Climax Vegetation There are 6 main characteristics of climax vegetation: It is the final stage in vegetation succession It is the ultimate vegetation for that environment It usually depends upon the climate The vegetation cannot improve any more It has the tallest and most variety of species It has the greatest number of biomass possible

Sea Rocket, Sea Couch, Lyme Grass Vegetation Succession on Sand Dunes Seaweed is deposited at the strandline. Seaweed catches sand, and slows wind down. This allows an embryo dune to form Pioneer plants start to grown on the embryo dune These plants must be able to survive with: No Fresh Water Few Nutrients Strong Winds Salt The pioneer plants slow wind down and catch a lot of sand, allowing a yellow dune (foredune) to form. Pioneer Plants Sea Rocket, Sea Couch, Lyme Grass

More plants are now able to grow on the yellow dune (foredune), but these plants must have long roots to reach the low water table. Marram grass can improve the conditions by: 1) Weathering the sand 2) Releasing nutrients 3) Adds humus when it decays 4) Humus retains water Marram Grass Water Table

Because conditions have been improved so much, more superior plants can take over. These plants improve conditions in the same way by: 1) Weathering the sand 2) Releasing nutrients 3) Adds humus when it decays 4) Humus retains water This again improves condition further, and the soil becomes more STABLE, FERTILE and MOIST. Again, more superior plants take over, before, finally climax vegetation

Atmosphere Global Heat Budget Atmospheric Circulation Oceanic Circulation The ITCZ Climate Change

Biosphere Podzol Soils Brown Earth Soils Vegetation Succession on Sand Dunes Gley Soils