COMMUNITY CHANGE OVER
TIME
SUCCESSION
Definition of Succession:
“non-seasonal, directional and
continuous pattern of colonization
and extinction on a site by species
populations”
There are two main types of Ecological
Succession
Primary Succession: The process
of creating life in an area where no
life previously existed.
Secondary Succession: The
process of or re-establishment that
follows a disturbance in an area
where life had formed a community /
ecosystem before .
PRIMARY SUCCESSION
• Occurs on newly exposed (e.g.
when a glacier retreats), or a
newly formed substrate (e.g.
volcanic deposit) that never
supported life before
• Community that first develops on
such an area is called a Pioneer
Community.
PRIMARY SUCCESSION
PRIMARY SUCCESSION
Nosoil, no
propagules
Generally slow
Pioneer organisms
Soilis produced
over hundreds of
years by pioneer
organisms.
These organisms
break apart rock,
add humus as
they die and
decompose, and
hold water
This allows other
organisms to
PRIMARY SUCCESSION
Lichens begin
growing on the
rocks. Over many
years lichens break
down rock into sand.
Weathering and
erosion break down
rock into sand as
well
Lichens do not need
soil to survive
Called PIONEER
SPECIES
Primary Succession
Seeds are blown
in by the wind or
carried in by
animals. Simple
plants like
mosses can grow
in the new soil
The plants grow
and the soil gets
enriched as
plants die..
Primary Succession
• Herbs and weeds
can grow in the
thicker, enriched soil
The simple plants
die, adding more
organic material
The soil layer
thickens, and
grasses,
wildflowers, and
other plants begin
to take over
Primary Succession
• These plants die, and they add more
nutrients to the soil
• Shrubs and tress can survive now
Primary Succession
Insects, small
birds, and
mammals have
begun to move
in
What was once
bare rock now
supports a
variety of life
Primary Succession
These plants die, and they add more
nutrients to the soil
Now larger trees can grow: Acacia,
Combretum, Terminalia, Mopane,
Brachistagia, etc. (Savanna
woodland or Miombo woodland)
Succession occurs
BECAUSE
Each For example,
community some types of
changes the trees need a lot
conditions so of sun and their
that they are saplings cannot
more grow under the
favourable to shade of their
other own species.
organisms that They will be
replace them. replaced by the
A community is still undergoing
succession
As long as the
species keep
changing:
Here, the plants
growing under
the pine trees are
NOT small pine
trees, so the
species will be
changing as the
old pine trees fall
The Climax Community
A climax community is a mature, stable
community that is the final stage of
ecological succession.
In an ecosystem with a climax community,
the conditions continue to be suitable for
all the members of the community.
Any particular region has its own set of
climax species, which are the plants that
are best adapted for the area and will
persist after succession has finished, until
another disturbance clears the area.
We can tell it’s a climax
community-
A climax
community
replaces itself
with more of
itself:
Under
brachystegia
trees, we will see
brachystegia
saplings-that
shows that it is a
climax
These are Climax
Communities
Two main physical factors determine
the nature of the community that
develops in an area. These are
temperature and the amount of
rainfall.
Ifwe place the amount of rainfall on
a graph’s “X” axis, from 0-10, 10-
20,and 20-30+ inches and the
temperature along the “Y” axis from
hot, moderate, to cold, the various
types of biomes (ecosystems) will fit
into the graph based on the
conditions that they require.
Most biomes have a distinct temperature and rainfall range: Temperature and
rainfall play key roles in determining which plant species will grow in a given
environment.
A summary of changes that occur during succession
Pioneer species colonize a bare or disturbed site. Soil building.
Changes in the physical environment occur (e.g., light, moisture).
New species of plants displace existing plants because their
seedlings are better able to become established in the changed
environment.
Newly arriving species alter the physical conditions, often in ways
that enable other species to become established.
Animals come in with or after the plants they need to survive.
Eventually a climax community that is more or less stable will
become established and have the ability to reproduce itself.
Primary Succession: Mount St. Helens
Erupted in 1980.
44,460 acres were
burned and
flattened.
Afterthe eruption,
plants began to Mount St. Helens, a day before
colonize the volcanic the volcanic eruption (May
debris. 1980)
Pioneer species were
the first to colonize
the newly available
area and begin the
process of ecological
succession.
Primary Succession on Mount St. Helens
4 months after the eruption
(September 1980)
May 1980
Primary Succession on Mount St.
Helens
The process of succession will
continue in this area so long as
conditions keep on changing
◦ Soil is still being formed
◦ Nutrients are continually being added to it
as plants die and undergo decomposition
Later on shrubs and trees will begin to
get established
A climax community will be reached
after many years (as described
above).
Threats to Climax
Communities
Forest Fires
Humans building cities and roads
Flooding, Volcanic eruptions
Clearing a community for
agricultural purposes
Anything that destroys the existing
community, but much of the soil
remains.
Sometimes, some of the organisms
remain as well.
SECONDARY SUCCESSION
Secondary Succession
When a
community is
disrupted and
succession occurs
again, it is called
secondary
succession.
Disruption may
be from fire,
farming, wind,
logging.
Secondary Succession
Organisms are destroyed but the soil is safe.
The soil already contains the seeds of weeds,
grasses, and trees.
More seeds are carried to the area by wind
and birds.
Succession begins again but the primary
species are different.
Because soil is present, this succession is
much faster.
Secondary Succession
Occurs in areas that once supported a
community, but are now bare due to some
disturbance factor
Secondary succession is usually faster than
primary succession
- conditions not as severe
- habitat has already been modified for
species other than pioneers to colonize it
- soil and propagules remain
- usually faster than Primary succession
Old Field Succession
The form of ecological succession which occurs
on abandoned farmland is referred to as old
field succession – example of secondary
succession
Old-field Succession
Occurs in farmland
that has been
abandoned.
Grasses and weeds
grow quickly and
produce many
seeds that cover
large areas.
Secondary Succession
1. Some seeds in
the soil begin to
grow.
[Link] shrubs
move in
Secondary Succession
3. Fast growing
trees (such as
pines) move in
4. These are
followed by slower-
growing hardwood
trees
[Link]
Climax Community
The same climax
community will
develop unless
the abiotic
conditions have
changed.
Climax Community
The climax
community will be
part of the BIOME
of that area.
Our climax
community-
Acacia woodland/
Miombo woodland
-is part of the
savanna biome