1.7 Ecological Succession

1.7 Ecological Succession

​Objective:

KWBAT describe the process by which an ecosystem goes through to recover from an ecological disaster.

Open Ended

What is the difference between a habitat and niche?

Open Ended

When do ecosystems have to restart?

Brainstorm: In what situations do you think an ecosystem would have to restart from scratch?  List as many as you can.

Vocabulary:

• Succession

• Biodiversity

• Stability

​

SET UP YOUR NOTEBOOK

​the process of changing an area with no life at all to one with organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems

​Cut out each flap and draw a colored picture of the stages in our succession

​the process of changing an area with no life at all to one with organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems

Pioneer species, like, lichen, hlep break down rock and create soil

​Once soil has formed, grasses and weeds start to grow

​Shrubs and other small plants begin to fill in the area

​Coniferous or soft wood trees begin to grow

​Deciduous trees or hard wood trees begin to grow

​Lichen

​Grasses

​Shrubs

Coniferous Trees

Deciduous Trees

​the process of changing an area with no life at all to one with organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems

Pioneer species, like, lichen, hlep break down rock and create soil

​Once soil has formed, grasses and weeds start to grow

​Shrubs and other small plants begin to fill in the area

​Coniferous or soft wood trees begin to grow

​Deciduous trees or hard wood trees begin to grow

​occurs in places that already have soil and was once the home of organisms

Ecological succession begins with a pioneer species and ends with a climax community

​the process of changing an area with no life at all to one with organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems

Pioneer species, like, lichen, hlep break down rock and create soil

​Once soil has formed, grasses and weeds start to grow

​Shrubs and other small plants begin to fill in the area

​Coniferous or soft wood trees begin to grow

​Deciduous trees or hard wood trees begin to grow

​occurs in places that already have soil and was once the home of organisms

​healthy

​restoration

Open Ended

Why do you think increasing the biodiversity of an ecosystem increases its stability?

Multiple Choice

A farmer abandons one of his fields, and over the years, he notices that one field community is replaced by another community.  This replacement represents part of

• a food chain

• an abiotic community

• an energy pyramid

• an ecological succession

Multiple Choice

A glacier retreats and exposes bare rock. What will occur next?

•  The rock will turn into soil

• A forest will grow in the area

• A pioneer species will move into the area and begin to break down the rock into soil.

• Grass will grow in the area

Multiple Choice

Which statement correctly describes a stage in the process?

• The grass stage is the most stable stage and has existed for thousands of years.

• The shrub stage modifies the ecosystem, making it more suitable for the pine forest.

• The pine forest stage has no biodiversity and the least competition.

• The hardwood forest stage will be replaced by a pine forest.

​A scientist discovers a set of abandoned railroad tracks that are overgrown with grasses and weeds. He returns to the site ten years later and finds that there are small aspen (pine) trees growing in the middle of the tracks

Exit Ticket: On the next slide you will answer questions based on this text.

Open Ended

Based on the information above, what type of organisms would likely be found in this community after another 100 years?  Why?

Open Ended

Briefly explain why the scientist did not observe aspen trees growing during his initial observation 10 years ago. (Why did they need the grasses and weeds to precede them?)