Topic 7

• Succession

  The process by which an ecosystem changes over time
• Primary succession

  Succession that happens on land that has been newly formed or exposed there is no soil or organic material to start with just bare rock
• Secondary succession

  Succession that happens on land that has been cleared of all the plants but the soil remains
• Climax community 


  The largest and most complex community of plants and animals that an ecosystem can support
• Plagioclimax

  When succession is stopped artificially by human activity preventing a climax community from developing