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"Ecological succession" is the observed process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. Within any community some species may become less abundant over some time interval, or they may even vanish from the ecosystem altogether. Similarly, over some time interval, other species within the community may become more abundant, or new species may even invade into the community from adjacent ecosystems. This observed change over time in what is living in a particular ecosystem is "ecological succession".
A climax community is a stable community of a diverse number of species. The repetitive replacements of different communities eventually leads to the establishment of a dynamic equilibrium stage known as a climax community. An example can be the forest areas of Webster Park, as opposed to the pavilion areas that are maintained by humans. It is a community in its final stage of sucession.
Primary succession takes thousands of years, as it its the process beginning at bare rock being broken down into soil. Lichens and moss are the major autotrophs capable of living on bare rock, and they slowly break it down into soil deep enough for roots. Secondary succession (below) is when an intact and stable community is damaged such as in a forest fire or flood. Since rich soil is already present, as well as roots and seeds of producers, returning to a stable climax community is usually done in a few decades, sometimes shorter.
Each organism in a community occupies a niche, a term that refers to everything that organism contributes to the system. Examples of activities that make up an organism's niche include what it consumes, what consumes it, how it alters the habitat, and what wastes it produces. Organisms that live in the same community adapt to each other and rely on each other to fill these niches. When a niche does not get filled due to migration or local extinction, then other organisms are threatened. The more diverse a community, the more the species will be able to withstand the loss of a species.
The first organisms to enter an environment and begin the process of succession are called pioneer organisms, such as lichens, mosses, and eventually grasses. These producers allow food chains to exist and also modify rock and soil to allow other producers to take hold.
The climax communities' vegetation depend on the abiotic factors of the region, and the animals and decomposers rely on the vegetation so they also depend on these factors such as climate, elevation, and terrain. The large regions of the planet with their typical climax communities are referred to as biomes.
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