Ecological Succession (2025)

The first organisms to repopulate an area after being affected by a volcanic eruption are __________.

• Pioneer species

• Primary producers

• Climax species

• Keystone species

Which of the following statements best describes the process of secondary succession? After a disturbance…

• the ecosystem is left unaffected

• all communities immediately return to the same level of diversity as before the disturbance

• mosses and lichens break rock down into soil

• the remaining species re-establish the community 

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

The intermediate species consisting of a variety of grasses, shrubs, pines, young oak, and young hickory is replaced by the climax community consisting of mature oak and mature hickory. Which description best explains the decline in the diversity of plants between the intermediate species and climax community?

• Herbivores eat most of the low-lying plants, making room for the larger trees

• The canopy of the growing trees shades the forest floor, reducing sunlight available to the low-lying plants, which is needed for photosynthesis

• The decline of insect populations reduces pollination of the many different species of plants, allowing the self-pollinating trees to dominate

• The decline of water gives trees with deeper roots an advantage over the shallow-rooted low-lying plants

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

An asteroid collides with earth causing a massive explosion and wind storm that destroys everything within a 100 mile radius of the crash site, blowing away even the soil. What type of succession would follow?

A logging company in British Columbia is contracted to clear 1,000 acres of forest. After completely clearing the land of vegetation, only the soil remained. What type of succession would follow?

Surtsey is an island located south of Iceland. The island was formed by a volcanic eruption and first appeared in 1963. The table below contains descriptions of changes in the population and diversity of species on Surtsey. Which of these lists the descriptions in the correct order of    

     ecological succession on Surtsey?

• A. I, II, IV, III

• B. IV, III, I, II

• C. III, I, II, IV

• D. II, IV, I, III

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-1

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Complete the events chain about primary succession by placing the following entries in the correct order.

• Lichens and the forces of wind 

  and erosion help break down 

  rocks, Lava cools, Lichens die and decay, Soil forms, Animals arrive, Lava forms new land 

  composed of rock, Large plants grow,

• Lava forms new land 

  composed of rock,

  Lava cools, Lichens and the forces of wind 

  and erosion help break down 

  rocks, Lichens die and decay, Soil forms, Large plants grow, Animals arrive

• Animals arrive, Lava forms new land 

  composed of rock, Large plants grow,

  Lava cools, Lichens die and decay, Soil forms, Lichens and the forces of wind 

  and erosion help break down 

  rocks

• Large plants grow,

  Lava cools, Lichens die and decay, Soil forms, Lichens and the forces of wind 

  and erosion help break down 

  rocks, Animals arrive, Lava forms new land 

  composed of rock

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-LS2-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

What kind of ecological succession occurs after each of the following events? 

Write either primary or secondary for each diagram.

What kind of ecological succession occurs after each of the following events? 

Write either primary or secondary for each diagram.

What kind of ecological succession occurs after each of the following events? 

Write either primary or secondary for each diagram.