1. Trends in Ecological Succession
Ecosystem Characteristics
Trends in ecological succession
Food Chains
Simple food chains becoming more complex food webs
Relative Species Abundance
Changes rapidly first, changes slower in the later stages.
Total Biomass
Increasing
Humus (non-living organic matter)
Species Diversity
Low diversity in the early stages, then increasing in the intermediate stages and then stabilizing in the final stages as an equilibrium is approached.

2. Productivity Ecosystem Characteristics Trends in ecological succession
Gross Productivity (GP)
Increasing during early stages of primary succession then little or no increase during the final stages of secondary succession
Net Productivity (NP)
Decreasing
Respiration (R)
Increasing

3. Mineral and Nutrient Cycles
Ecosystem Characteristics
Trends in ecological succession
Mineral cycles
Becomes more closed in later stages
Nutrient recycling
Increases in later stages