1. Monday Sept 16/Tuesday Sept 17
AGENDA
Stamp and review homework
Notes: Ecological Succession
Activity: Ecological Succession & Environmental Change (pg 94-97)
Work on Test Review
Homework
Complete Test Review
TEST NEXT CLASS OVER: Lab Safety, Characteristics of Living Things, Levels of Organization, the Microscope, and Ecology

2. Ecological Succession
A series of predictable changes that occurs in a community over time.

3. Change
Ecosystems are constantly changing in response to natural and human disturbances
Can you think of any examples?

4. Ecological Succession
As an ecosystem changes, older inhabitants gradually die out and new organisms move in, causing further changes in the community

5. Primary Succession
On land, succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists is called primary succession
Example: Volcanic eruptions
Glaciers receding
First species to populate the
area = Pioneer species

6. Primary Succession THE STEPS IN PRIMARY SUCCESSION:
Lichen (algae and fungi) are the first to grow on the volcanic rocks
They help break up the volcanic rocks
When the lichen die, they add organic matter to help form soil
Plants start to grow on the soil

7. Pioneer species – first species/organisms to inhabit an area (usually
small – example weeds)
Climax community – stable,
mature community that undergoes little or no succession
Biome – large group of ecosystems with the same climax community
(determined by climate)

8. Bare rock → lichen → soil with small plants (weeds, mosses, grass) → larger plants (shrubs) → trees

9. Secondary succession
changes that occur when a community is disrupted by natural disaster or humans.
Leads to new climax community.
Starts from soil → small plants → large plants
Examples – fire, flood, hurricane, abandoned farm

10. Secondary Succession

11. Aquatic ecosystems – will “fill in” with dirt over time to create a land ecosystem – if no manmade intervention primary succession.