Term
| What is plant succession? |
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Definition
| A change in the number and type of plant in a given area over a period of time. |
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Term
| How long can plant succession take? |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| An environment in which succession takes place |
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Term
| How many main seres are there? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which plant forms the pioneer community in the lithosere? |
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Definition
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Term
| How does the presence of lichen allow other plants to colonise? |
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Definition
| The lichen breaks down minerals in the rock to form soil, and dead lichen will provide nutrients for other plants. |
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Term
| Where do the lichens get their nutrients? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is decomposed plant matter called? |
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Definition
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Term
| In the lithosere, what could the climax community be composed of? |
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Definition
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Term
| Why do the pioneer and early coloniser species die out? |
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Definition
| They are out-competed by later colonisers. The nutrients in the soil change over time and the later colonisers are adapted for this. They can grow taller, preventing the early colonisers getting sunlight. |
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Term
| What factors can affect the appearance of the climax community in different ecosystems? |
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Definition
| Altitude, humidity, temperature, latitude, ect. |
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Term
| What is a climatic climax? |
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Definition
| When the main factor affecting the climax community is climate. |
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Term
| What is the climax community? |
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Definition
| The ecological commmunity in the final stage of succession, where the plant composition remains relatively stable |
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Term
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Definition
| Plants that establish themselves in new environments, such as lichens which are colonisers of bare rock |
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Term
| What is gross productivity? |
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Definition
| A measure of all photosynthesis which occurs in an ecosystem |
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Term
| Which sere is the halosere? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which sere is the hydrosere? |
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Definition
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Term
| Which sere is the lithosere? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is net primary productivity? |
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Definition
| Energy fixed in photosynthesis minus energy lost through respiration |
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Term
| What is mono-climax theory? |
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Definition
| A theory that recognises only one climax community, which is determined solely by the climate. The area would be covered with one uniform climax community |
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Term
| What is a pioneer species? |
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Definition
| The first species to colonise an ecosystem. Would usually be very hardy, such as lichen. |
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Term
| What is poly-climax theory? |
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Definition
| A theory which recognises multiple climax communities in an area which can be separately affected by factors such as altitude. |
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Term
| What is primary succession? |
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Definition
| The development of plant communities in previously uncolonised environments. |
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Term
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Definition
| The succession from bare ground to climax community |
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Term
| Which sere is the psammosere? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is secondary succession? |
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Definition
| The development of a plant community in an area that was previously colonised but was damaged in some way, eg through a forest fire or the clearing of vegetation. |
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Term
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Definition
| The environment in which plant succession takes place |
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Term
| What is a sub climax community |
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Definition
| When a community does not develop in the expected way, possibly due to a disturbance such as a forest fire |
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