Ecological Succession

Ecological Succession

Asynchronous 5/5/2021

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Ecological Succession

Eco = Environment

Logical = Concerning

Succession = To come next inline

Ecological succession is a series of PREDICTABLE CHANGES that occur in an ecosystem over a period of time.

○ There are TWO types of succession (primary & secondary)

○ Ecosystems typically start with just a few smaller species

○ Ecosystems are stable when there is a climax community of mature and diverse species

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

Multiple Choice

What is ecological succession?

• A slow change in an environment

• A sudden change in an environment

• No change in an environment

• A fast change in the environment

Succession begins with pioneer species and ends with a climax community

Pioneer species are the FIRST plants to arrive and are small and grow quickly.

A climax community is reached when the largest organisms are present and the ecosystem is stable (no longer changing)

Multiple Choice

Stable, final stage of succession:

• adaptation

• pioneer species

• niche

• climax community

Primary Succession

• Starts on bare ROCK

• Takes hundreds of years (centuries) for a mature forest to form and reach a climax community.

• Primary succession begins with either the eruption of a volcano that takes away all the soil or a glacier retreats and leaves behind bare rock

Glacier retreating exposing bare rock A in western Greenland

Lava flows from an eruption of a volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland on Monday, March 29, 2021.

Multiple Choice

What is an example of primary succession?

• Growth in area where a field has been abandoned

• Growth in an area where a surface mine is no longer used

• Growth in an area where a forest has been cleared

• Growth in an area where a glacier has receded (retreats)

Steps to Primary Succession:

1) Pioneer species such as lichen and mosses break down exposed rock forming soil

2) Grasses, wildflowers, and weeds grow in the soil

3) Small trees and shrubs (bushes) appear

4) Bird and small mammals move in

5) Fast-growing trees, like pines emerge

6) Slower growing trees such as maples, birch, and oak grow forming a mature forest/climax community

Climax community: means "the end" and is where a community is stable and has maximum biodiversity.

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Multiple Choice

Lichen, grasses, and small annual plants are examples of -

• climax species

• native species

• pioneer species in primary succession

• pioneer species in secondary succession

Secondary Succession

• Secondary succession occurs after a natural disturbance or human activities.

• Takes a few years (decades) for a mature forest to form and reach a climax community.

• Events that lead to secondary succession are: floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, clear-cutting trees, or mining (human impact)

Forest cleared for cultivation (farming)

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Multiple Choice

Annual plants, perennials and grasses are examples of -

• pioneer species in primary succession

• pioneer species in secondary succession

• climax species

• native species

Same area after a wildfire

Multiple Choice

A fire partially destroys a temperate deciduous forest. The following spring, grasses and low growing shrubs are observed amongst the burned trees. This is an example of -

• secondary succession

• primary succession

• biodiversity

• climax community

Multiple Choice

The picture shows what type of succession?

• primary

• secondary

• tertiary

• quaternary

Multiple Choice

________________ reaches a climax community quicker because soil is already present.

• Primary Succession

• Secondary Succession

• Both types of succession

Multiple Choice

What is the order of succession shown in this figure?

• A, B, C, D

• B, A, D, C

• C, D, A, B

• D, A, B, C

Multiple Choice

After a volcanic eruption, lava covers the land. What is the order that plants grow to repopulate the area?

• Lichens → Shrubs → Grasses → Trees

• Lichens → tree → shrubs→Grasses

• Grasses → Lichens → Shrubs → Trees

• Lichens → Grasses → Shrubs → Trees

Multiple Choice

What is the main difference between primary and secondary ecological succession?

• Primary begins without soil and Secondary begins with soil

• Primary is the first stage and secondary is the second stage of succession

• Primary builds plant communities and secondary builds animal communities.

• Primary begins with soil and Secondary begins without soil

Multiple Choice

What is an example of a disturbance that could bring about secondary succession?

Multiple Choice

Which is faster: Primary or Secondary Succession?

• Primary Succession

• Secondary Succession

• Both take the same amount of time

Multiple Choice

Ecological succession is a series of predictable _______ that occur in an environment.

• changes

• series

• communities

• populations

Multiple Choice

What is a pioneer species in SECONDARY succession?

• lichens and mosses

• small trees and shrubs

• grasses and perennials

• mature trees