Succession, Recovery, and Renewal in Natural Communities

Imagine a lawn that has been abandoned. What is least likely to happen to the lawn?
1. Plant, and therefore animal life, will slowly disappear
2. Grasses and weeds will be among the first species to grow
3. Eventually trees may appear and grow
4. The species of animals found there will change over time
Which of the following choices is the correct definition of succession?
1. Succession is the natural replacement of one population of living things by another
2. Succession is the process of erosion caused by a climax community over time
3. Succession is the survival of a mature community after a catastrophic event such as a flood or fire
4. Succession is the invasion of a foreign species into an ecosystem, which eventually out-competes other species within its niche
Which of the following species is most likely to take on the role of a pioneer species?
1. Lichen
2. Maple tree
3. Fir tree
4. Water lily
In which of the following environments is primary succession most likely to take place?
1. A newly formed volcanic island
2. A fire-ravaged forest
3. A tropical island that has experienced prolonged drought
4. A tropical island that has experienced prolonged drought
A farmyard has been burned in a brush fire two weeks ago. Which of the following choices indicates succession is taking place here?
1. Quack grass is sprouting where a windbreak of spruces burned down
2. A charred peony is showing signs of growth
3. The stump of a chokecherry tree is sprouting new branches
4. Potatoes in the garden are still edible
Why are catastrophic events caused by human activity sometimes harder for ecosystems to recover from?
1. Human activity may damage the abiotic elements of an ecosystem
2. Human activity causes more concentrated areas of damage than most natural disasters
3. Human activity takes place over longer periods of time than natural events
4. Ecosystems have evolved to withstand natural catastrophic events
Which of the following choices would be least likely to promote ecosystem recovery after a forest fire?
1. Reduced habitat for birds
2. Increased sunlight reaching the ground
3. Nutrient-rich ash
4. Reduced competition
Which of the following events would least likely change a climax community?
1. A road built through it
2. An avalanche
3. A fire
4. A landslide
Which photograph below best illustrates secondary succession in progress?
Which photograph below best illustrates primary succession in progress?

Succession, Recovery, and Renewal in Natural Communities - Section 3.1 Quiz