AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Succession that begins in an area with no remnants of an older community is called primary succession. For example, in Mount Saint Helens, Washington, an erupting volcano decimated all nearby living organisms. Changes in this community will continue for centuries.

Detailed explanation-2: -What is secondary succession? Secondary succession occurs in areas where a biological community has already existed but some or all of that community has been removed by small-scale disturbances that did not eliminate all life and nutrients from the environment.

Detailed explanation-3: -After an environmental disturbance such as a volcanic eruption or forest fire, communities are able to replace lost species through the process of succession. Primary succession occurs after a volcanic eruption or earthquake; it involves the breakdown of rocks by lichens to create new, nutrient-rich soils.

Detailed explanation-4: -Primary succession occurs when new land is formed or bare rock is exposed, providing a habitat that can be colonized for the first time. For example, primary succession may take place following the eruption of volcanoes, such as those on the Big Island of Hawaii. As lava flows into the ocean, new rock is formed.