5.15—Succession and climax community

Succession is ecosystem change over time. Pioneer species colonise bare ground, alter soil and microclimate, and are followed by species requiring deeper, more fertile or wetter conditions until a relatively stable community forms.

Each stage changes the abiotic environment and the competition landscape: decomposition builds nutrients, roots stabilise soil, and later vegetation can shade earlier pioneers. Secondary succession starts with soil already present.

On bare rock, lichens and mosses help form soil; grasses and shrubs follow, then trees. Mowing or grazing can hold a stable plagioclimax instead of allowing the expected later community.

A climax community is not necessarily the most diverse and is not a universal endpoint. Describe the local conditions and human disturbance before predicting the sequence.