Ecological succession

Definition

The directional, often predictable change in species composition and community structure of an ecosystem over time following a disturbance or on newly available substrate, progressing through serial stages toward a relatively stable climax community.

Etymology

From Greek 'oikos' (household, place to live) + 'logos' (study of) and Latin 'succedere' (to follow after, come up).

Example

After a forest fire, pioneer colonizers such as fireweed and specialist pyrophilous beetles (e.g., Melanophila species attracted to infrared radiation from smoldering wood) establish first; over decades, shade-intolerant grasses and early successional spiders give way to shrubs, then shade-tolerant trees and their associated litter-dwelling beetle and ant assemblages, eventually reaching a mature forest community.

Synonyms

• community succession
• vegetation succession

Related Terms

• climax community
• pioneer species
• primary succession
• secondary succession
• seral stage
• disturbance ecology
• habitat fragmentation

Usage Notes

Distinguish primary succession (on bare rock, volcanic substrate, or glacial till without soil) from secondary succession (on previously vegetated sites after disturbance such as fire, logging, or agriculture). The term implies directionality but modern usage acknowledges that climax communities are not always achieved and that multiple stable endpoints may exist depending on disturbance regime and stochastic factors. In entomological studies, successional patterns of carrion-feeding insects (blow flies, flesh flies, rove beetles) are used in forensic entomology to estimate postmortem interval.