Succession

• Succession is a change in an ecological community over time
• Primary Succession


  Starts with a pioneer species colonising bare rock or sand

  • Adapted to survive harsh abiotic factors, through death they change these abiotic factors, forming a layer of soil (humus)
  • Mosses and smaller plants can now survive, further increasing depth and nutrient content of soil
• Secondary Succession


  Succession is disrupted and plants are destroyed, but process starts from soil
• Succession allows species richness and number of organisms to increase, increasing biodiversity