Ecological Ecological SuccessionSuccessionScience 10Science 10

Ecological successionEcological succession

refers to the series of refers to the series of ecologicalecological changes changes that every community undergoes over that every community undergoes over long periods of time. long periods of time.

From the Latin, From the Latin, succederesuccedere, to follow after., to follow after. This process begins with This process begins with pioneer pioneer

organismsorganisms..

What does pioneer What does pioneer mean?mean?

The one who goes before to prepare the The one who goes before to prepare the way for others.way for others.

The first one.The first one. Like the “Like the “pioneerspioneers” or early settlers of ” or early settlers of

Canada.Canada. What are the What are the pioneerspioneers of an ecosystem? of an ecosystem?

Pioneer OrganismsPioneer Organisms

Early settlers of a new Early settlers of a new region.region.

Such as bacteria, Such as bacteria, lichens, or fungilichens, or fungi

We know that they add We know that they add organic matter to the organic matter to the “primitive” (crude, or “primitive” (crude, or simple) soil.simple) soil.

This allows the first This allows the first plants, or plants, or primitive primitive plantsplants, to grow., to grow.

They include mosses They include mosses and ferns.and ferns.

Order of growthOrder of growth

1.1. Primitive plantsPrimitive plants

2.2. GrassesGrasses

3.3. ShrubsShrubs

4.4. TreesTrees

5.5. Seedling of various Seedling of various treestrees

6.6. Succession stops with Succession stops with the formation of a the formation of a climax communityclimax community..

Climax CommunityClimax Community

Is the Is the finalfinal stage of stage of ecological succession.ecological succession.

Two stages of SuccessionTwo stages of Succession

1.1. PrimaryPrimary Succession Succession

2.2. SecondarySecondary Succession Succession

Primary SuccessionPrimary Succession

Occurs when a community begins to form Occurs when a community begins to form in an area where there is no soil or living in an area where there is no soil or living material.material.

Occurs in a area where a Occurs in a area where a disturbancedisturbance has occurred.has occurred.

DisturbanceDisturbance

Is a change in environmental conditions Is a change in environmental conditions which causes a profound (significant, or which causes a profound (significant, or important) change in an ecosystem.important) change in an ecosystem.

There are 2 types of disturbances:There are 2 types of disturbances: NaturalNatural Man-madeMan-made

Natural DisturbanceNatural Disturbance

Are “nature” made catastrophic events Are “nature” made catastrophic events such as flood, fire, volcanic activity, such as flood, fire, volcanic activity, climate change, species extinction.climate change, species extinction.

Man-Made DisturbanceMan-Made Disturbance

Or human influenced such as acid rain, Or human influenced such as acid rain, ozone depletion, enhanced global ozone depletion, enhanced global warming, pollution, habitat destruction, warming, pollution, habitat destruction, monoculture farming, clear-cut logging, monoculture farming, clear-cut logging, over-fishing.over-fishing.

In terrestrial habitats, In terrestrial habitats, primaryprimary succession is a succession is a slowslow process because it process because it begins with the begins with the formationformation of of soil, or soil, or PedogenesisPedogenesis..

PedogenesisPedogenesis

Term to describe “Term to describe “making soilmaking soil”” Soil is usually made from weathering and Soil is usually made from weathering and

the action of pioneer organisms (lichens, the action of pioneer organisms (lichens, fungi)fungi)

WeatheringWeathering

Occurs when large rocks are broken Occurs when large rocks are broken down into pieces through natural, down into pieces through natural, chemical, or biological processes.chemical, or biological processes.

Rounded boulders in Rounded boulders in Joshua Tree National Joshua Tree National Monument, in Monument, in California. California.

Rounded boulders Rounded boulders like these reflect like these reflect long-term erosion of long-term erosion of granitic rocks by frost granitic rocks by frost wedging and wedging and chemical weathering.chemical weathering.

A bizarre form of A bizarre form of mechanical weathering: mechanical weathering: Mushroom Rock, Death Mushroom Rock, Death Valley National Park.Valley National Park.

Mushroom Rock was Mushroom Rock was carved by blowing sand.carved by blowing sand.

The upper part of the The upper part of the rock is relatively rock is relatively uneroded because the uneroded because the windblown sand is windblown sand is densest a few feet above densest a few feet above the surface. the surface.

This rock which was This rock which was about 2 meters tall, has about 2 meters tall, has since fallen down.since fallen down.

Secondary SuccessionSecondary Succession

Occurs in an area where the existing Occurs in an area where the existing community has been destroyed such as community has been destroyed such as a manmade a manmade firefire or or clearcuttingclearcutting..

Soil is already present so plants can Soil is already present so plants can grow quite quickly (opposite of primary grow quite quickly (opposite of primary succession).succession).

Factors That Help Factors That Help Ecological SuccessionEcological Succession

1.1. ClimateClimate

2.2. SoilSoil

3.3. Geographical FeaturesGeographical Features

ClimateClimate

Includes:Includes:

1.1. TemperatureTemperature

2.2. PrecipitationPrecipitation

3.3. Amount of available sunlightAmount of available sunlight

SoilSoil

Includes:Includes:

1.1. salinitysalinity (amount of dissolved salt) (amount of dissolved salt)

2.2. fertilityfertility (how things grow) (how things grow)

3.3. moisturemoisture (how much H (how much H22O it can hold)O it can hold)

4.4. texturetexture

Geographical FeaturesGeographical Features

1.1. LatitudeLatitude: position north or south of the : position north or south of the equatorequator

2.2. AltitudeAltitude: height above sea level: height above sea level

3.3. ProximityProximity or nearness to mountain or nearness to mountain ranges or bodies of waterranges or bodies of water

RemediateRemediate

To restore a disturbed or contaminated To restore a disturbed or contaminated area of land to a natural statearea of land to a natural state

PhytoremediationPhytoremediation

The use of plants, which can collect toxic The use of plants, which can collect toxic compounds in their tissues, to clean the compounds in their tissues, to clean the soil of its contaminants.soil of its contaminants.

To collect uranium afterTo collect uranium afterthe Chernobyl disasterthe Chernobyl disastersunflowers were used.sunflowers were used.

BioremediationBioremediation

Using bacteria or Using bacteria or microbes to clean up microbes to clean up or remove chemicals or remove chemicals in the soil.in the soil.

Such as pesticides, Such as pesticides, PCBs (poly-PCBs (poly-chlorinated chlorinated biphenyls), biphenyls), detergents, oil (as detergents, oil (as seen in the diagram)seen in the diagram)