Question

What would be a correct sequence for the events of secondary succession?

A. Trees become common and outcompete other plants for sunlight.
B. An intact ecosystem is disrupted by a natural disaster.
C. Pioneer species like grasses and flowers grow.
D. Bushes begin to dominate.
E. The climax community for the area is established once again.

Answer 1

Secondary succession follows a natural disturbance and starts with pioneer species growth, followed by bushes and trees, and concludes with the establishment of a climax community.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct sequence for the events of secondary succession following a disruption like a wildfire is:

1. An intact ecosystem is disrupted by a natural disaster.
2. Pioneer species like grasses and flowers grow.
3. Bushes begin to dominate.
4. Trees become common and outcompete other plants for sunlight.
5. The climax community for the area is established once again.

Secondary succession is a process that begins after an event, such as a natural disaster, disturbs an existing ecosystem but leaves the soil intact. The sequence starts with the growth of pioneer species, progresses through various intermediate stages with different species of plants and trees becoming dominant at different times, and ends with the reestablishment of a stable climax community reminiscent of the original ecosystem.