Area IID: The Living World Natural Ecosystem Change

Community Development Ecological succession that occurs after a disturbance probably involves complex processes

disturbances: events that damage or change communities, remove organisms, and alter resource availability

examples: fire, flood, human activities, drought, storms, volcanic eruptions, etc.

Grassland disturbance

Community Development

ecological succession: transition in species composition over time; involves a series of replacements in a community following a disturbance

primary succession: occurs where there is no soil, like after volcanic eruption, glacial retreat example: Yosemite Valley disturbance: glaciers valley is a lake (after glacier melts) lake fills in to become meadow meadow dries to host stream side plants soil dries to lead to conifer forest forest is the climax community

Primary succession

Fig. 8-11 Primary ecological succession

Exposed rocks

Lichens and mosses

Small herbs and shrubs

Heath mat

Jack pine, black spruce, and aspen

Balsam fir, paper birch, and white spruce climax community

Time

Community Development

ecological succession, continued

secondary succession: soil left intact after disturbance species that begins secondary succession is called pioneer species each new community is called a sere final sere that is stable is called climax community

Secondary succession

Secondary succession: 1-2 years

Secondary succession: 5, 10, 20 years

Community Development

ecological succession, continued

possible mechanisms facilitation: each sere modifies area to prepare for next inhibition: each sere inhibits the next for as long as it can tolerance: seres neither inhibit or facilitate, they exist because they can tolerate the existing conditions based on chance arrival of seeds and time for species to mature

Fig. 8-12 Secondary ecological succession

Mature oak-hickory forest Young pine forest Annual weeds Perennial weeds and grasses Shrubs Time

Table 8-1 Ecosystem Characteristics at Immature and Mature Stages of Ecological Succession
Immature Ecosystem (Early Successional Stage) Immature Ecosystem (Late Successional Stage) Large High Mixture of producers, consumers, and decomposers Many, mostly specialized High

Characteristic
Ecosystem Structure Plant size Species diversity

Small Low Mostly producers, few decomposers Few, mostly generalized Low

Trophic structure
Ecological niches Community organization (number of interconnecting links) Ecosystem Function Biomass Net primary productivity Food chains and webs Efficiency of nutrient recycling Efficiency of energy use

Low High Simple, mostly plant with few decomposers Low Low herbivore

High Low Complex, dominated by decomposers High High