Final answer:
Arrested succession refers to the halting of an ecosystem's natural sequence of species changes, often due to environmental limits or human activities. It can occur in the tropics, for instance, where invasive species or human practices inhibit ecosystem development.
Step-by-step explanation:
Arrested succession is a process in ecology where the sequence of species colonization and replacement (succession) in an ecosystem is halted or stalled at a particular stage. This can be due to a variety of environmental constraints, disturbances, or human interventions that prevent the ecosystem from reaching its climax community, which is the final stage of natural succession. Although succession theory is less commonly applied in the tropics due to the complexity and high biodiversity, arrested succession does take place. An example of this could be areas of the tropics where invasive species have become dominant and suppress the natural progression of the ecosystem, or where human activity such as repeated burning, farming, or deforestation prevents the natural succession from continuing.