Vegetation Succession

Question 1

On any newly available area of rock or soil, plants will quickly invade. This process is called ____________ and the first plants to arrive are termed ___________

Answer 1

colonisation

pioneers

Question 2

First step in a sequence that will eventually produce a balanced community of plants called the:

Answer 2

climatic climax vegetation

Question 3

A climatic climax community is the group of plant species that is:

Answer 3

best adjusted to the climatic factors that exist

Question 4

The pioneer community of plants and each successive seral stage…

Answer 4

…alter the environment in such a way to permit new species to occupy the environment

Question 5

In the process of succession; the whole sequence is called a ______ and each step in the process is called a _________________

Answer 5

sere

seral stage

Question 6

Plants provide shade and protection for others, and after they die their decomposition…

Answer 6

… improves the soil’s structure and its potential supply of nutrients

Question 7

A climatic climax community is the result of:

Answer 7

a long period of plant succession. Such communities usually exhibit a good deal of species diversity and thus are relatively stable systems

Question 8

If a succession continues uninterrupted by natural events or human activity from pioneer to climax, it is called a

Answer 8

primary succession

Question 9

On the other hand, if it is disturbed this renews a succession sequence as a

Answer 9

secondary succession

Question 10

Examples of natural or human disturbances to succession are

Answer 10

fires, landslides, flows of lava, deforestation

Question 11

The vegetation community that develops when a climatic climax or succession is changed by human activity is called a …

Answer 11

plagioclimax

Question 12

Most landscapes in the British Isles today are plagioclimaxes, including …

Answer 12

school playing fields, farm fields, planted forests

Question 13

Much of upland Britain is moorland, often dominated by a few species, such as

Answer 13

heathers and rough grasses

Question 14

In nature, moorland areas would undergo to succession to woodland, but the growth of tree saplings is prevented by

Answer 14

use of cattle and sheep for grazing, or carefully managed burning of heather moorland (the muirburn) - this maintains the population of red grouse.