Succession

Succession is when a change occurs in an ecosystem where a new population replaces an old population. The two kinds of succession are primary and secondary. Primary succession occurs in a place where there has been no life before whereas secondary succession occurs in a place where there has been life before. The new population that replaces the old one in secondary succession mostly comes from a destruction of some kind.

What does this look like?

An example of primary succession in Arthur's Pass would be when plants grow on bare ground that has never been developed for soil before. Some examples in this national park would include sand dunes, glacial surfaces, and/or exposed river gravels. An example of secondary succession in Arthur's Pass would be when plants grow after a devestation occurs such as a forest fire, landslide, flood, or just an extreme storm.