Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Biodiversity And Conservation > Succession > Flashcards

Succession Flashcards

(68 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What is succession central to

A

Ecology as evolution is to biology

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is succession

A

Species change over time (turnover)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What effect does disturbance have on succession

A

It is started directed and redirected by it. Climate events, landuse change, conversion of rainforests etc

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the incorrect thought about succession

A

It is thought to progress towards climax but in reality it is complex and multidirectional

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the types of succession

A

Primary succession

Secondary succession

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is primary succession

A

From sterile beginnings with no existing communities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Example of primary succession

A

Volcanoes

Glaciers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Facts about volcanoes

A

3000 active ones.

60-70 erupt annually affecting 500 million people.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Facts about glaciers

A

10% earths surface
90% of that in Greenland and Antarctica.
75% of glaciers in retreat - get primary terrain left to look at succession over time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How do glaciers create disturbance

A

As they move through landscapes they peel vegetation away, grinding it up and creating a less biodiversity environment but there are microbes under them.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

How much are glaciers retreating

A

20m per year

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is secondary succession

A

On previously colonised land after major disturbance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Examples of secondary succession

A 
Landslides
Fires
Cultivation
Land abandonment 
Wind throw
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are the source of new colonisers in secondary succession

A

Propagules (seeds) organism in the soil, bacteria, fungi, plants that can recover

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the two types of succession processes

A

Autogenic

Allogenic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is autogenic process

A

Species change due to activities organisms themselves - biotic. Competitive and interactions for niches and water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is allogenic process

A

Species change due to external, non biological factors - abiotic. Like climate change and silting of waters

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What are the two general trends for plant community succession

A

Early successional species

Late successional species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Characteristics of early successional species

A 
Colonisers ‘ruderals’.
Small and fast growing.
Produce many small seeds for dispersal.
No dormancy requirement.
Often N fixers.
Allocate more energy to reproduction than biomass.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Example of N fixers

A

Lichens
Cyanobacteria
Dryas

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What can colonisers ‘ruderals’ cope with

A

Desecration
Drought
Warm and cold conditions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Examples of dormancy periods

A

Some seeds have to be eaten by animals, some have to be frozen to be colonisers

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is an advantage in a nutrient limited enivonrkwbt

A

Ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and turn it to an amino acid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Why do early successional species allocate energy to reproduction not biomass

A

To increase chances they have successful next generations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What are early successional species classed as
R-selected
26
What are late successional species classed as
Competitions ‘k-selected’
27
Characteristics of late successional species
``` Large, slow growing (trees) Dormancy. Dominate. Late seeds, animal dispersal sometimes. Competitive (canopy species) Allocate energy to biomass not reproduction. ```
28
What are canopy species
Dominate and control light resource. Plants that dominate resources like light has impact on other plants - selection process goes on e.g plants that tolerate lower light.
29
Early advantage in late successional species
Big seeds. More energy for seed to produce energy and grow quickly
30
Model for r selected and k selected plants
R selected have fast growth rate, high investment in reproduction (Dispersor). High colonisation, low competitive ability. K selected have slow growth rate, long lived, investment in biomass production (competitor). Low colonisation, high competive ability.
31
What are the patterns of diversity
Short term diversity | Longer term diversity
32
What is short term diversity
Things changing rapidly e.g mt st Helens with huge pyroxlastuc flow wip e out vegetation on the mountain and created new surface for succession.
33
In Mt St Helens why was there a rapid increase in species after the pyroclasic flow
Because the species that are colonising are not the species found at the end of successional process (strategists). Trees and forests are at the end of succession due to their forest cover.
34
What do ribosomes do
Concert atmospheric nitrogen for pea and bean plants which can turn co2 into sugar for the bacteria y the roots who are converting the nitrogen
35
What is longer term diversity
Limited life historic strategies. Maximum number of niches and resources. Competitive exclusion due to resource limitation Means diversity drops over time. Pathogens and parasites are critical.
36
What is productivity
Production of biomass in a community. Relationship eternal productivity and succession over time.
37
Example of longer term diversity
Glacier bay, south east Alaska
38
Facts about glacier bays longer term diversity
Glacier retreat at a rate of 0.4km. | Creating a plant soil succession chronosequence from 1760 to present day.
39
What are pioneer communities
Microbes - bacteria, archaea, fungi Algae, lichens, liverworts, bryophytes (can dry to nothing or freeze or be saturated and okay) Exposed environments, can still thrive.
40
How to pioneer species move to colonisers plant species
Overtime they bring organic material into the environment. | Protosoil will begin to form once these die, facilitate next stage of succession (10-20 years ice free)
41
What are the stages of succession
``` Pioneer species Coloniser plant species Alder dominated Alder-Spruce transition Spruce dominated forest ```
42
Example of coloniser plant
Dryas. | Speed dispersal by wind.
43
When do dryas dominate in the successional stage
25 years ice free
44
When do alder dominate in the successional stage
75 years ice free
45
What is the alder dominated stage
Small shrubs trees, associated with bacteria that can fix nitrogen
46
What is the alder Spruce transition
125 years ice free. | Facilitation and inhibition. Excluding some species from the space until you get the dominating species.
47
What is the spruce dominated forest
200 years and >300t/ha
48
What are seres
Successional stages with characteristic vegetation types of associated biota
49
Case study for successional stages glaciation
Rootmos glacier, Austria Glaciated in 2006 are lichen on rock, biological weathering. Spatial chronosequence. Glaciated in 1970 and 1953, 1950. Alpine meadow, lots of species, diverse but no dominance. Individual species have characteristic ecological traits.
50
Sand dune case study
Cooloola, Australia. | Monocotyledons, graminoids (grasses and sedges), xerophytes (desecration)
51
What does Cooloola look like after 100 years
Xerophyte woody shrubs
52
What does Cooloola look like after 200 years
Eucalyptus forest
53
What does the volcanic islands in Hawaii look like 100 years after eruption
Things can grow in the cracks of the dried lava.
54
What does the volcanic islands in Hawaii look like 300 years after eruption
Some trees are growing
55
What does the volcanic islands in Hawaii look like 12,000 years after eruption
Lots of treees dominate
56
What is the primary/secondary succession of the slate quarries in Wales
``` Lichens and microbes. Bryophytes, Moses and liverworts - enough resources for seed germinates. Heterogenous and patchy. Grasses, sedges and rushes. Shrubs - broom and gorse. Trees - silver birch and holly ```
57
What are the mechanisms of succession
Getting there - colonisation. Species replacement over time. Concurrent interactions between them lead to competitive exclusion.
58
Basics of early colonists (pioneers)
Light seeds, wind dispersal. High seed production. E.g 97u seed, early. For dryas
59
What is the general trend on role of colonisation
Successful immigration is lower bc of competitor for secondary succession. High for primary
60
Why are microbial colonists important
For first stage of biological weathering and first stage of succession for protosoil e.g black algal crusts in Glacier Bay is tough, flexible, organic mat.
61
How does black algal crusts in Glacier bay help
Consolidate surface 1-2cm. Reduce rain impact/particle movement due to freeze thaw. N fixers - limiter resource for heterotrophs
62
What are the two species replacement models
Inhibition model | Facilitation model
63
Who came up with the species replacement models
Connell and Slayter (1977)
64
What is the inhibition model
Early arrivals competitively inhibit (light competition) | Spread rapidly and monopolise resources.
65
What is the facilitation model
Succession is a series of sequential invasions, each dependant on site amelioration by early colonists. Species die out since changes in environment suited for later colonists.
66
Example of facilitation
N-fixers e.g alder in glacial deposits and lupins on volcanic ash improve soil N status for later colonists
67
What percentage of primary seres has N fixers as dominant vegetation
77%
68
In glacier bay how did alders help succession
Changes in soil conditions e.g increased soil N making the soil acidify by liberating H+ Ions. Spruce prefer acidic soil so have a competitive advantage.

Biodiversity And Conservation (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions