Flashcards on Ecological Succession: Community Change Over Time
Ecological Succession: Community Change Over Time Explained
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Ecological succession
12 cards
Card 1
Question: What is ecological succession?
Answer: A predictable pattern of gradual change over time in a community following a disturbance.
Card 2
Question: What are the two main types of ecological succession?
Answer: Primary succession and secondary succession.
Card 3
Question: Where does primary succession occur? Give examples.
Answer: Where there were no previous plants or soil present before, e.g., beaches, lava flows, severe landslips.
Card 4
Question: Where does secondary succession begin? Give examples.
Answer: In areas where a disturbance removes some or all species but the soil remains, e.g., fires, floods, overgrazing, abandoned crop fields.
Card 5
Question: What are pioneer species and what general features do they have?
Answer: Pioneer species are the first colonists; they are hardy (withstand extreme temperature and moisture), establish rapidly though often slow-growing, hav
Card 6
Question: How do pioneer species prepare the environment for later colonists?
Answer: They alter biotic and abiotic conditions by building up, stabilising and enriching soil, altering light availability (providing shade), and modifying
Card 7
Question: Give an example of floral pioneer species in primary succession and explain their role.
Answer: Lichens are first on rock; they don't need soil, help break down rock into smaller pieces, and when they die they add organic matter to form soil.
Card 8
Question: Which pioneer species typically appear in secondary succession?
Answer: Annuals (herbs and weeds) appear first, followed by grasses and perennials; in forest gaps or wetter sites a tangle of climbers may develop.
Card 9
Question: What ecological changes occur during the intermediate species stage?
Answer: Soil holds more water and is more fertile, temperatures are less extreme due to more shade, allowing a greater variety and number of organisms to move
Card 10
Question: How does plant composition change during the intermediate stage?
Answer: Small non-woody herbaceous species give way to small hardy woody plants, then larger woody shrubs and small trees that grow slower; grasses remain par