Final answer:
The last phase of succession in lakes and wetlands is the climax community, which represents a stable and balanced ecosystem that persists until a significant disruption occurs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The last phase of succession of lakes and wetlands is known as the climax community. This is the stage where a habitat achieves a stable state, characterized by a balance of plant and animal species specially adapted to the area's conditions. After the area has gone through changes, such as ecological disturbances from a natural disaster or human interference, it eventually reaches this final stage of ecological succession. Unlike secondary succession, where a disturbed habitat quickly recovers due to the presence of nutrient-rich soil, climax communities represent the long-term stability of an ecosystem.
In the context of wetlands, this means that the soil is consistently saturated with water, and the typical hydrophytic vegetation thrives alongside adapted animal species. In this balanced state, the community will persist unless another significant disruption occurs. It's important to note that while called the "final stage," a climax community can eventually transition to a different stable state if environmental conditions change significantly over time.