1. Changes in Ecosystems: Ecological Succession
Place this slideshow in presentation mode to be able to watch the videos and answer the questions.

2. Essential Question
What is ecological succession and what are some examples?

3. What is Ecological Succession?
Natural, gradual changes in the types of species that live in an area
Can be primary or secondary
The gradual replacement of one plant community by another through natural processes over time

4. Primary Succession Begins in a place without any soil:
Sides of volcanoes
Landslides
Flooding
First, lichens that do not need soil to survive grow on rocks
Next, mosses grow to hold newly made soil
Known as PIONEER SPECIES

5. Pioneer Species
Low, growing moss plants trap moisture and prevent soil erosion
Lichens break down rock to form soil.

6. Primary Succession
Soil starts to form as lichens and the forces of weather and erosion help break down rocks into smaller pieces
When lichens die, they decompose, adding small amounts of organic matter to the rock to make soil

8. Primary Succession
Simple plants like mosses and ferns can grow in the new soil

9. Primary Succession
The simple plants die, adding more organic material (nutrients to the soil)
The soil layer thickens, and grasses, wildflowers, and other plants begin to take over

10. Primary Succession
These plants die, and they add more nutrients to the soil
Shrubs and trees can survive now

11. Primary Succession
Insects, small birds, and mammals have begun to move into the area
What was once bare rock, now supports a variety of life

12. Secondary Succession
Begins in a place that already has soil and was once the home of living organisms
Occurs faster and has different pioneer species than primary succession
Example: after forest fires

13. Summary of Primary & Secondary Succession Watch this video Clip (mute the volume first)

14. Climax Community
A stable group of plants and animals that is the end result of the succession process
Does not always mean big trees
Grasses in prairies
Cacti in deserts

15. On the next few slides are some questions that you need to answer in your brain to test yourself on what you learned today.

16. What are the mature group of trees called?
Climax
community

17. What is regrowth after a flood wipes out all vegetation?
Secondary succession

18. What is regrowth after cultivation called?
Secondary
succession

19. What type of succession is growth of a plant on rock material?
Primary succession

20. What is a species that starts growing and is the first one there for primary succession?
Pioneer species

21. Time to Review Watch the video clip (mute the volume)
Summarize what the video showed.
How does fire benefit forest ecosystems?
Look at the 2 sets of pictures and read the article.
3. Summarize what the pictures showed.
What would happen here if forest fires never occurred, or if people did not cut and thin the forest?
Is this showing primary or secondary succession?

22. Watch the time lapse pictures from 1979-2016 (click the play button below to advance them)
The first pictures vegetation is RED and then it changes to GREEN
Read the article below
6. Summarize what the pictures showed.
7. Is this an example of primary succession or secondary succession?
Why?
8. What organisms come first after a volcanic eruption?
Then what happens?
9. How might a volcanic eruption be good for an ecosystem?

23. Card Activity Turn to the back page of your packet.
Have 1 person (out of 2 shoulder partners) come and get the cards from the plastic bin on the demo table.
Make sure there are 8 cards.

24. Succession Cards
Use the 8 cards to place in order of an example of succession.
Draw in the pictures in the correct order on your paper in the 8 boxes.
Answer the questions.
Return cards to plastic bin on demo table.

25. Succession Examples
Look for examples of anything about succession in your notes (climax community, pioneer species, primary & secondary succession).
Research online 9 examples of different things that have to do with succession and examples of succession.
Fill in chart on your paper with all examples.

26. Location (detailed)
Description of Succession
Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, Alaska
Glacier scraped everything away except for rock; vegetation regrowth occurs=primary succession

27. Write 2 higher level questions in the left margin of each page of notes (first 2 pages), so visible when anchored.
At the bottom of page two of notes, write a 3 sentence summary to answer the essential question.
Turn in notes to basket.
Complete any unstamped pages in your folder and turn in to basket.