Ecological Succession

A forest of pine trees is burned over a 10 mile area when lightning strikes a tree. In the spring, a few seedlings begin to spout.

• pioneer organisms

• primary succession

• secondary succession

• climax community

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A glacier has scraped all soil from a rocky area. As it slowly retreats, some of the rock is broken down by weathering. Some moss begins to grow.

• pioneer organism

• primary succession

• secondary succession

• climax community

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A small symbiotic organism secretes acid into the rock to anchor itself in place.

• birds

• mushrooms

• grass

• lichen

The old-growth forest has remained the same combination of hickories and oaks for 100 years.

• climax community

• pioneer species

• ecosystem

• diversity

Small organisms, such as lichens, help break up bear rock into soil.

• climax community

• pioneer species

• diverse species

• succession

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

This may take hundreds or thousands of years.

• ecosystem

• pioneer organism

• lichens

• succession

A pond slowly fills in as algae and other plants die and fall to the bottom.

• primary succession

• pioneer species

• secondary succession

• climax community

A volcano erupts creating a new island. After a few years, small plants begin to grow.

• Primary succession

• Pioneer species

• Secondary succession

• Climax community

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

This terms describes a community of organisms and the abiotic factors that make up the environment in which they live.

• Ecosystem

• Diversity

• Succession

• Lichen

As ecological succession progresses, a pioneer community gradually changes into a climax community. What typically happens during this process?

• The organisms in an area decrease in size

• The number of species decreases

• The organisms in an area can no longer find food

• The number of species increases

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4