ESS - Zonation & Succession

Zonation

changes in communities along an environmental gradient

Types of Zonation

SALT (soil horizons, altitude, latitude, tidal levels)

Succession

Replacement of one community by another in an area over time due to changes in biotic and abiotic variables.

Sere

The sets of communities that succeed one another throughout succession at a given location/different communities in a single succession stage

Primary Succession

typically occurs over hundreds of years or longer, occurs on layers or surfaces that have not previously been occupied by an ecological community. There is no soil and climate conditions may be extreme. Temperatures may vary widely due to exposure, and water supply may be unreliable.

Pioneer Community

The initial community that forms during succession, usually made up of small vegetation.

Intermediate Community

The community that forms between pioneer and climax communities during the succession process.

Climax Community

The final community formed during the succession process in an area. 

Secondary Succession

occurs in areas where soil is already in place, but there has been a natural or anthropogenic disturbance to the ecosystem

Plagioclimax community

A stage in succession that is maintained by regular human disturbance, preventing further natural succession and the establishment of a climax community.

Redundancy

A situation where one species can compensate for another species in an ecosystem if the second species disappears.