Ecological Succession Quiz

What is the initial condition of a psammosere that makes it difficult for plants to establish a good root hold?

• Stable sand

• Excessive organic matter

• Poor drainage

• Abundant water supply

What happens as plants succeed in colonising a psammosere?

• Organic matter builds up

• Water becomes less available

• Sand becomes more unstable

• Nutrient supplies decrease

What type of community will eventually be established in a psammosere?

• Climatic community

• Hydrosere community

• Tropical community

• Lithosere community

What is a plagioclimax community?

• A community with minimal human impact

• A community with excessive human impact

• A community that is rapidly changing

• A community that doesn't change

How is conservation management of plagioclimax communities usually approached in the UK?

• Through maintenance of traditional activities

• Through rapid changes

• Through excessive human impact

• Through minimal human impact

What will eventually re-establish the climax community if the human activity that produced a plagioclimax stops?

• Tertiary succession

• Quaternary succession

• Secondary succession

• Primary succession

What type of succession takes place more rapidly than primary succession?

• Tertiary succession

• Quaternary succession

• Secondary succession

• Quinary succession

What human activities disturb climax communities and recreate conditions suitable for earlier species to colonise the area?

• Pruning

• Watering

• Tree felling

• Fertilizing

What does secondary succession not have to develop, making it take place more rapidly than primary succession?

• Nutrient supplies

• Water

• Organic matter

• Soil

What causes fewer delays in secondary succession compared to primary succession?

• Lack of sunlight

• Lack of seeds

• Lack of water

• Lack of time for species to colonise