Succession

A2 Biology
HJH
Contents

Primary succession

Secondary successi
on

Plagioclimax

Comparing primary
and secondary suc
cession
Primary Succession
Primary Succession summary
Lichens

Mosses
Grasses
&
erns
Bare roc!
or
Sand dune
Pioneer
species
Seral stages
"!eep
changing#
Climax community
"generally
constant#
$oung
%orest
Mature
%orest
&all
trees
Shru's
&
Her's
Secondary Succession
Secondary Succession summary
Grasses
Shru's
Soil
Pioneer species
Climax
community
Seral stages
"!eep
changing#
$oung
%orest
Mature
%orest
&all
trees
Plagioclimax
(o tall plant species
Similarities

Both primary and secondary successi

on ta!e place a%ter a desolation)
Primary* 'are roc! & sand dune
Secondary* 'urnt soil

As successions proceed+ old ,egetati

on "pioneer species# are replaced -it
h larger plants "e)g) trees#)
.i%%erences
Primary succession Secondary succession
Starts on an area -here there
are no living organisms %rom the
'eginning)
Starts on an area -here there
-as li,ing organism pre,iously+ 'ut
has disappeared due to some
natural calamity)
/ccurs -here the sur%ace or
total ,egetation is completely
destroyed 'y some en,ironmental
disasters)
/ccurs %orce%ully 'ecause
pre,ious population may 'e
diminished due to some natural
disasters li!e %lood+ %ire and
drought) .ue to these calamities
the sur%ace lost their organic
matter and the su'stance has
changed completely so that the
next population de,elop
themsel,es)
Longer in terms o% time "more
than 0111 years re2uired#)
Faster and more s-i%t in terms o%
time "314211 years re2uired#)
Primary community comes %rom
other su'stratum)
(ext population esta'lish
themsel,es %rom pre,ious
remaining li,ing matter)
Primary succession Secondary succession
Begins -here there are no soils
and humus)
Soil and humus is present %rom
the 'eginning)
5eproducti,e structures o%
pre,ious population are not
available)
5eproducti,e structures o%
pre,ious population can 'e %ound
in the substratum)
&a!es place a%ter a ,olcano has
occurred)
More commonly o'ser,ed and
examined than the primary
succession)
.i%%erences
&han! you