Browse By Unit
Joshua Nielsen
Joshua Nielsen
Ecological succession is the process by which an ecosystem or community experiences change. A climax community is found when this ecosystem stops experiencing sporadic change and instead reaches stability. This means that, under the current climate conditions, little to no changes are occurring. Most diagrams depict this as a forest, though the Sahara Desert has remained unchanged for almost five thousand years.
If conditions change, the climax community will change and succession will begin again. Think what would happen if the desert suddenly had more consistent rainfall or the rainforests experienced long term drought. Those conditions then become "unideal" or "unstable" for its residents and it must change (experience succession) again until it reaches another climax community.
There is little difference between primary and secondary succession after they start. Secondary succession is only different in that the soil is not wiped out; it remains, and bare bedrock is not exposed. Often, a natural disaster is more tame (such as a wildfire or a flood) and wipes away the living organisms, leaving only soil. Now the pioneer species will be grasses and ‘weeds’ like dandelions. The rest of the process remains the same, and will eventually foster competition after the ecosystem's entire rebuild.
Most diagrams of succession, primary or secondary, only show the vegetation (flora) that is changing (replaced) over time. As mentioned before, the plants present become larger or more complex the further along succession processes are. You must also realize that the animals (fauna) will also be changed (replaced). Buffalo are at home in the open grasslands, for example, but would have a hard time navigating the redwood forest.
An indicator species is one that reflects the health of its ecosystem. If an indicator species experiences death or much lower population density, this can indicate that an ecosystem's health is poor or failing. For example, amphibians like frogs experience life both on land and in water, so their health could indicate whether or not both parts of an ecosystem are healthy and functioning properly.
🎥 Watch: AP Environmental Science - Adaptations and Ecological Succession
<< Hide Menu
Joshua Nielsen
Joshua Nielsen
Ecological succession is the process by which an ecosystem or community experiences change. A climax community is found when this ecosystem stops experiencing sporadic change and instead reaches stability. This means that, under the current climate conditions, little to no changes are occurring. Most diagrams depict this as a forest, though the Sahara Desert has remained unchanged for almost five thousand years.
If conditions change, the climax community will change and succession will begin again. Think what would happen if the desert suddenly had more consistent rainfall or the rainforests experienced long term drought. Those conditions then become "unideal" or "unstable" for its residents and it must change (experience succession) again until it reaches another climax community.
There is little difference between primary and secondary succession after they start. Secondary succession is only different in that the soil is not wiped out; it remains, and bare bedrock is not exposed. Often, a natural disaster is more tame (such as a wildfire or a flood) and wipes away the living organisms, leaving only soil. Now the pioneer species will be grasses and ‘weeds’ like dandelions. The rest of the process remains the same, and will eventually foster competition after the ecosystem's entire rebuild.
Most diagrams of succession, primary or secondary, only show the vegetation (flora) that is changing (replaced) over time. As mentioned before, the plants present become larger or more complex the further along succession processes are. You must also realize that the animals (fauna) will also be changed (replaced). Buffalo are at home in the open grasslands, for example, but would have a hard time navigating the redwood forest.
An indicator species is one that reflects the health of its ecosystem. If an indicator species experiences death or much lower population density, this can indicate that an ecosystem's health is poor or failing. For example, amphibians like frogs experience life both on land and in water, so their health could indicate whether or not both parts of an ecosystem are healthy and functioning properly.
🎥 Watch: AP Environmental Science - Adaptations and Ecological Succession
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.