macroenvironmental
changes (fires, floods,
etc.).communities have
adequately prepared
the soil.Life span of seed Long. Seeds may
become dormant and
able to withstand wide
environmental
fluctuations.
Short. Not able to
withstand wide
environmental
fluctuations.Life strategy r-strategists: mature
rapidly; short-lived
species; number of
organisms within a
species is high; low
biodiversity; niche
generalists.
K-strategists: mature
slowly; long-lived;
number of organisms
within a species is
lower; greater
biodiversity; niche
specialists.Location of nutrients In the soil and in leaf
litter.
Within the plant and
top layers of soil.Net primary
productivity
High. Low.Nutrient cycling by
decomposers
Limited. Complex.Nutrient cycling
through
biogeochemical
cycles
Because nutrient sinks
have not fully
developed, the
nutrients are available
to cycle through
established
biogeochemical cycles
fairly rapidly.Because of nutrient
sinks (carbon being
trapped in vegetation),
nutrients may not be
readily available to
flow through cycles.Photosynthesis
efficiency
Low. High.Plant structure
complexity
Simple. More complex.Recovery rate of Plants quickly and Recovery is slow.