Ecological Succession Chapter 6 Section 2

The sequence of communities forming in an originally lifeless habitats is called primary succession. On land, exposed rocks are first colonized by organisms called lichens. A lichen is a fungus and an alga living in a mutualistic relationship. Scientists call the lichen community a pioneer community because it is the first to colonize a new area.

A community that does not undergo further succession is called a climax community. Succession that occurs where a disturbance eliminates most organisms but does not destroy the soil is called secondary succession. The process of succession also occurs in aquatic habitats, which is known as aquatic succession. Islands undergo succession in much the same way as land on the continents, this is known as island succession.