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Ecological Succession
Ecological Succession
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
Ecological succession
Progressive replacement of one community by another
through natural processes over time until the
development of a stable community (climax) is reached
Involves a directional, orderly and non-seasonal process
It involves colonization, establishment and extinction
which act on the plant species involved
Involves the formation of seres or seral communities,
which eventually advance to the formation of climax
community
Xerophytic habitat is converted into a mesophytic one
As succession progresses, species diversity increases
Causes of succession
Autogenic factors
those which are due to the presence or
growth of the plants themselves, eg., light
capture by leaves, water and nutrient uptake,
detritus production, nitrogen fixation, amount
of moisture in soil, etc.
Many species change the environment in
which they live in ways that make it less
unfavorable for themselves and more favorable
for others.
Allogenic factors
Stages of succession
Pioneer stage- starts when hardy individuals of a
species invade or colonize the area; pioneer species such
as lichens and moss are able to tolerate harsh conditions
Lichen structure
a) algal part (Chlorophyta or Cyanophyta)
b) fungus part (Ascomycota or Basidiomycota)
Adaptation of moss to
unfavorable environment:
low thermal conductivity,
high porosity,
high water holding capacity, and
capacity to maintain nitrogen-fixing
symbioses with Cyanobacteria
Primary succession
occurs in an area that previously was devoid of
life;
may start from bare rocks or in areas in which
the soil is incapable of sustaining life as a result of
lava flows, newly formed sand dunes, or rocks left
from a retreating glacier;
The rate of succession is slow because of the
arduous process involved in soil formation
a) Volcanic rock
Xerarch succession
Climax
Community
Seral Communities
Crustose
Foliose
Moss stage
lichens stage lichens stage
Herbs stage Shrub stage Forest stage
e.g
e.g
e.g
e.g
e.g
e.g
Polytrichum,
Rhizocarpus, Parmellia,
Eleusine,
Rhus,
Mesophytic
Tarula,
Rinodina,
Dermato
Aristida
Phytocarpus
trees
Grimmia
Lacanora
carpon
Rinodina
Seral
community
2
1
Dermatocarpon
Foliose
lichens stage
e.g
Parmellia,
Dermatocarpon
Crustose
lichens stage
e.g
Rhizocarpus,
Rinodina,
Lacanora
Lecanora
Trend of succession in
Lithosere
Polytrichum
Seral
community
3
Eleusine
Tortula
Seral
community
4
Moss stage
e.g
Polytrichum,
Tortula,
Grimmia
Herbs stage
e.g
Eleusine,
Aristida
Grimmia
Aristida
Seral
community
5
Climax
Community
6
Forest stage
e.g
Mesophytic
trees
Shrub stage
e.g
Rhus,
Physocarpus
Rhus
Secondary succession
Series of community changes which take place on a
previously colonized but disturbed or damaged habitat
Examples include areas which have been cleared of
existing vegetation such as after tree-felling in a
woodland, and destructive events such as fires
Other examples of disturbances: severe storms or
droughts, landslides, overgrazing, disease outbreak,
flooding
Begins in an area that already has soil
The disturbance leaves seeds, spores, or the
subterranean portions of plants present
Secondary succession
The reestablishment of a community in which most, but
not all organisms have been destroyed. Lodgepole pines
(a) will replace meadows in the absence of fire.
Prescribe fires (b) burned trees in the meadow (c).
Hydrarch succession
Hydrarch succession
Lodgepole pine
forest
Large
Long
Well dispersed
Poorly dispersed
Simple
Complex
Low
High
Fast
Slow
Role of Decomposers in
Cycling Nutrients to Plants
Biogeochemical Cycling
Community Site
Characteristics
Ecosystem Stability
Plant Species Diversity
Life-History Type
Seed Longevity
Multilayered
Litter and Soil
Monolayer
Living Biomass and
Litter
Minor
Great
Extreme
Moderate (Mesic)
Low
Low
r
Long
High
High
K
Short
# found
Pi
ln(Pi)
Pi ln(Pi)
84
0.3281
-1.1144
-.03656
0.0156
-4.1589
-0.0650
91
0.3555
-1.0343
-0.3677
34
0.1328
-2.0188
-0.2681
43
0.1680
-1.7840
-0.2997
Total
256
1.0000
-1.3661
Community #1
Species
1
2
3
4
5
Total
# found
40
40
40
40
40
Pi
ln(Pi)
Pi ln(Pi)
Pi
ln(Pi)
Pi ln(Pi)
Community #2
Species
# found
1
2
3
4
5
Total
1
1
196
1
1