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Succession
The process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time. Two different types of succession—primary and secondary—have been distinguished. Primary succession occurs in essentially lifeless areas—regions in which the soil is incapable of sustaining life as a result.
Stratification
Stratification is the building up of layers. In forests, it is referring to the vertical arrangement of vegetation. Such layering is important to many species of plants and animals, as each layer offers a unique niche. Trees that get the most sunlight generally grow the fastest. Shade-tolerant tree species can grow in the suppressed level of the canopy or in the understory for many years and then, upon the death of a tree overhead, they respond with a spurt of growth to take their place in the general canopy.
Reasons for stratification:
Although it is common to see New Zealand native plants in backyards throughout NZ, by observing them in a natural forest community, we can examine how each species is uniquely suited to thrive within its realised niche. Considering the abiotic factors, the interspecific relationships, and the structural, physiological, and behavioural adaptations of species within the forest community, we can uncover reasons for the vertical layering of species that produce the community pattern of stratification. (accessed from http://mrcoopersbioblog.blogspot.co.nz/p/year-12-ecology.html)
Zonation
Definition: The distribution of species into visible bands or zones along an environmental gradient
On the rocky shore, intertidal species occur in horizontal zones determined by their tolerance to abiotic stresses and interspecific interactions. Similar patterns can be seen with plants on mountains.
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