Biol 302 succession 1
COMMUNITY CHANGE COMMUNITY CHANGE (SUCCESSION)(SUCCESSION)
Krebs cpt. 21; pages 403-424; 431Krebs cpt. 21; pages 403-424; 431
Biol 302 succession 2
SUCCESSION ….
Is the non-seasonal, directional and continuous pattern of colonization and extinction on a site by populations.
Is the replacement of one kind of community by another kind; the progressive changes in vegetation and animal life that may culminate in the climax community (Krebs 622)
Biol 302 succession 3
PRIMARY SUCCESSION ….
… recovery from a new sterile area that has been uncovered by a retreating glacier, or created by an erupting volcano.
SECONDARY SUCCESSION ….
… recovery of a disturbed site.
Biol 302 succession 4
PRIMARY SUCCESSION
Mt. St. Helens pp403-405
Lake Michigan dunes pp416-419
Glacier Bay pp413-416
Biol 302 succession 6
Connell and SlatyerConnell and Slatyer 19771977
Succession driven by interactions Succession driven by interactions between species:between species:
FACILITATIONFACILITATION
TOLERANCE (COMPETITION)TOLERANCE (COMPETITION)
INHIBITIONINHIBITION
Biol 302 succession 7
FACILITATION …only certain pioneer species can establish after disturbance. Early species enhance the ability of later species to establish.
INHIBITION …any species can invade. Once established, species resist further invasion and are displaced only by death or further disturbance.
TOLERANCE …any species can invade. Early species have little or no effect on abilities of later species to invade. Later species can displace early species by reducing resources to levels below those tolerated by earlier occupants.
Biol 302 succession 8
Facilitation
SUCCESSION PATHWAYSSUCCESSION PATHWAYS
A B C D
A B
CD
Tolerance & Inhibition
Biol 302 succession 11
A study from abandoned farmland illustrates A study from abandoned farmland illustrates some aspects of Facilitation, Tolerance and some aspects of Facilitation, Tolerance and
Inhibition (see Krebs pp 419-422) Inhibition (see Krebs pp 419-422)
FIELD ABANDONED IN FALLFIELD ABANDONED IN FALL
1. INITIAL INVASION:1. INITIAL INVASION:
• HorseweedHorseweed
• a winter annuala winter annual
• produces abundant seedproduces abundant seed
• self-allelopathicself-allelopathic Conyza canadensis
Biol 302 succession 12
2. NEXT SEASON:2. NEXT SEASON:
• Asters Asters
• More susceptible to More susceptible to decaying roots of decaying roots of horseweed, than horseweedhorseweed, than horseweed
• Tolerant of dry conditionsTolerant of dry conditions
Biol 302 succession 13
3. SECOND AND THIRD SEASONS3. SECOND AND THIRD SEASONS:
• BluestemBluestem
• Seedlings invading since initial abandonmentSeedlings invading since initial abandonment
• BroomsedgeBroomsedge
• Seedlings invading since initial abandonmentSeedlings invading since initial abandonment
• More tolerant of dry conditions than AstersMore tolerant of dry conditions than Asters
• Decaying roots of Horseweed promote growthDecaying roots of Horseweed promote growth
Biol 302 succession 15
FACILITATION:
• Broomsedge is promoted by decaying roots of horseweed & aster
TOLERANCE:
• Broomsedge displaces aster through competition for water
INHIBITION:
• Horseweed litter prevents aster from persisting
SUMMARYSUMMARY
Biol 302 succession 16
FORCIER 1975
Succession driven by interaction of disturbance & life history traits of species
Studied trees in a New Hampshire forest
• Trees with dbh >2 cm (400 plots)
• 90% of canopy:
• Sugar maple
• American beech
• Yellow birch
Biol 302 succession 21
SPECIES Density
(#/m2)
(dmin/dmax )
x 100
% plots with at least 1 seedling
Mass/ind (mg)
Yellow birch
21.3 2 92 8
Sugar maple
10 57 73 268
Beech 3.9 66 55 569
Biol 302 succession 22
Number of cohort alive at beginning of interval
Age
interval
Yellow birch
Sugar maple
Beech
0-1
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5
5-6
6-7
7-8
8-9
9-10
1000
70
<30
1000
583
317
225
166
118
84
54
48
42
1000
410
262
188
138
121
110
92
87
83
Biol 302 succession 23
CANOPY SEEDLINGS SAPLINGS
< 0.5m tall 0.5 – 2 m tall
Yellow birch
Yellow birch
Sugar maple
Beech
+
+0
-
+
-
Sugar maple
Yellow birch
Sugar maple
Beech
0
+
+
0
0
++
Beech Yellow birch
Sugar maple
Beech
0
0
+
0
0
Seed -
Sprouts +