1. Starter – on a piece of paper… Give me a named habitat where we can see succession happening. What examples have we seen of organisms in the pioneer stages? What examples have we seen in the later stages? What organisms do we see in the climax community? Why are sand dunes an example of succession and not zonation?

2. Learning outcomes - succession All of you should be able to: – Describe the concept of succession – Describe the processes of succession in a named habitat. Most of you should be able to: – Describe the change in specific species through the process of succession within a named habitat.

3. Primary Succession Begins in a place without any soil – Sides of volcanoes – Sand dunes – Retreat of a glacier

6. http://botit.botany.wisc.edu http://www.saguaro-juniper.com/ Starts with the arrival of living things such as lichens that do not need soil to survive: They are a mutualistic interaction between a fungus and an algae and can grow on bare rock. The algae produces food through photosynthesis which the fungi can then use. May also absorb certain mineral nutrients from the surface. The fungi secrete an enzyme that breaks down the rock into soil – promotes the production of new soils. Called PIONEER SPECIES

7. Lichens! © Stephen/Sylvia Sharnoff http://www.lichen.com/bigpix/turnsignal.htmlhttp://www.lichen.com/bigpix/turnsignal.html

8. 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 making soil

9. http://www.life.uiuc.edu

10. Primary Succession Simple plants like mosses and ferns can grow in the new soil http://uisstc.georgetown.edu http://www.uncw.edu

11. Primary Succession The simple plants die, adding more organic material The soil layer thickens, and grasses, wildflowers, and other plants begin to take over http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu

12. Primary Succession These plants die, and they add more nutrients to the soil Shrubs and tress can survive now http://www.rowan.edu

13. Where are the animals? The plants attract animals. When the animals die, their bodies decay and add organic material to the soil. Insects, small birds, and mammals have begun to move in What was once bare rock now supports a variety of life http://p2-raw.greenpeace.org

14. The nutrients in the soil increase because of the extra decaying matter. The complexity of the soil increases.

15. 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, landslides, deforestation

20. 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

21. Succession Task You have been given 2 copies of a picture of a barren or nearly barren environment. For each question below your group will write your answer in point form. At the end of the task 1 or 2 people from the group will explain what your group discussed. – Where could this picture be? – What caused this barren environment? – Will primary or secondary succession take place here? – How long will it take for this area to reach a climax community? – Choose someone to present your answers to the group. You will draw on one picture the environment in the early stages of succession. On the other you will draw the climax community.

22. Final question… Brainstorm the changes that you think happen within the ecosystem during succession… – Use the following ideas to guide you: Size of organisms Energy flow Soil Biodiversity NPP and GPP