Final answer:
Pioneer species are effective colonizers due to their ability to thrive in poor soil, reproduce quickly, and alter the environment, setting the stage for succession. They capitalize on opportunities created by mass extinctions or disturbances, paving the way for other species to follow in the transformed habitat.
Step-by-step explanation:
The features of pioneer species that make them effective colonizers include their ability to grow in poor soil conditions, rapid reproduction, and the capacity to modify the environment to make it more hospitable for other species. Pioneer species like ferns, which can quickly establish themselves in barren landscapes, often do so after a mass extinction which opens up niches for them to occupy. These species begin the process of succession, where they change the environment by weathering rock, forming soil, adding organic matter, and improving the soil's water retention, thus facilitating the colonization of later succession species such as mosses, grasses, shrubs, and eventually trees. The transitioning ecosystems also create opportunities for invasive species, such as certain types of pine, which when established through ecological disturbances like fires or grazing, can become difficult to manage unless preventative legislation is in place.