• http://www.life.illinois.edu/bio100/lectures/fall98lects/05f98-succession.html

Succession

• Normal, gradual changes that occur in types of species that live in an area

• Occurs differently in different places around world

Primary Succession

• Lava from volcano = forms new land composed of rock

• Begins in a place previously without plants

• Starts with arrival of living things – lichens• Lichens able to survive drought, extreme heat,

cold, and harsh conditions to start soil building

Primary Succession

• Lichens = pioneer species• Pioneer species = first to inhabit the area• Soil forms = lichens, force of weather, erosion• When lichens die, organic matter helps soil.

• Mosses and ferns start to grow

Lichens

Secondary Succession

• Fire disturbs forest• Building tore down in city• Succession begins in a place that already has

soil and once home to wildlife• Occurs rapidly• Differrent pioneer species than primary

succession• Pg. 66 – Observing Secondary Succession

QUESTIONS

• What characteristics would make a seed likely to survive a fire?

• As succession proceeds, what changes will occur in the population of plants found on the forest floor?

Climax Communities

• A community of plants that is relatively stable and undisturbed

• New trees grow when the old trees die• Species remain the same; but individual trees

change

TIME

• Primary Succession = hundreds or thousands of years to develop into climax community

• Secondary Succession = century or more

Questions

• Compare Primary and Secondary Succession.

• Infer the kind of succession that will take place on an abandoned, unpaved country road.

CREATE SUCCESSION POSTER

• Show the stages of Succession• Explain Primary Succession. • Explain Secondary Succession.• Explain what a climax community would be. • Illustrate the stages.