- Ecological Succession: Primary or secondary succession that goes through a natural changing process over time
- Primary succession: Has no soil and needs pioneer species (species that don’t need soil, like lichens)
- The soil forms because lichens, weather, and erosion break rocks down
- When lichens die they add a small amount of organic matter
- Lichens: are composite organisms consisting of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner growing together in a symbiotic relationship
- Lichens-Pioneer Species: Lichens help to break down hard substrate, providing nutrients to the soil are also called “indicator species”- they are sensitive to changes in environment
- Simple plants like mosses and ferns can grow in the new soil
- As more plants die the more organic matter is added, giving more nutrients for grasses and flowers to grow
- When those die shrubs can grow and insects, small birds and small mammals can move in
- Secondary succession: Already has soil and has different pioneer species than primary succession
- Ex: Occurs after wild fires
- Climax Community: Has stabilized an environment where both plants and animals can live equally (doesn’t mean it has big trees)
- Primary succession: Has no soil and needs pioneer species (species that don’t need soil, like lichens)
- The soil forms because lichens, weather, and erosion break rocks down
- When lichens die they add a small amount of organic matter
- Lichens: are composite organisms consisting of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner growing together in a symbiotic relationship
- Lichens-Pioneer Species: Lichens help to break down hard substrate, providing nutrients to the soil are also called “indicator species”- they are sensitive to changes in environment
- Simple plants like mosses and ferns can grow in the new soil
- As more plants die the more organic matter is added, giving more nutrients for grasses and flowers to grow
- When those die shrubs can grow and insects, small birds and small mammals can move in
- Secondary succession: Already has soil and has different pioneer species than primary succession
- Ex: Occurs after wild fires
- Climax Community: Has stabilized an environment where both plants and animals can live equally (doesn’t mean it has big trees)