What is secondary succession, and how does it differ from primary?
Secondary succession is the arrival of new species in an area that already has life. Secondary succession results in the transition of a community from pioneer species to climax species. Secondary succession also indicates changes in community composition following disturbances. Because soil may already be present, the rate of secondary succession is faster than primary succession. • Floods, hurricanes , and fires are all examples of naturally occurring disturbances. Notice, however, that none of these completely wipes out the life that was in the area. • Not only do plants and animals survive these disturbances, but some need them to be able to continue to live there. For example, the red cockaded woodpecker is an endangered species from the Southeastern US that lives only in longleaf pine forests that burn every 2 or 3 years.
