Biology / Unit 14 Bio 3609 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Primary and Secondary Ecological Succession
Captions available
The idea
Primary succession begins on newly exposed substrate with no prior soil or life, such as bare rock; secondary succession begins where soil remains after life is disturbed or removed.
In practice
Bare rock left by a retreating glacier undergoes primary succession; a burned forest with intact soil undergoes secondary succession.
Where people slip
Secondary succession proceeds faster mainly because soil, the slowest resource to rebuild, is present.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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