24.11.15: Community succession
Module 21: Community Succession
Primary succession: From bare rock, no soil: (e.g. lichen)
These hold moisture and some sort of matrix (e.g. soil) so that others can then grow
You might imagine driving from the Kohala coast up to Waimea, seeing bare lava along the coast, then fountain grass, then small bushes, then trees along the stream, then larger trees away from the stream. Water is the key to life, so anything that can trap and hold water (e.g. soil) can support life.Secondary succession: from disturbed area with soil (e.g. after a fire)-there is soil, but no plants, growth here might be quicker than primary sucession.
Pioneer species: arrives first, sets up reliable system of water and matrix
Climax community: stable, well evolved ecosystem, e.g. old growth forest, able to survive disasters (e.g. fire)
Aquatic succession: from stream (flowing water) to pond (less flow) to shallow pond (even less flow) to marsh (mostly mud)
Island biogeography (like here in Waimea): habitat size AND distance from others influences diversity (e.g. birds)
This was Darwin's whole gig, also some folks off the coast of Chile, often with birds involved.
Check out an alternate presentation of these in the Withgott text, with a special section about our island:
https://elab.hpa.edu/apes/texts/withgott%206e/3-4.pdf
Questions:- What three things in order are necessary for evolution to succeed?
- What are the characteristics of an r specific species. Give an example.
- What are the characteristics of a K specific species. Give an example as well.
- The population of wolves may rise and fall along with rabbits, but not at the same time. Explain why.
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