Examples of Secondary Succession
May 13, 2024 | by Bloom Code Studio
- In 1988, the wildfires in Yellowstone National Park resulted in extensive damage. Following the fires, the affected areas experienced secondary succession, with the re-establishment of vegetation. Early successional plants like Pinus contorta, Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca, and Populus tremuloides played a big role in reviving the ecosystem.
- In old field succession in the Piedmont of North Carolina, abandoned fields undergo secondary succession. Initially, crabgrasses and horseweeds dominate the first year of abandonment. By the second year, aster becomes the main plant in the fields. Broomsedge becomes the dominant plant in the third year until it is replaced by young pine trees. Then, big trees called hardwoods take over becoming the main trees in the area. Periodic disturbances, such as fires every 5–7 years help to keep the young pine trees around and stop the complete dominion of hardwood trees.
- In East Kalimantan, Indonesia, secondary succession occurs in Imperata grasslands due to human activities like logging, farming, grazing, and intentional fires. When these disturbances cease and the grasslands are no longer regularly burned, pioneer species like ferns, herbs, and young trees rapidly colonize the area, eventually leading to the transition from Imperata grassland to secondary forest.
- Secondary succession occurs in oak and hickory forests following a wildfire. After severe fires clear the landscape, the nutrient-rich ashes provide fertile conditions leading to the dominance of annual plants and pioneer species. As the pioneer species establish themselves, the environment changes, allowing intermediate species like shrubs, small trees, oak, and hickory to emerge. The process ends in a stable climax community, maintaining equilibrium until the next disturbance.
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