Succession:
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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT??
Out of the two, secondary succession most directly affects our lives. Ecological succession is important because it affects the existence of species. The number one cause of extinction is habitat loss. secondary succession causes millions of species to lose their homes, leading to a disrupted balance in the ecosystem. Every species is important due to the ecosystem services they provide. usually in the event of secondary succession occurring, R-selective species arrive first creating a re-growth in the environment. later K-selective species arrive, returning the balance of life. This succession phenomenon clearly affected the Gulf Coastal Prairie right in our backyard. to learn more click _ Our wolf prairie right outside has undergone secondary succession! Crazy right? Well it isn't that uncommon. In fact prairies rely on certain kinds of disturbances such as fires to replenish and renew itself. Before wolf prairie became apart of westside cattle used to call it home. Many species have made a home there and you can think of succession as a new beginning. It's not always bad! |
DOES THIS RELATE?
When disturbances like fires get out of hand and cause major damage to a prairie it's usually because the prairie had not had regular "burning sessions" . As violent as it sounds regular maintained fires are actually a way to preserve a prairie due to the fact that most plants in prairies grow from the roots, therefore after a prescribed burn the roots will maintain in tact and continue to grow.
When disturbances like fires get out of hand and cause major damage to a prairie it's usually because the prairie had not had regular "burning sessions" . As violent as it sounds regular maintained fires are actually a way to preserve a prairie due to the fact that most plants in prairies grow from the roots, therefore after a prescribed burn the roots will maintain in tact and continue to grow.
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