Ecological Succession and Ecosystem Changes

The gradual process of change in an ecosystem over time.

Starts as bare rock and forms a complete ecosystem.

Starts after a climax community undergoes a catastrophic change (fire, hurricane, etc.). Soil remains.

Another form of secondary succession because we start with soil.

Plant or animal that first moves into a new or empty area to start an ecosystem.

A full ecosystem that has grown after succession. Includes all levels of a food chain and has habitats for all organisms.

The start of primary succession.

What is left after a catastrophic event during secondary succession.

The weathering of the earth over a long period of time. During succession this will create the soil.

Changes that occur within nature.

Hurricane, Flooding, Volcanic eruptions.

Changes that humans create.

Land Clearing & Logging, Burning Fossil Fuels, Water Pollution.

The process water takes through the biotic and abiotic parts of the ecosystem.

Rain, snow, hail, or sleet. Water in a physical form being released from clouds.

The process of water leaving the surface of the earth to return back to the atmosphere.

The process where water vapor cools and turns back into a liquid, forming clouds, dew, or fog.

The process where water from plants evaporates back into the atmosphere.

The process carbon takes through the biotic and abiotic parts of the ecosystem.

The process plants do to turn carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight into glucose and oxygen.

The process that plants and animals do to turn glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide, energy, and water.

The process that decomposers do to turn dead matter into nutrients in the soil. Decomposers release carbon dioxide during this process.

Where humans turn fossil fuels into energy releasing carbon back into the atmosphere.

The process nitrogen takes through the biotic and abiotic parts of the ecosystem.

Not a usable form of nitrogen. It must go through the nitrogen cycle to be turned into different forms for living things to use it.

A necessary element for life as it is the building blocks of DNA, RNA, and proteins.

Used as the building blocks for proteins and DNA.

Nitrogen from atmosphere into ammonia in the soil.

Ammonia or nitrates being taken up by plants.

Breaking down of nitrogen from dead organisms into ammonia in the soil.

Process of turning ammonia into nitrates which are easier for plants to take up.

The process that nitrates turn into nitrogen gas.

An extreme increase of nutrients in the water, usually due to runoff, that causes the water to be drained of oxygen killing all organisms that live there.

Fertilizers, pesticides, manure, livestock runoff.

Fertilizer is washed away by the rain and absorbed into the soil.

Fertilizers are applied to the land, sometimes too much is used.

Fertilizer is transported to a lake by groundwater and runoff.

Fertilizer makes the plants and algae grow A LOT.

Sunlight cannot reach the bottom of the lake so plants die.

Bacteria in the lake decompose the dead plants and use up all the oxygen.

Little oxygen.

No oxygen.

Areas where there are no longer any oxygen (or extremely low levels of oxygen).

Breaks down organic matter and releases CO2 into the atmosphere.

Nitrogen fixation turns N2 in the atmosphere into NH3 for plants to use.

Compost enriches the soil by breaking down organic matter, returning essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to the soil.

Composting diverts organic waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions.

The long term changes of temperature and weather patterns caused by the Greenhouse Effect.

Decrease in Sea Ice, Increase in Sea Level, Increase in Weather Events, Increase in Global Temperature, Increase Ocean Temperature