1. Ecological Succession

2. What is Succession?
Succession – a gradual development of a community over time

3. Primary Succession SLOW and takes place over a long period of time
Primary Succession – Takes place on newly exposed surfaces where nothing has ever grown before
SLOW and takes place over a long period of time
Examples:
A new area created after a lava flow
newly exposed area after a glacier has melted

4. Primary Succession

5. Primary Succession Example: Lichen create soil by breaking up rock
Pioneer Species – the first organism to live on the rock or newly exposed area
Example: Lichen
create soil by breaking up rock

6. Primary Succession climax community pioneer species soil & grasses
small shrubs
climax community

7. Secondary Succession
Secondary Succession – occurs when an existing community is destroyed and then regrows through a series of stages
Takes place in area where there has been previous growth
FASTER process (rapid) because soil is already present
Examples:
abandoned farm, forest fire

8. Secondary Succession

9. Secondary Succession

10. Yellowstone National Park forest fire of 1988
Secondary Succession
Yellowstone National Park forest fire of 1988

11. Why is Secondary Succession a faster / more rapid process than Primary Succession?