Ecological succession

Intro video • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0qdWoLdk1c

1. In the video, what was the first or-ganism that started to grow on the rock?

2. What was the last stage called?

Lichen

Climax community

Ecological succession

• Succession: a situation in which an established ecological community is gradually replaced by another until a climax community is established.

e.g.) changes in the species composi-tion of vegetation.

Before an ecological succession..

Glaciation, erosion, fire, volcanic erup-tion, or other destructive event.

The environment became barren and almost lifeless.

Ecological succession

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/9i.html

A Typical New York State Suc-cession

http://regentsprep.org/regents/biology/units/ecology/ecological.cfm

A Pond Succession Se-quence

http://regentsprep.org/regents/biology/units/ecology/ecological.cfm

Pioneer organisms

• Pioneer organisms: the first organ-isms to inhabit a barren environment.

e.g.) lichen: a fungus-alga symbiotic association erodes rocks into sand

Youtube video: Lichen, the most awesome thing ever.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te4qnLkHnS4

Intermediate stagese.g.) second succession stage Lichen and mosses prepared the soil so

grasses and other herbs could growMore organic soil Shrubs and woody

plants.

http://www.allianceforwaterefficiency.org/Shrubs_Introduction.aspx

Climax community

• A stable, self-perpetuating community that results from an ecological succes-sion.

http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/psbeechmaple.htm

New York: Beech-maple forest is the cli-max community.

http://regentsprep.org/regents/biology/units/ecology/ecological.cfm

Primary succession• An ecological succession in an envi-

ronment where no plants had ever lived. There is no soil at the begin-ning. Starts with ROCK!

http://www.quia.com/jg/2524430list.html

Primary succession con’t

http://www.quia.com/jg/2524430list.html

Secondary succession

• An ecological succession in an envi-ronment where some plants lived be-fore.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Secondary_Succession.png

Online activity

• http://www.iesalbayzin.org/descargas/AnimacionesBio-Geo/WebCTMA/succession.swf

Exit question

• In your own words, define the term ecological succession.