FOREST ECOLOGY
FOREST SUCCESSION
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Question
[CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
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Series of gradual changes that occur after a disturbance
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Changes that only happen when species die
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a series of changes that cause a population to increase or decrease
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an INSTANT change caused by a disturbance
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Detailed explanation-1: -Ecological succession is the process by which the mix of species and habitat in an area changes over time. Gradually, these communities replace one another until a “climax community”-like a mature forest-is reached, or until a disturbance, like a fire, occurs. Ecological succession is a fundamental concept in ecology.
Detailed explanation-2: -Large, low intensity disturbances, such as plowing in conventional agriculture, result in moderate amounts of succession, where species can survive in the soil and quickly recolonize areas after a disturbance. This type of succession is often called secondary succession (Connell & Slayter 1977).
Detailed explanation-3: -Secondary succession occurs when the severity of disturbance is insufficient to remove all the existing vegetation and soil from a site. Many different kinds of disturbances, such as fire, flooding, windstorms, and human activities (e.g., logging of forests) can initiate secondary succession.