimax to be created

Question 16

How are seedbanks involved in conservation?

Answer 16

A storage containing lots of seeds from lots of different species, often from endangered plant species

Question 17

What is captive breeding?

Answer 17

They involve breeding animals in controlled environments (eg Zoos), the animals are often endangered, the offspring can then be reintroduced into the wild, however some animals struggle to breed in captivity

Question 18

What is relocation?

Answer 18

Moving a population of a species to a new location (such as a national park), as they were under threat in their old location (eg by poaching)
Often only used for a species that only live in one location, so are more likely to become extinct due to the threat

Question 19

What is a protected area?

Answer 19

Areas such as national parks which are under protection, so their is restrictions on building, farming and industry