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Ecological succession is the process of change in the species that make up an ecological community over time. The process of succession occurs either after the initial colonization of a newly created habitat, or after a disturbance substantially alters a pre-existing habitat. [ 1 ]
The sequences of succession are thus entirely dependent on life-history characteristics such as the specific amount of energy a species allocates to growth. [ 3 ] The climax community is composed of the most "tolerant" species that can co-exist with other species in a more densely populated area.
Cyclic succession is a pattern of vegetation change in which in a small number of species tend to replace each other over time in the absence of large-scale disturbance. Observations of cyclic replacement have provided evidence against traditional Clementsian views of an end-state climax community with stable species compositions .
Major contributions included: Eduard Suess’ and Vladimir Vernadsky's work with the biosphere, Arthur Tansley's ecosystem, Charles Elton's Animal Ecology, and Henry Cowles ecological succession. [8] Ecology influenced the social sciences and humanities. Human ecology began in the early 20th century and it recognized humans as an ecological factor.
One example of primary succession takes place after a volcano has erupted. The lava flows into the ocean and hardens into new land. The resulting barren land is first colonized by pioneer organisms, like algae, which pave the way for later, less hardy plants, such as hardwood trees, by facilitating pedogenesis, especially through the biotic acceleration of weathering and the addition of ...
In his 1916 publication, Plant Succession, and his 1920 Plant Indicators, Clements metaphorically equated units of vegetation, (now called vegetation types or plant communities) with individual organisms. [12] He observed that some groups of species, which he called "formations", were repeatedly associated together. [12]
Ecological succession, a fundamental concept in ecology, refers to more-or-less predictable and orderly changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ecological succession .
Historical ecologists recognize that landscapes undergo continuous alteration over time and these modifications are part of that landscape's history. Historical ecology recognizes that there is a primary and a secondary succession that occurs in the landscape. These successions should be understood without a preconceived bias against humanity.