Topic 9: Community Ecology/Population Ecology

Question 1

Community change depends on what 3 things?

Answer 1

1. Species ability to colonise.
2. Species tolerance of local conditions.
3. Species interactions.

Question 2

What is succession?

Answer 2

A theory that describes how communities change following the creation of a new habitat.

Question 3

What are the types of succession?

Answer 3

1. Primary succession.
2. Secondary succession.

Question 4

Where does primary succession occur?

Answer 4

In a habitat that was previously uninhabited.
e.g. sand dunes, new earth after volcanic activity

Question 5

Where does secondary succession occur?

Answer 5

In a habitat where disturbance has destroyed the previous community.
e.g. after a bushfire, most vegetation is burnt, but seeds in the soil may resprout

Question 6

The development of a community is what 2 things?

Answer 6

Gradual and progressive.

Question 7

Each predictable stage of transition in succession is called…?

Answer 7

A sere.
Or, seral succession.

Question 8

What is the overall succession seral change?

Answer 8

Simple pioneer community -> intermediate stage -> climax stage

Question 9

What is the overall succession seral change?

Answer 9

Simple pioneer community -> intermediate stage -> climax stage