● An important characteristic of all communities is that `color{violet}"composition and structure"` constantly change in response to the `color{violet}"changing environmental conditions"`.
● This change is `color{violet}"orderly and sequential"`, `color{violet}"parallel"` with the changes in the physical environment.
● These changes lead finally to a `color{violet}"community"` that is in `color{violet}"near equilibrium"` with the environment and that is called a `color{brown}"climax community"`.
● The `color{violet}"gradual"` and `color{violet}"fairly predictable change"` in the species composition of a given area is called `color{brown}"ecological succession"`.
● During succession `color{violet}"some species colonise"` an area and their populations become more numerous, whereas populations of other `color{violet}"species decline"` and even `color{violet}"disappear"`.
● The `color{violet}"entire sequence"` of communities that `color{violet}"successively change"` in a given area are called `color{brown}"sere(s)"`.
● The `color{violet}"individual transitional communities"` are termed `color{brown}"seral stages"` or `color{brown}"seral communities"`.
● In the `color{violet}"successive seral stages"` there is a change in the `color{violet}"diversity of species"` of organisms, increase in the
number of species and organisms as well as an `color{violet}"increase in"` the `color{violet}"total biomass"`.
● The `color{violet}"present day communities"` in the world have come to be because of succession that has occurred over `color{violet}"millions of years"` since life started on earth.
● Actually `color{violet}"succession and evolution"` would have been `color{violet}"parallel processes"` at that time.
● `color{brown}"Succession"` is hence a process that starts where `color{violet}"no living organisms"` are there – these could be areas where no living organisms `color{violet}"ever existed"`, say bare rock; or in areas that somehow, `color{violet}"lost all"` the living organisms that
existed there.
● The `color{violet}"former"` is called `color{brown}"primary succession"`, while the `color{violet}"latter"` is termed `color{violet}"secondary succession"`.
● Examples of areas where `color{violet}"primary succession"` occurs are newly `color{violet}"cooled lava"`,`color{violet}" bare rock"`, `color{violet}"newly created pond"` or reservoir.
● The establishment of a `color{violet}"new biotic community"` is generally slow.
● `color{violet}"Before"` a biotic community of diverse organisms can `color{violet}"become established"`, there must be `color{violet}"soil"`.
● Depending mostly on the `color{violet}"climate,"` it takes `color{violet}"natural processes"` several `color{violet}"hundred to"` `color{violet}"several thousand"` years to produce fertile soil on bare rock.
● `color{brown}"Secondary succession"` begins in areas where `color{violet}"natural biotic communities"` have been `color{violet}"destroyed"` such as in abandoned farm lands, burned or cut forests, lands that have been flooded.
● Since some soil or `color{violet}"sediment is present"`, succession is `color{violet}"faster"` than primary succession.
● Description of `color{violet}"ecological succession"` usually focuses on `color{violet}"changes in vegetation"`.
● However, these `color{violet}"vegetational changes"` in turn affect `color{violet}"food and shelter"` for various types of animals.
● Thus, as `color{violet}"succession proceeds"`, the `color{violet}"numbers and types"` of animals and decomposers also change.
● At any time during `color{violet}"primary or secondary succession"`, natural or human induced disturbances (fire, deforestation, etc.), can convert a particular `color{violet}"seral stage"` of succession to an earlier stage.
● Also such disturbances create `color{violet}"new conditions"` that `color{violet}"encourage"` some species and `color{violet}"discourage"` or eliminate other species.
● An important characteristic of all communities is that `color{violet}"composition and structure"` constantly change in response to the `color{violet}"changing environmental conditions"`.
● This change is `color{violet}"orderly and sequential"`, `color{violet}"parallel"` with the changes in the physical environment.
● These changes lead finally to a `color{violet}"community"` that is in `color{violet}"near equilibrium"` with the environment and that is called a `color{brown}"climax community"`.
● The `color{violet}"gradual"` and `color{violet}"fairly predictable change"` in the species composition of a given area is called `color{brown}"ecological succession"`.
● During succession `color{violet}"some species colonise"` an area and their populations become more numerous, whereas populations of other `color{violet}"species decline"` and even `color{violet}"disappear"`.
● The `color{violet}"entire sequence"` of communities that `color{violet}"successively change"` in a given area are called `color{brown}"sere(s)"`.
● The `color{violet}"individual transitional communities"` are termed `color{brown}"seral stages"` or `color{brown}"seral communities"`.
● In the `color{violet}"successive seral stages"` there is a change in the `color{violet}"diversity of species"` of organisms, increase in the
number of species and organisms as well as an `color{violet}"increase in"` the `color{violet}"total biomass"`.
● The `color{violet}"present day communities"` in the world have come to be because of succession that has occurred over `color{violet}"millions of years"` since life started on earth.
● Actually `color{violet}"succession and evolution"` would have been `color{violet}"parallel processes"` at that time.
● `color{brown}"Succession"` is hence a process that starts where `color{violet}"no living organisms"` are there – these could be areas where no living organisms `color{violet}"ever existed"`, say bare rock; or in areas that somehow, `color{violet}"lost all"` the living organisms that
existed there.
● The `color{violet}"former"` is called `color{brown}"primary succession"`, while the `color{violet}"latter"` is termed `color{violet}"secondary succession"`.
● Examples of areas where `color{violet}"primary succession"` occurs are newly `color{violet}"cooled lava"`,`color{violet}" bare rock"`, `color{violet}"newly created pond"` or reservoir.
● The establishment of a `color{violet}"new biotic community"` is generally slow.
● `color{violet}"Before"` a biotic community of diverse organisms can `color{violet}"become established"`, there must be `color{violet}"soil"`.
● Depending mostly on the `color{violet}"climate,"` it takes `color{violet}"natural processes"` several `color{violet}"hundred to"` `color{violet}"several thousand"` years to produce fertile soil on bare rock.
● `color{brown}"Secondary succession"` begins in areas where `color{violet}"natural biotic communities"` have been `color{violet}"destroyed"` such as in abandoned farm lands, burned or cut forests, lands that have been flooded.
● Since some soil or `color{violet}"sediment is present"`, succession is `color{violet}"faster"` than primary succession.
● Description of `color{violet}"ecological succession"` usually focuses on `color{violet}"changes in vegetation"`.
● However, these `color{violet}"vegetational changes"` in turn affect `color{violet}"food and shelter"` for various types of animals.
● Thus, as `color{violet}"succession proceeds"`, the `color{violet}"numbers and types"` of animals and decomposers also change.
● At any time during `color{violet}"primary or secondary succession"`, natural or human induced disturbances (fire, deforestation, etc.), can convert a particular `color{violet}"seral stage"` of succession to an earlier stage.
● Also such disturbances create `color{violet}"new conditions"` that `color{violet}"encourage"` some species and `color{violet}"discourage"` or eliminate other species.