Name:________________
Date:__________
Period:_____
Review: Sedimentation, Pond and Land Succession
This activity is designed to give you practice in understanding the process of sedimentation (chemical
weathering and erosion), pond and land succession. The process begins with chemical weathering which
breaks rock apart with water, ice or wind. Then, the broken rock gets transported to another area by wind
or water called erosion. These sediments may get transported to an area where water has pooled together.
Pond succession begins with sediments being eroded into its waters. The sediment brings nutrients
for photosynthetic bacteria and algae. Shortly after their arrival other plankton called zooplankton (small
shrimp) appear to feast on the bacteria and algae. Eventually, these animals will die and add to the
sediments at the bottom of the pond. These sediments become thick enough to allow small water plants to
begin to grow near the shore. Over time their bodies will litter the bottom adding to the sediments at the
bottom of the pond. Now there is food and nesting material for fish and frogs to thrive. There are two
small food chains that have developed. One is algae, shrimp and fish. The other are plants, insects and frogs.
This chain continues for decades thickening the sediments further. The sediments are thick enough for lily
pads (anchor to bottom) and cattails (anchor in shoreline). As time goes on the sediments will fill up the
pond and the animals that once lived there will either die or have to move on. The pond has now turned into a
marsh with small grasses that lead to small bushes.
Land succession can begin in two ways. The first way is called primary succession. It begins with bare
rock from a volcano or a glacier. The bare rock is broken apart by a pioneer species called lichen. This
process continues until there is enough soil from small grasses to grow. These grasses will live and die until
there is enough soil for larger plants to grow. The second way is called secondary succession. Secondary
succession begins where there is soil already present. This may occur after a pond turns from a marsh to a
swamp, then a forest. When the forest reaches a point where it is no longer changing and replacing new
species it is called a climax community. Another way secondary succession may occur is after a forest fire.
The trees are burned, but the soil is still intact allowing nutrient rich soil for the new plants to grow.
Pre-Activity: Use the reading above to complete the sequence of each stage of pond succession.
1. __________ from erosion.
2. _____________ feed off of
the nutrients from
sediments.
4. ______________ get
thicker as plants and
animals die.
5. ______________ can
now grow near the shore.
3._____________ feast on algae and plankton.
6. There is enough sediment for __________ to nest in at
the bottom.
7. __________ arrive and feed
on insects.
8. The sediments are thick
enough for ___________
ano
to anchor to the bottom.
9. __________ anchor near the shoreline.
10. As time goes on,
______________ fill in
the pond.
11. __________ must leave
or die.
12. The pond turns into a __________ or ____________.
Stages of Pond Succession:
Directions: From the pre-activity on the first page use the same words that you filled in the blank and add
then into each box of the sequence. After completing the sequence do the same sequence with the Lego
model.
Green Dot = Algae
Orange Dot = Shrimp
Stage One Sequence
Do this on Model
Small Plant
Fish
Do this on Model
Stage Two Sequence
Frog
Grey Dot = Sediment
Lily Pad
Stage Three Sequence
Marsh/Swamp
Cattail
Do this on Model
Do this on Model
Stages of Land Succession:
Directions: From the reading on the first page, complete the sequence by writing them in the boxes below.
After completing the sequence do the same sequence with the Lego model.
Secondary Succession
Primary Succession:
Secondary Succession: