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All 25 Flashcards — Succession
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Question
Define ecosystem resilience.
Answer
Resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to resist disturbance or recover and return to a stable state after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Recover to stable.
Question
Define succession.
Answer
Succession is the process of change in species composition and community structure over time.
💡 Hint
Change over time.
Question
Succession is change over time through what stages?
Answer
Seral stages progressing toward a climax community.
💡 Hint
Seral → climax.
Question
What is primary succession?
Answer
Succession that starts on bare rock/land with no soil present.
💡 Hint
No soil.
Question
Name three things that usually increase during succession.
Answer
Biodiversity, biomass, and soil depth/nutrients (also food web complexity).
💡 Hint
B-B-S.
Question
Resilience is about recovery or preventing disturbance?
Answer
Recovery. Resilience describes how well an ecosystem bounces back after disturbance, not whether disturbance happens.
💡 Hint
Bounce back.
Question
How do humans commonly “arrest” succession?
Answer
By keeping ecosystems at early stages through farming, grazing, or urban development.
💡 Hint
Hold early stage.
Question
What is secondary succession?
Answer
Succession that starts after disturbance where soil already exists (e.g., after fire or farming).
💡 Hint
Soil remains.
Question
Primary vs secondary succession: the one key difference?
Answer
Primary starts with no soil (bare rock). Secondary starts with soil present after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Soil or no soil.
Question
Define pioneer species.
Answer
Pioneer species are the first organisms to colonise a barren environment; they tolerate harsh conditions and start soil formation.
💡 Hint
First colonisers.
Question
Give one way understanding succession helps sustainability/restoration.
Answer
It helps plan ecosystem restoration by predicting which stage comes next and estimating recovery time after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Restoration planning.
Question
Define climax community.
Answer
A climax community is the final, stable community in equilibrium with the environment, with maximum biodiversity for that area.
💡 Hint
Final stable stage.
Question
Why is secondary succession usually faster?
Answer
Because soil, nutrients, and often seeds/roots are already present, so recovery can start immediately.
💡 Hint
Soil + seeds ready.
Question
Why do large storages increase resilience?
Answer
Large storages (e.g., biomass, soil nutrients) act as buffers, allowing the system to keep functioning if inputs are temporarily disrupted.
💡 Hint
Buffers.
Question
Name four trends during succession.
Answer
Biomass increases, biodiversity increases, soil depth/nutrients increase, and food webs become more complex.
💡 Hint
More biomass + diversity.
Question
Define resilience in one sentence.
Answer
Resilience is the ability to resist disturbance or recover and return to a stable state after disturbance.
💡 Hint
Return to stable.
Question
Why does succession happen?
Answer
Species change the environment over time (e.g., soil and shade), making conditions suitable for different species to replace them.
💡 Hint
Species modify habitat.
Question
How does biodiversity increase resilience?
Answer
More species and interactions create complex food webs with multiple pathways, so loss of one species is less damaging.
💡 Hint
More pathways.
Question
Succession vs zonation: what is the key difference?
Answer
Succession is change over time; zonation is change over space.
💡 Hint
Time vs space.
Question
Name two pioneer species examples for primary succession.
Answer
Lichens and mosses (also algae).
💡 Hint
Lichens + moss.
Question
Name two human activities that can reset or stop succession.
Answer
Deforestation and urbanisation (also intensive agriculture or repeated grazing).
💡 Hint
Deforest + build.
Question
What is redundancy and why does it matter for resilience?
Answer
Redundancy is when multiple species perform similar roles; it increases resilience because another species can replace a lost function.
💡 Hint
Backups in roles.
Question
Give one real example of succession starting from bare ground.
Answer
After a volcanic eruption or retreating glacier, succession can start on bare rock with lichens and mosses.
💡 Hint
Volcano/glacier.
Question
Name two factors that increase resilience.
Answer
Biodiversity and large storages (also redundancy and negative feedback).
💡 Hint
Biodiversity + buffers.
Question
What is the correct exam shortcut to remember primary vs secondary?
Answer
Primary = from scratch (bare rock, no soil). Secondary = soil already there (just disrupted).
💡 Hint
Scratch vs disrupted.
Read the notes
Full study notes for Succession
Topic 2.8 hub
Biomes, zonation, succession
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