2.5.12 (HL)—Climax community concept

The classic climax model predicts one stable endpoint, but real ecosystems may remain dynamic or settle into multiple persistent states.

Chance, disturbance, herbivores and human influence can redirect succession. Alternative stable states persist under similar broad conditions, so compare evidence rather than assuming one endpoint.

A grazed woodland mosaic and a closed forest may both be plausible outcomes depending on large-herbivore pressure and disturbance history.

Evidence for the challenge includes multiple persistent states under similar broad conditions, or strong evidence that disturbance and feedback prevent one fixed endpoint.

Rejecting the classic model does not mean succession is random; it means endpoint and pathway require evidence.