ABSTRACT
Ecological succession is the change in species composition and community structure and function over time. Succession is usually defined as a continuous, unidirectional, sequential change in the species composition of a natural community. Succession can be thought of as autogenic or self-driven. Changes in the environment occur as a result of the interaction between the organisms and that environment. Primary succession to woodland is a slow process, taking in the region of a hundred years or more. The term degradative succession describes a particular type of autogenic, primary succession: the colonization and subsequent decomposition of dead organic matter. Serial replacement of species can result from external environmental factors, such as geophysico-chemical changes. Allogenic transition over shorter time scales occurs where sediment is accreting. The tolerance model suggests a predictable sequence of species replacement based on species’ strategies for exploiting resources.
