BRAINCAKESuccession
Succession is the change in the species composition of a community over time. Ecosystems are dynamic, and each community changes the conditions around it in a way that allows new species to move in.
The general pattern is the same in every succession:
1. Pioneer species are the first to colonise an area. They are adapted to survive harsh, hostile conditions, such as bare rock or sand with little water or few nutrients.
2. The pioneer species change the abiotic conditions, making them less hostile. For example, when they die and decompose they add organic matter, which helps soil form and hold water and mineral ions.
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More in Populations in Ecosystems
- Random Sampling with Quadrats
- Systematic Sampling along Transects
- Mark-Release-Recapture
- Assumptions of Mark-Release-Recapture
- Primary Succession
- Secondary Succession
- Climax Communities
- Conservation and Succession
All 20 lessons in Populations in Ecosystems · All AQA A-level Biology topics