topography
insects
ecological succession
hardwood
Primary succession occurs when the soil base has been completely destroyed and a new substrate is left. Secondary succession occurs after a disturbance in which the soil base is not completely destroyed. Some animals and plants may also remain.
Many times the undergrowth in forests becomes too thick. Fires are a natural way of clearing out this unwanted brush. Fire also stimulates the regrowth of certain plants such as sagebrush, aspen, and willows. The intense heat opens lodgepole pine cones, releasing the seeds inside. Fires can help bring balance back into an ecosystem.
sere
primary succession
primary succession
colonize
secondary succession
Glacial retreats are devastating to the land because they scour the earth and leave nothing but bare rock behind. Primary succession then begins.
substrate
softwood
secondary succession
ecology
pioneer species
The areas that were affected by lava had to begin with a new substrate, causing primary succession to occur. The areas in which seeds and roots survived are an example of secondary succession because the soil base was not destroyed.
Pioneer species such as lichen, moss, and weeds begin to grow on the new substrate. Lichen secrete acids that help break down the rock. Seedlings from other plants help to split the rock apart with their roots. When these plants die, they decompose and become organic matter that mixes with the broken rocks. A rich soil base then forms.
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vegetation
One stage of succession
Occurs after a new substrate is formed.
What type of succession am I? volcano
Explain how soil is formed in primary succession.
What type of succession am I? forrest fire
The predictable and orderly changes that occur in nature
Evergreens and conifers are this type of wood.
The plant life in an area is called this.
What type of animals are show up first during ecological succession?
Explain why the eruption of Mount Saint Helens could be an example of both primary and secondary succession.
What type of succession am I? flood
Describe what the four stages of succession might look like after a glacial retreat.
Hardened lava and bare rock are examples of new this.
The first plants to grow in a barren land, such as lichen.
Broad-leaved trees are this type of wood.
In both primary and secondary succession, plant begin to do this in the area.
Determines how severely a disturbance affects an area.
Explain why fires are not always considered bad.
The study of the relationships between organisms and their environments
Why is a glacial retreat so devastating to the land? What type of succession does it initiate?
What is the difference between primary and secondary succession.
