In biology, succession refers to the directional, predictable change in species composition and ecosystem structure over time following a disturbance or the creation of new substrate. It encompasses primary succession, initiated on previously uninhabited surfaces lacking soil (e.g., lava flows, glacial retreats), and secondary succession, occurring where communities are removed but soils and propagules remain. Succession involves colonization, establishment, and competitive replacement of species, driven by interactions among organisms, resource availability, and abiotic conditions. It results in changes in biomass, productivity, nutrient cycling, and community complexity, often trending toward a relatively stable, late-successional or “climax” community under given environmental regimes.
Tropical rainforests are home to almost two-thirds of all vertebrate species and three-quarters of all tree species: they are the most species-rich terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. However, over half of these diverse rainforests ...
Plants & Animals
19 hours ago
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After a wildfire, the flames may fade, but the danger does not. A new study by UBC researchers reveals that burned landscapes remain vulnerable for years, with large areas still bare and at risk of invasion by fast-growing, ...
Ecology
Mar 19, 2026
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Native forest restoration usually starts with faster growing "nurse plants" that provide shelter under which to plant bigger trees—but new research suggests some big canopy trees can be planted early too. Scientists monitored ...
Ecology
Mar 3, 2026
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Many ecologists hypothesize that, as global warming accelerates, change in nature must speed up. They assume that as temperatures rise and climatic zones shift, species will face local extinction and colonize new habitats ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 9, 2026
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Life has a way of bouncing back, even after catastrophic events like forest fires or volcanic eruptions. While nature's resilience to natural disasters has long been recognized, not much is known about how organisms colonize ...
Astrobiology
Dec 18, 2025
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88
A research team led by Prof. Wang Li from the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has found that ecosystems with more complete ecological succession and longer existence exhibit ...
Environment
Oct 31, 2025
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Ecologists have long studied how biological communities assemble following disturbances, a process known as ecological succession. Understanding the dynamics of soil microbes, Earth's most abundant organisms, remains challenging.
Ecology
Oct 13, 2025
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In a new study published in the journal Evolutionary Applications, scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Forest Research, present a detailed analysis of the genetic diversity and comparative tree health of young ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 27, 2025
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Researchers from the South China Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered that human activities are key to kickstarting and speeding saltmarsh succession in South China Sea coral islands. The study ...
Ecology
Aug 12, 2025
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24
A forest fire sweeps everything in its path. It drastically alters the soil environment, causing extreme temperatures, reduced moisture, spikes in pH, the release of inorganic nitrogen, a sharp decline in organic matter and ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 7, 2025
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