A volcano erupts destroying a forest and burying the soil with ash. This allows growth of small plants only. Gradually, the soil reforms and allows for the growth of bigger plants and trees. Which term explains these events?

Question

A volcano erupts destroying a forest and burying the soil with ash. This allows growth of small plants only. Gradually, the soil reforms and allows for the growth of bigger plants and trees. Which term explains these events?
Responses

Gradualism
Gradualism

Punctuated equilibrium
Punctuated equilibrium

Geographic isolation
Geographic isolation

Ecological succession
Ecological succession

GPT-4o mini · Answer

The correct term that explains these events is **Ecological succession**. This process describes the gradual change and development of an ecosystem over time, starting from the initial colonization by small plants and eventually leading to more complex communities, such as forests.