Ecological Succession

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What is species diversity?

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A measure of both species richness and the relative number of species in a given area.

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What is secondary succession?

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An ecological process where an area that was previously occupied by living things is disturbed and then re-colonized.

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What are pioneer species?

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The first species to populate an area during ecological succession.

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What is primary succession?

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A type of ecological succession that occurs in an area with no soil.

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What are examples of pioneer species in primary succession?

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Mosses and lichens.

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What is a climax community?

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A stable and mature ecological community that undergoes little or no change in species over time.

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What is biodiversity?

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The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

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What is a keystone species?

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A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.

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What is ecological succession?

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The process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time.

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What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?

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Primary succession occurs in lifeless areas without soil, while secondary succession occurs in areas where a disturbance has destroyed an existing community but left the soil intact.