Download Ecological Succession – Notes 2013

Ecological Succession – Notes 2013
Introduction
What are some examples of primary succession?
Ecological Succession is __________________,
_________________________________ change to the
plants and animals in an _______________________.
It is the process by which an area that is
____________________
__________________
could eventually become a _________________.
Abrupt Changes
What kind of changes can cause drastic changes in an
ecosystem?
What can these changes do to an ecosystem?
Bare rock will first be colonized by a _____________
_____________________.
What is a pioneer species able to tolerate?
What will happen to the earth?
Leave the earth _____________________
How do they obtain food?
Ecological Succession
The ____________ and _______________ factors of
an ecosystem work together in
_______________(balance).
Example:
The process of ecological succession can _________
_____________ecosuystems to restore this
equilibrium and enable life to thrive again.
What do they produce?
Succession can be ______________ or
______________________
This helps to create ___________ _______________.
Stages of Primary Succession
Does Succession refer to the progressive, predictable
and long term changes to an ecosystem?
Over many years, the soil gets deeper and
_______________ grow.
Primary Succession
What happens to the mosses as they die?
Primary succession is the _________________ of
________________ into an area not
_________________ by any organisms.
What replaces mosses?
Ecological Succession – Notes 2013
As succession progresses, conditions in the habitat
change and become less suitable for some species but
_________________ suitable for others.
Consider a lawn that is constantly being mown. Why
does it never reach the climax community stage?
Create a timeline that has the correct order of
succession.
Observing Succession
Question
Succession is not limited to large areas, but occurs all
around us.
An area of woodland had once been bare rock. During
the process of succession, what would have been the
first species to inhabit the area?
Name an area around your community where you can
observe succession
Day 2
Secondary Succession
What type of events could cause new communities to
begin?
The new community would change through time until
its reached ________________
_______________once more.
Importance of Succession
Ecosystems are constantly changing.
_____________, ________________ and
________________ frequently occur all over the
world.
What allows a disturbed ecosystem recover?
A garden cleared of vegetation and a concreted area
both have the potential to turn into a woodland.
You could see this for yourself by observing a cleared
area of a garden.
Which of the following is not true about ecological
succession?
A) A parking lot could eventually become
woodland
B) It enables disturbed or damaged ecosystems to
repair themselves.
C) Succession results in a stable community called
the climax community.
D) The first dominant species will remain
throughout all stages of succession.
What would our world be like if ecosystems could
never recover?