2.7 Ecological Succession

Describe ecological succession.

• There are two main types of ecological succession: primary and secondary succession.
• A keystone species in an ecosystem is a species whose activities have a particularly significant role in determining community structure.
• An indicator species is a plant or animal that, by its presence, abundance, scarcity, or chemical composition, demonstrates that some distinctive aspect of the character or quality of an ecosystem is present.
• Enduring understanding ERT-2: Ecosystems have structure and diversity that change over time.

Describe the effect of ecological succession on ecosystems.

• Pioneer members of an early successional species commonly move into unoccupied habitat and over time adapt to its particular conditions, which may result in the origin of new species.
• Succession in a disturbed ecosystem will affect the total biomass, species richness, and net productivity over time.
• Enduring understanding ERT-2: Ecosystems have structure and diversity that change over time.