Succession
Succession is the act or process of following in order or sequence.
Politicallly, it refers to the ascension to power by one politician after another, usually in a clearly defined order.
For more information on specific succession procedures, see:
- Order of succession (royal)
- In the United Kingdom
- Succession planning (corporate)
In ecology, succession refers to the replacement of one community by another. Succession can be primary or secondary. Primary succession occurs on new rock or soil which has never been collonised before, and therefore has few nutrients in, typically these are sand dunes, lava plains and salt marshes. Secondary succession occurs on land which has been colonised before, typically newly dug gardens, cleared forests and ploughed fields. Succession can occur in psamoseres (dry rock and soil - sand dunes) and xeroseres (wet soil - salt marsh).
Succession begins with pioneer species and leads to climax comminities. In primary successions pioneer species are typically hardy plants which can survive in harsh conditions. On sand dunes marram grass has deep roots to tap into the water table, rhibozomes to produce nitrogen compounds and leaves which reduce transpiration. On lava plains plants are adapted to survive in low water supply and thin soils. These plants add nutrients to the soil, and bind the soil together, allowing new species to colonise the area. This continies which ther soil quality improving untill a climax community is reached. Climax communities are usually some form of woodland.