Final answer:
Ecological succession is the process where ecosystems undergo change after a disturbance, which can be natural or human-induced. Primary succession happens on newly exposed land, while secondary succession occurs in previously disturbed areas. The process involves several stages and may not be rapid or completely predictable.
Step-by-step explanation:
What Is Ecological Succession?
Ecological succession describes the process of sequential change in a community over time, especially following a disturbance. There are two primary types of succession. Primary succession occurs in environments that have never supported life before, such as newly formed rock exposed by a retreating glacier. In contrast, secondary succession takes place in areas where a community has previously existed, but was disturbed to the point that much of its living biomass was removed, such as after a forest fire, flood, or human activities like deforestation.
During ecological succession, we can observe several changes in the composition of species within the community. For example, after a forest is cleared by a fire, we might initially see grasses and small plants grow. Eventually, these are replaced by shrubs and bushes, followed later by young trees, until mature forest species dominate the landscape once again. Succession is a natural process, but can also be influenced by human activity, such as when farmland is abandoned and returns to its natural forested state.
One key point is that ecological succession occasionally occurs after a disturbance, which contradicts the statement that it is 'always caused by human intervention'. Additionally, the process does not always follow a predictable pattern, because it can be influenced by various unpredictable environmental factors. Finally, while some stages of succession happen rather quickly, the entire process is not a series of rapid changes but usually takes place over a longer period.