Ecological Succession Notes (3.1)
State Standard
SB4C. Relate environmental conditions to
successional changes in ecosystems.
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
3.1 Community Ecology
Limiting Factors
 Any biotic factor or abiotic factor that restricts
the numbers, reproduction, or distribution of
organisms is called a limiting factor.
 Includes sunlight, climate, temperature, water,
nutrients, fire, soil chemistry, and space, and
other living things
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
3.1 Community Ecology
Range of Tolerance
 An upper limit and lower limit that define the
conditions in which an organism can survive
 The ability of any organism to survive when subjected
to abiotic factors or biotic factors is called tolerance.
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
3.1 Community Ecology
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION
 The change in an ecosystem that happens
when one community replaces another as a
result of changing abiotic and biotic factors is
ecological succession
 There are two types of ecological succession—
primary succession and secondary
succession.
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
3.1 Community Ecology
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION - Primary
 The establishment of a community in an area of bare
rock that does not have any soil is primary
succession.
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
3.1 Community Ecology
ECOLOGIAL SUCCESSION - Secondary
 The orderly and predictable change that takes
place after a community of organisms has
been removed but the soil has remained
intact is secondary succession.
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
3.1 Community Ecology
ECOLOGIAL SUCCESSION - Ponds
 A pond is a relatively shallow hole where
water collects & light penetrates to the bottom.
 If left unattended, a pond will fill in with dirt &
debris until it becomes land.
 Pond succession can take hundreds of years
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
ECOLOGIAL SUCCESSION - Ponds
 As in all types of succession, pond succession
happens in predictable steps:
• Bare Bottom (algae/microorganisms)
• Submerged Vegetation
• Emerging Vegetation
• Temporary Pond/Marsh
• Terrestrial Ecosystem
Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Communities, Biomes, and Ecosystems
ECOLOGIAL SUCCESSION - Ponds