What is Succession?
Get out your notes and HW Start working on the sheet from the middle of the room! Thank you!
Succession An orderly change in communities of organisms that occurs over time: Primary- begins with bare rock after geologic activity (ex: volcano) Secondary- begins on soil from which previous community has been removed (fire, agriculture...)
Primary Succession
Secondary Succession
Think about here... What would happen if we let the sports fields go? If we stopped maintaining them?
Grass Shrubs Trees Forest
Primary or Secondary?
Primary or Secondary?
Primary or Secondary?
Primary or Secondary?
Pioneer Species- the first to arrive
Climax Community- the final goal
Disturbance- natural and humangopher tortoise, fl scrub
Clear Cutting- People can speed up by planting trees
Fire can clean up an area… Example: Palmetto vs scrub oak
Some Disturbance is Devastating!
Pioneer Stage Bare muddy or sandy bottom Algae is primary producer Caddisfly Larva and fish that nest or burrow in bottom
Submergent Plant Stage Organisms decay forming soil on bottom Small aquatic plants grow but do not reach surface Dragonfly and Mayfly larva as well as weedy bottom fish
Emergent Plant Stage Continues to fill with decaying matter Larger plants grow through surface Cattails, bullrushes, water lilies Frogs, turtles, salamanders, a few fish Bacteria consume O2, less available to fish
Marsh No large open areas of water Vegetation covers most of the land No truly aquatic fish can survive
Swamp Marsh has become more dry, filled with more soil Trees start to grow like swamp maple and swamp willow
Forest Swamp has filled in with soil and dried up Trees like maple and beech dominate