What is Ecological Succession ? Describe its various types.
Answers
Answer:
Ecological succession is the gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over time. ... There are two main types of succession, primary and secondary. Primary succession is the series of community changes which occur on an entirely new habitat which has never been colonized before.
Explanation:
Ecological Succession is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. The time scale can be decades, or even millions of years after a mass extinction.
Types of Ecological Succession :
There are the following types of ecological succession:
Primary Succession
Primary succession is the succession that starts in lifeless areas such as the regions devoid of soil or the areas where the soil is unable to sustain life.
When the planet was first formed there was no soil on earth. The earth was only made up of rocks. These rocks were broken down by microorganisms and eroded to form soil. The soil then becomes the foundation of plant life. These plants help in the survival of different animals and progress from primary succession to the climax community.
If this primary ecosystem is destroyed, secondary succession takes place.
Secondary Succession
Secondary succession occurs when the primary ecosystem gets destroyed. For eg., a climax community gets destroyed by fire. It gets recolonized after the destruction. This is known as secondary ecological succession. Small plants emerge first, followed by larger plants. The tall trees block the sunlight and change the structure of the organisms below the canopy. Finally, the climax community arrives.
Cyclic Succession
This is only the change in the structure of an ecosystem on a cyclic basis. Some plants remain dormant for the rest of the year and emerge all at once. This drastically changes the structure of an ecosystem.