Define succession

The process by which the species composition of a community changes over time.

Define seral stage

Each stage of community change during the process of succession

Define pioneer species

The earliest species to arrive at a site

Define climax community

The final seral stage in the process of succession

Describe the differences between direct and indirect studies of succession.

Making a continuous timeline of succession via direct observations vs inferential methods (like carbon dating material in lake sediments and examining chronosequences)

What assumptions must be made when studying a chronosequence?

- All the organisms that colonize

What is the difference between primary and secondary succession?

Succession beginning in an environment without organic soil vs an environment which has organic soil