Specific role and position a species has in its environment .
When 2 species have a same ecological niche , competition arises between them. As a result of the competition:
1) Either of the species gets killed
2) Relocates
3) Undergoes physiological and behavioral changes.
Eg: Lions preys at day while hyenas prey at night.
Ecological Succession:
Gradual and fairly predictable change in the species composition of a given area. Some species colonize an area and their populations increase while others decline in number.
Types of Succession:
1) Primary
2) Secondary
Primary Succession:
Takes place in bare and unoccupied areas where no organisms had previously existed .
Steps
1) Primary Species
Eg: Lichens and mosses
2) Intermediate species or Sere
Eg: Small annual plants, shrubs, perennial plants, grasses.
3) Climax species
Eg: Forest
No soil is present at the beginning and due to continuous degradation of dead organisms soil emerges .
Secondary Succession:
Development of a community after the destruction of preexisting community by a forest fire of flood.
1) Soil is present so relatively fast.
2) disturbances leads to earlier stages.
Succession in plants:
Ecotone:
It is the place where two different ecological zones intersect . It is also called as transition zone. It has more number of species compared to other zones.
Credits: Leo Vishnu Varthan
