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Ecological Succession

Ecological Succession. Equilibrium in Ecosystems. What is Succession? . Succession is the series of predictable changes that occur in a community over time .

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Ecological Succession

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  1. Ecological Succession Equilibrium in Ecosystems

  2. What is Succession? • Succession is the series of predictable changes that occur in a community over time. • Succession helps an ecosystem to recover and return to a state of equilibrium after a fire, volcanic eruption, flood, or some other disaster or disturbance.

  3. Types of Succession • There are two types of succession: Primary and Secondary

  4. Primary Succsession • Primary Succession occurs where no ecosystem previously existed (no established soil).

  5. How Can There Be an Area Where No Ecosystem Previously Existed? • New Volcanic Island • Area of Rock Uncovered by retreating Glaciers

  6. Steps in Primary Succession • A new island is formed through long series of volcanic eruptions. No life exists on this new rocky material at first.

  7. How do Living Organisms Get to the New Island? Ocean & wind currents carry spores, seeds, small plants, and animals to the new island. Birds flying over the island do the same.

  8. What Can Live on the New Island? • The newly created island is made of volcanic rock, but no soil. • Most large plants with roots can’t grow without soil. • Most animals can’t survive without plants, so how can life exist on this new island?

  9. The First Producers: Pioneer Species • Small plants like lichens and mosses do not have roots. They have the ability to grow on rocks and slowly breakdown the rocks to produce soil.

  10. Lichens and Mosses on Rocks

  11. Succession continues… • The newly produced soil can now start to support small plants with some degree of roots systems. Grasseswith small root systems will typically start to grow next.

  12. Grass

  13. Weathering of Rock Continues • As more plants grow, the roots of the plants break down the rock further to produce richer and more abundant soil. • Succession continues with larger plants now having the ability to grow. • On many islands, ferns begin establishing themselves.

  14. Ferns

  15. More Weathering… • Over time, larger more complex plants will start to grow. Flowering plants will now be seen. • The types of producers become more varied and this sets the stage for animals to be able to survive.

  16. Tropical Flowering Plants

  17. Succession continues… Larger plants now grow providing food, shelter, and nesting places for a variety of animals (biodiversity increases). Many different types of trees become established.

  18. Monkey Pod Tree

  19. The new ecosystem is now full of varied types of life: microorganisms, producers, and consumers that live successfully together.

  20. Ecosystem Reaches Equilibrium of a Climax Community

  21. Until some type of Disturbance or Disaster Strikes…

  22. The island is burned to the ground. The trees, other plants and animals are destroyed. All that remains is the rock and soil.Equilibrium is destroyed and the process of succession must once again begin.

  23. Secondary Succession Secondary Succession occurs following a disturbance to an ecosystem where soil already exists. • Occurs naturally after wildfires, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and tornadoes. • Also happens after human activities such as urbanization, farming, logging, and mining.

  24. Steps of Secondary Succession • Secondary succession occurs in a place where an ecosystem has previously existed. • Secondary succession can happen faster because soil has already been produced. • If soil was not lost in the disturbance, plants can grow more quickly. • Pioneer species will again become established until the ecosystem reaches equilibrium with its climax community.

  25. After the disturbance, grasses begin to grow on existing soil .

  26. Ferns can quickly fill in bare soil areas

  27. Complex Plants now enter the scene

  28. Large plants soon overtake the island. Monkey Pod Tree

  29. The new ecosystem is now full of varied types of life: microorganisms, producers (autotrophs), and consumers (heterotrophs) that live successfully together.

  30. The Ecosystem Once Again Reaches Equilibrium

  31. Can you put the following pictures in order of succession? A B D C E 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

  32. Can you put the following pictures in order of succession? 1st 2nd 3rd A C A B B C

  33. Can you put the following pictures in order of succession? A B C 3rd 2nd 1st Primary succession or Secondary succession???

  34. Can you put the following pictures in order of succession? Which one is the pioneer community? Climax community? Lichens and Mosses White spruce, balsam fir, & paper birch. 4 3 2 1 A C D B

  35. Can you put the following pictures in order of succession on the time line? Primary succession or Secondary succession???

  36. TEST NEXT CLASS • EVOLUTION & ECOLOGY Tuesday 16th April,

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