Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 168 views

    Human Ecology and Succession Activity

    Uploaded by

    daryl.prado
    Ecological succession is the process of change in the species that make up the biological community in an ecosystem over time. As the environment changes, earlier species are replaced by later species better adapted to the conditions. This occurs through primary succession, where soil forms from bare rock and secondary succession, where the soil remains after a disturbance removes existing vegetation. In both cases, pioneer species are first followed by increasing complexity of plant and animal species as conditions change.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Human Ecology and Succession Activity

    Uploaded by

    daryl.prado
    168 views3 pages
    Ecological succession is the process of change in the species that make up the biological community in an ecosystem over time. As the environment changes, earlier species are replaced by later species better adapted to the conditions. This occurs through primary succession, where soil forms from bare rock and secondary succession, where the soil remains after a disturbance removes existing vegetation. In both cases, pioneer species are first followed by increasing complexity of plant and animal species as conditions change.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Ecological succession is the process of change in the species that make up the biological community in an ecosystem over time. As the environment changes, earlier species are replaced by later species better adapted to the conditions. This occurs through primary succession, where soil forms from bare rock and secondary succession, where the soil remains after a disturbance removes existing vegetation. In both cases, pioneer species are first followed by increasing complexity of plant and animal species as conditions change.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    168 views3 pages

    Human Ecology and Succession Activity

    Uploaded by

    daryl.prado
    Ecological succession is the process of change in the species that make up the biological community in an ecosystem over time. As the environment changes, earlier species are replaced by later species better adapted to the conditions. This occurs through primary succession, where soil forms from bare rock and secondary succession, where the soil remains after a disturbance removes existing vegetation. In both cases, pioneer species are first followed by increasing complexity of plant and animal species as conditions change.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    Name: ____________________________________________ Date: ____________

    Chapter 6: Human Ecology and Succession

    Ecological Succession

    Part 1: Background Reading


    Ecosystems are constantly changing in
    response to natural and human
    disturbances. As an ecosystem changes,
    older inhabitants gradually die out and
    new organisms move in, causing further
    changes in the community. This series of
    predictable changes that occurs in a
    community over time is called ecological
    succession. Ecological succession is
    slow and gradual; it occurs over a period
    of many years.

    As ecological succession occurs, types of


    species (both plants and animals) present
    in a community will change in response to changing environmental conditions.
    Examples of such environmental conditions include fires, climate change, and
    human activities, such as clearing forests in order to plant farm fields.

    The first species to colonize an ecosystem are called pioneer species. Pioneer
    species such as lichens (a fungus + algae), mosses, and bacteria help break up
    bare rock and form a base of soil that can be used by plants. As environmental
    conditions change, the pioneers are replaced by other species, such as herbs,
    grasses, wild flowers, and low shrubs.

    Over time, this second set of species is replaced by yet another set of species.
    As time goes on, larger trees begin to grow in the environment and “shade out”
    the grasses and herbs.

    As each plant community changes, so do the animal communities. Animal species


    have adaptations that make them best suited for particular environments and
    habitats. The plants that are found in a given habitat will determine which
    animals can live there.

    Two Types of Succession


    Primary Succession: Succession that occurs on surfaces where no soil exists. It
    leads to the gradual establishment of biotic communities in lifeless areas.
    • Rock weathers and crumbles into particles, releasing nutrients.
    • Physical and chemical breakdown of rock
    • Soil slowly forms
    • Initial pioneer species: lichens, mosses.
    • Next you will see: Herbs, grasses, low shrubs.
    • Climax Community: Trees.
    Secondary Succession: Ecological succession in an area where natural vegetation
    has been removed or destroyed but the soil or bottom sediment has not been
    destroyed. Secondary succession may follow a disturbance that destroys a
    community without destroying the soil.

    Part 2: Connecting Ideas


    Your Task:
    Imagine that Thurston High School has been abandoned. There is no one to mow the
    grass, clean the hallways, or maintain the buildings. In the boxes provided, do
    the following:

    1. DRAW the THS football field as it is today and as you predict it will look
    after the number of years listed to the left.

    2. LIST some of the types of plants and animals that you think would be present
    at each of these time increments.
    Time Drawing Plants/Animals

    Today

    10 Years
    from now

    50 Years
    from now

    200 Years
    from now
    Part 3: Applying Our Understanding
    1. In your own words, what is ecological succession? (at least 3 sentences)

    2. In your own words, how is primary succession different from secondary


    succession? (at least 3 sentences)

    3. In your own words, how is primary succession similar to secondary succession?


    (at least 3 sentences)

    4. In your own words, how do human activities lead to secondary succession? (at
    least 3 sentences)

    5. In your own words, what causes ecological succession? (at least 3 sentences)

    6. Write your reaction about the environmental news/issues on “Human Population”.


    (introduction, body, and conclusion)

    You might also like