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SUCCESSION Natural Change Over Time What Is Succession? A series of predictable changes over time in the kind of plants growing in an area. Climax Communities • Are the relatively stable communities at the end of succession • Vary with location and biome • Persist until there is some kind of environmental change. – Environmental changes are called disturbances Disturbances • Can be caused by natural events like fire, windstorm, volcanic eruption, landslides, etc. • Can be caused by human activities such as clearcutting or filling • Can be caused by animal activities such as grazing or pest infestation Primary Succession • Occurs when plants become established on land completely devoid of soil and vegetation Mount St. Helens, 1980 When there is no soil, the first colonizers are lichens and mosses– soil makers Primary Succession Lava Flows, Hawaii Primary Succession Kettle Bog Shallow ponds gradually fill in with soil Secondary Succession • Occurs when the dominant plants in the community are removed allowing new plants to colonize. • The first plants are called pioneers – annual, fastgrowing, full sunlight, many seeds Landslide caused by Hurricane Mitch Primary or Secondary? How about these? Gap from fallen trees Gypsy moths Chestnut blight Tree Tops Valley progression The climax community is an evergreen forest Eastern Forests Often climax community is hardwood. Typical forest succession • Non-vascular plants (lichens and mosses) lichens and mosses make soil enabling… • Annuals and weeds • Herbaceous (not woody) plants and grasses annuals and weeds produce, seeds, humus and shade allowing… Typical forest succession • Woody shrubs, grasses, tree saplings perennials and shadetolerant species to grow that develop into … • Young forest - young trees and other woody plants that eventually produce … • Mature trees What happens to the animals? • As the ecosystem changes, the animals change to accommodate the available food and shelter. For Help AMSTI-GLOBE www.amsti.org/globe The GLOBE Program www.globe.gov Lynn Vaughan Jerry Cobbs AMSTI-GLOBE Resource Specialist [email protected] AMSTI-GLOBE Technology Specialist [email protected] Robin Nelson AMSTI-GLOBE Administrator [email protected]