OPPapers.com Essay Index >> Science >> Ecosystem Succession Paper
We have many free term papers and essays on Ecosystem Succession Paper. We also have a wide variety of research papers and book reports available to you for free. You can browse our collection of term papers or use our search engine.
Ecosystem Succession Paper. Ecosystem Succession Paper A community of
organisms does not evolve instantly, but instead progresses ...
Ecosystem Succession Paper. When people look at nature or the outdoors today,
most people are astonished by the beauty being seen. ...
... Ecosystem Succession Paper There are many things going around in the world around
everyone, and many people do not realize the infinite amount of processes and ...
... soil profile usually displays a succession of layers ... functions, within natural or
managed ecosystem boundaries, in ... 44 filter paper Sealable plastic bags Auger ...
... reef are in varying stages of succession (Richmond, 1993 ... water quality affects other
parts of the coastal ecosystem. ... hope that by reading this paper someday we ...
Submitted by PLsweet on May 9, 2008
Category: Science
Words: 692 | Pages: 3
Views: 88
Popularity Rank: 94,223
Average Member Grade: N/A (Add a Comment / Grade this Paper)
When people look at nature or the outdoors today, most people are astonished by the beauty being seen. Yet most do not know that what is seen today is not the picture of yesterday. The changes that happen in the environment are the changes that impact how communities evolve. Because of environmental changes, many societies, communities and species have formed, changed, grown and some gone extinct. According to the text, Environment, succession is the process of community development over time, which involves species in one stage being replaced by different species (pg. 67). This process can take tens, hundreds or thousands of years. Succession is an extremely important characteristic of nature and the environment. This is the process that forms the many different habitats that help nature change and evolve.
There are two kinds of succession which are dependant on the circumstances around the habitat: primary and secondary succession. According to Dictionary.com, primary succession is the development of biotic communities in a previously uninhabited and barren habitat with little or no soil (2008). Such a habitat may be formed by volcanic activity, glacial activity, or strip-mining; thus, it initially lacks soil. Examples of such habitats would include newly exposed or deposited surfaces, such as landslips, volcanic lava and debris, elevated sand banks and dunes, quarried rock faces.
A study of Glacier Bay, AL, figure 4-4, showed that following retreat of the glacier, the ground was first colonized by mosses and lichens. Lichens are often the most important element in the initial community that develops during this stage. Lichens secrete acids that help break the rock apart, which aids in the beginning process of soil formation. As soil begins to accumulate plant evolution takes place. In figure 4-4, we start with lichens, then dwarf willows, then alders, then Sitka spruce. After about 200 years, a stable spruce-hemlock forest resulted. Figure 4-4...
You must Login to view the entire paper.
If you are not a member yet, Sign Up for free!