Succession

What does “succession” mean? Jimmy Carter 1976-1980 Ronald Reagan 1980-1988 George Bush Sr. 1988-1992 Bill Clinton 1992-2000 George Bush Jr 2000-2008 Barack Obama 2008-2016

Primary Succession Defined: Establishment and development of an ecosystem in an uninhabited environment Starts with bare rock

Volcanic activity Lava cools and hardens into rock, forming new land.

Glaciers retreat New land is exposed and ready to be inhabited.

Pioneer Species Defined: First organisms to inhabit new land Moss and lichen grow on bare rock . . . . . . Rocky land

Pioneer Species Defined: First organisms to inhabit new land Moss and lichen grow on bare rock Dead matter and crumbling rock  First layer of soil Allows more growth Thin layer of soil soil Rocky land

The Process Continues Seeds grow in the new soil Rocky land wind wind

The Process Continues Seeds grow in the new soil. Small flowers & shrubs build up more organic matter Small animals and insects. soil soil Rocky land

Even More Time Passes Enough soil to hold small trees More animals use the trees as a habitat soil soil Rocky land

Climax Community Large trees take root Crowd in and compete with smaller trees New/large animals inhabit new forests soil Rocky land

Secondary Succession Defined: Rebuilding an ecosystem after a disaster Forest fires, floods, tree falls…

Occurs at a faster rate - Soil already exists - Dead matter returns nutrients to soil

Review What are the first organisms to live within a newly created patch of land called? Give examples of the answer to question #1. What are the final organisms to live within a newly created patch of land called? How are new areas of land created? Give a few examples how the process of secondary succession can start. How does primary and secondary succession differ?