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Ecological Succession
Imagine an island just created by volcanic activity.
What would it look like?
What is the ground made out of?
Can plants grow on this island?
Discuss within your group
“How might the island eventually
support life?”
1. What is ecological succession?
2. What are the two major types of ecological succession?
3.What is a “pioneer species?” Give an example.
4.What type of succession is occurring since the 2011 Texas wildfires? Explain.
the “Student Guide” on ecological succession and then answer the following questions in complete sentences in your biology notebook.
The Bastrop fire in 2011 was the costliest and most destructive fire in the history of Texas. The devastating fire scorched 32,400 acres of land, consuming four-story tall pines, snakes, wildflowers, and thousands of other plant and animal species.
What final ecological stage will exist in Bastrop County after many years of succession?
Even though this fire caused mass destruction, it gave ecologists an
opportunity to study succession in action. Foresters in the area state that the Lost
Pines forest in Bastrop County will eventually regenerate, but this process will be slow. In other words, the process of succession will not be complete within the lifetime of the people who live there.
Already new grasses have emerged, along with small wildflowers. Insects are back on the scene for pollination. The climax community is many years away, but the process of succession is moving forward.
In your notebook, create a Venn diagram. Use the descriptors on the right to compare and contrast primary and secondary
succession:
a) Can reach a climax community
b) Forms on exposed rock
c) No soil
d) Organisms are currently there
e) Pioneer species will emerge
f) No previous living organisms living there
g) Most common type Ecological Succession
h) Occurs after volcanic eruptions
i) Occurs after a hurricane
j) Occurs with glaciers
k) Occurs after a wildfire
l) Gradual change in the environment
Primary Both SecondarySuccession Succession
a) Can reach a climax community
b) Forms on exposed rock
c) No soil
d) Organisms are currently there
e) Pioneer species will emerge
f) No previous living organisms living there
g) Most common type Ecological Succession
h) Occurs after volcanic eruptions
i) Occurs after a hurricane
j) Occurs with glaciers
k) Occurs after a wildfire
l) Gradual change in the
environment
Primary Succession Secondary Succession
b) Forms on exposed rock
c) No soil
f) No previous living organisms living there
h) Occurs after volcanic eruptions
j) Occurs with glaciers
d) Organisms are currently there
g) Most common type
i) Occurs after a hurricane
k) Occurs after a wildfire
a) Can reach a climax community
e) Pioneer species will emerge
l) Gradual change
Break into 6 equal lab groups
Each station has a Student Reference
Sheet describing one example of Ecological Succession and a set
of questions or procedures you need
to follow.
Complete the questions/proced
ures in your biology notebook using complete sentences and
detailed drawing/graphics
You will have 5 minutes at each
station to complete the activity.
Succession is Very Predictable It is the natural changes and species replacement that takes place in the communities of an ecosystem.Succession occurs in stages with different species of plants and animals at each stage because the conditions of that stage are suitable for these organisms but not others
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Primary Succession
Se
con
dar
y S
ucc
es
sio
n
Primary Succession takes
place on land where there are
no previous living organisms
Pioneer Species such as lichens break down barren rock into useable
soil.
New soil makes it possible for plants (weeds and ferns) and
insects to move into the community.
Stable mature
community.As soil builds, seeds
carried by wind or water allow bushes and grass to grow.
Climax Community
Secondary Succession is the sequence of changes that take
place after an existing
community is severely damaged in some way
Deep fresh water, no rooted plants because of lack of light in deep water.
Sediments get carried into the pond allowing rooted submerged and floating plants to start growing.
Sedimentation continues, and reeds and grasses develop around the edge of the pond trapping more sediments.
A marsh community builds up around the pond. Reeds take over more of the pond as more silt builds up.
As soils around the edge begin to dry, tree species such as willows begin to grow
What would you expect to happen if
the lake went
completely dry?
Volcano erupting in the ocean creating a new island. Primary or Secondary?
Fires near Possum Kingdom lake. Primary or Secondary ?
Path behind a glacier. Primary or Secondary?
Answer the following Questions?
If you hiked through a patch of land that contained a pine forest into an area that contained only ferns, shrubs, and grasses, would you be moving from an younger to an older community or an older to a younger community?
OLDER YOUNGER
Answer the following Questions?
Which community would support the greatest number and diversity of organisms the pioneer community, one of the intermediate communities or the climax community? Be ready to explain your answer.
The climax community is very stable due to
the number and diversity of the
organisms that live there.
What type of succession would take place if all the water from the pond evaporated and the pond went dry?
Secondary Succession
Weeds Grass Small Shrubs Hardwood Forest
