Sulphur Cycle

It is a sedimentary cycle where Sulphur is found in organic and inorganic deposits.

Organic deposits are found in coal, oil, and peat while inorganic deposits are found in pyrite
rock and Sulphur rock in the form of sulfates and sulphides and organic Sulphur.
Naturally, it is added due to weathering of rocks, erosional run off, volcanic eruptions
including Hotsprings, geysers and decomposition of organic matter.
Sulphur cycle is mostly sedimentary except for two of its compounds, hydrogen sulphides
(H2S) and Sulphur dioxide (SO2), which add a gaseous component to its normal
sedimentary cycle.
Anthropogenic activity such as burning of fossil fuel such as burning of coal is associated
with release of Sulphur
Activity such as weathering of rocks, construction activity, mining, drilling also causes
release of SO2.
Sulphur bound in living organisms is carried back to the soil, to the bottom of ponds, and
lakes and seas through excretion and decomposition of dead organic material.
Excessive Sulphur is associated with air pollution, acid rain both in form of wet depositions
and dry deposition and smog.

Ecological Succession

The nature of dynamism in biotic communities causes the plants and animal species to be
replaced over a period. This succession is based on natural selection and the survival of the
fittest which is in specific direction from pioneer community to climax community is known
as an ecological succession. (Progressive in nature)
1) The first plants to colonise an area are known as pioneer species. The pioneer species will
occupy the bare rocks.

Ex.

i. Bacteria

ii. Fungus

iii. Weeder

iv. Moses

v. Lichens

2) The Pioneer community is replaced by Shrubs, grasses, herbs. Such community which occurs
in series is known as Seral Community.
3) Each succession causes
i. Increase in the productivity.
 ii. Increase in bio diversity.
iii. Shift of nutrients from base to the top soil.
iv. Increase in the complexity of food web.
v. Greater specialization of ecological niche.
4) The final stage of a succession is known as Climax community which is stable, mature, multi
cellular and complex as well as long lasting.
5) Succession is of two types.
a) Primary succession
b) Secondary succession.

I. Primary Succession:
a) Succession which occurs in bare land, rocks, newly formed volcanic islands, newly
formed delta, and estuaries where no life occurred earlier is known as so.
 b) During primary succession, organisms must start from scratch. First, lichens might
attach themselves to rocks, and a few small plants able to live without much soil
might appear. These are known as “pioneer species.” Gradually, the decomposition
of those plants contributes to soil formation, and more and larger plants begin to
colonize the area. Eventually, enough soil forms and enough nutrients become
available such that a climax community, like a forest, is formed. If the site is
disturbed after this point, secondary succession occurs.
II. Secondary Succession:
a) While the succession that occurs due to partial or complete destruction of existing
seral or climax community is known as so. Secondary succession is faster.

b) This restarts the cycle of succession, but not back to the beginning—soil and
nutrients are still present.

c) For example, after a forest fire that kills all the mature trees on a particular
landscape, grasses might grow, followed by shrubs and a variety of tree species,
until eventually the community that existed before the fire is present again.
NOTE:
When succession is brought by living inhabitant of community themselves, it is known as
Autogenic succession.
When the succession is brought due to external agents such as drought, flood, fire etc., it
is known as Allogenic succession.
Succession in which initially the green plants are much greater in quantity is known as
Autotrophic succession.
The ones in which the heterotrophs like bacteria, fungus etc. are greater in quantity is
known as Heterotrophic succession.