Biology

Define Plant Succession? Describe the steps of Plant Succession

Define Plant Succession? Describe the steps of Plant Succession

Succession: Within a few years or sometimes within a few months, living organisms begin to appear and a sequence of events known as succession takes place. Ecological succession is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. Many plant communities are not self-sustaining. A field in the temperate deciduous forest biome will remain a field only as long as it is grazed by animals or mowed regularly. This process is called  Plant Succession.

Steps of plant succession: Succession of plants at any new places takes place by the following steps:

  • Migration: Seeds, spores, fruits etc appear in am new places. It may occur by different media.
  • Ecesis: Seeds, spores, fruits etc coming from different places get establishment by germination and growth.
  • Competition: Competition begins among the plants of different species for water, sunlight, nutrients etc.
  • Invasion: When plants get establishment at new places coming from other places by the competition with the plants of the new places. When plants coming from other places get establishment by the competition with the plants of the new places the phenomenon is known as invasion.
  • Reaction: The plant communities established at new places, which bring about changes of the environment by their different activities are known as reaction. Mentionable environmental changes take place due to this reaction.
  • Stabilization: As a result, the qualitative changes occur in the environment, which result the gradual extinction of many plant species. A series of appearing and disappearing of plant species takes place; winch can eventually give rise to a permanent plant community. This is the last step.