IB ESS HL 2.5.4 Seral Communities Questions
Define pioneer species and compare pioneer and climax communities using diversity, soil, productivity and resilience evidence.
- Syllabus
- First assessment 2026
- Course
- ESS HL
- Level
- HL
Exam points
- define a pioneer species as an early coloniser able to establish under difficult conditions and begin succession
- identify differences between pioneer and climax communities using species diversity, habitat and food-web complexity, soil development, productivity, nutrient cycling and resilience
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IB ESS HL 2.5.4 Seral Communities Questions question 1
[Maximum number: 4]
Identify four differences between a climax community and a pioneer community.
Climax community has:
a. Greater species diversity/biodiversity;
b. Greater habitat diversity / more niches;
c. Longer food chains / more branched food webs;
d. Greater nutrient cycling / larger decomposer community;
e. Deeper/more developed soil;
f. Greater GPP/biomass/storages of energy;
g. Greater community respiration;
h. More K selected species;
i. (Often) woody shrubs/trees/larger animals whereas pioneer might be more characterised by lichens/mosses etc.
j. Greater resilience (due to the increased complexity);
Note to examiners: Accept converse statements.
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