ABSTRACT
As Nature abhors a vacuum, so the biosphere abhors bare ground. Land stripped clean by fire, flood, plough, or any other agency is soon colonized by life. What happens next is the subject of considerable debate. Proponents of two main schools of thought have their own views on the matter. These schools may be dubbed the ‘climatic climax and balanced ecosystem’ school, and the ‘disequilibrium communities’ school.
