Ecological Succession
Ecological Succession
Ecological Succession
Ch. 4 continued
c. Steps of Primary Succession 1. Formation of Soil- rocks broken down by lichen- pioneer species (1st in area) weathering- wind, rain, frost 2. Colonization- of plants and animals Grasses & small plants Shrubs Pine trees Deciduous trees- oak, hickory, maple, elm
3. As plants move in, they create shade. This causes smaller plants to die off. As they die, their bodies decompose and create more soil. This allows larger plants to take over. 4. As plants become established, animals will move in. Herbivores first followed by their predators. 5. This process can take 100s of years. *** A final stable complex community will formCLIMAX COMMUNITY.
Biomes
particular physical environment with unique set of abiotic factors, especially climate, and a characteristic ecological community Major biomes: tropical rainforest, tropical dry forest, tropical savanna, desert, temperate forest, temperate grassland, temperate woodland and shrubland, NW coniferous forest, boreal forest, and tundra
Describe some aquatic ecosystems. Determined by depth, flow, temperature, and chemistry of overlying water Inhabitants specially adapted to each ecosystem Freshwater ecosystems
Flowing water rivers, streams, creeks Standing water lakes, ponds
More aquatic ecosystems Estuaries wetlands where rivers meet the sea, fresh and salt water made of mostly detritivores
Salt marshes east coast Mangrove swamps everglades in Fla. Both of these are valuable nurseries for fish, shellfish, and vegetation
Marine Ecosystems
Light zones
Photic well lit upper layer where organisms are able to carry out photosynthesis Aphotic permanently dark zone beneath the photic zone, chemosynthetic autotrophs live here