- (B) In primary succession, which occurs in virtually a lifeless area (e.g., area
below a retreating glacier), pioneer species like lichen, algae, and fungus, as
well as other abiotic factors like wind and water, start to change or create
conditions better suited for vascular plant growth. These changes include
accumulation of organic matter in the litter or humic layer, alteration of soil
nutrients, and change in pH or water content of soil. These pioneer plants
are then dominated and often replaced by plants better adapted to less
austere conditions, such as grasses and shrubs that are able to live in thin,
mineral-based soils. The structure of the plants themselves can also alter the
community. For example, when larger species like trees mature, they
produce shade on the developing forest floor, which tends to exclude light-
requiring species allowing shade-tolerant species to invade the area.
marvins-underground-k-12
(Marvins-Underground-K-12)
#1