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These pioneer plants are then dominated and often replaced by plants better adapted to less odd conditions, these plants include vascular plants like [[grass]]es and some [[shrub]]s that are able to live in thin soils that are often mineral based. |
These pioneer plants are then dominated and often replaced by plants better adapted to less odd conditions, these plants include vascular plants like [[grass]]es and some [[shrub]]s that are able to live in thin soils that are often mineral based. |
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wikipedia is not always trueeeeeeeeeee :) |
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==Examples== |
==Examples== |
Revision as of 19:44, 22 November 2010
Primary succession is one of two types of biological and ecological succession of plant life, occurring in an environment in which new substrate devoid of vegetation and usually lacking soil, such as a lava flow or area left from retreated glacier, is deposited. In other words, it is the gradual growth of an ecosystem over a longer period of time.
In contrast, secondary succession occurs on substrate that previously supported vegetation before an ecological disturbance such as forest fire, tsunami, flood, destroyed the plant life.
Definition
In primary succession pioneer species like lichen, algae and fungus as well as other abiotic factors like wind and water start to "normalize" the habitat. This creating conditions nearer optimum for vascular plant growth; pedogenesis or the formation of soil is the most important process.
These pioneer plants are then dominated and often replaced by plants better adapted to less odd conditions, these plants include vascular plants like grasses and some shrubs that are able to live in thin soils that are often mineral based.
wikipedia is not always trueeeeeeeeeee :)
Examples
A good example of primary succession takes place after a volcano has erupted. The resulting barren land is first colonized by pioneer plants which pave the way for later, less hardy plants, such as hardwood trees, by facilitating pedogenesis, especially through the biotic acceleration of weathering and the addition of organic debris to the surface regolith.