Question

Describe the differences between primary and secondary succession.

Answer 1

Make this short.

Answer 2

Primary succession occurs in an environment that has never before been colonized by living organisms, such as on newly formed volcanic rock or in a newly created pond. Secondary succession occurs in an environment that has previously been inhabited by living organisms, but has been disturbed or destroyed by events such as fires, logging, or agriculture.

In primary succession, the process begins with the colonization of pioneer species that are able to survive in harsh conditions and eventually create soil through their decomposition. This creates a foundation for more complex plants and animals to colonize the area. In contrast, secondary succession begins with the presence of soil and seeds or spores of plants and animals that were present before the disturbance. These organisms start the process of recolonizing the area and gradually restore it to its previous state.

Primary succession usually takes longer to reach a stable climax community, as it starts from scratch with no existing soil or organisms. In contrast, secondary succession tends to occur more quickly, as there is already a base of soil and existing organisms that can quickly reestablish themselves.

Overall, primary succession occurs in environments where life has never existed before, while secondary succession occurs in environments that have been previously inhabited but have been disturbed or destroyed.

Answer 3

Primary succession occurs in environments that have never been colonized before, while secondary succession occurs in environments that were previously inhabited but have been disturbed or destroyed. Primary succession starts from scratch with no existing soil or organisms, whereas secondary succession begins with a base of soil and existing organisms that can quickly reestablish themselves. Primary succession takes longer to reach a stable climax community, while secondary succession tends to occur more quickly.