Rainforest succession
Title | Info |
---|---|
Source | Dan L. Perlman |
Ecosystems | Forests |
Forests | Tropical rainforest |
Change over time | Succession |
Succession | Secondary succession |
Lessons | Succession |
Date | October 23, 2004 |
Location | Salto Morato Reserve,Parana,Brazil,South America |
Regrowing tropical rainforest, Salto Morato Reserve, Brazil. This Atlantic Forest site was pasture for imported Asian buffalo 10 years before this photograph was taken. Although there has been some regrowth, it is not very much and it is largely limited to early successional trees such as Cecropia (seen on the left side of the image). This is a fine example of secondary succession, which is the regrowth of an area after a large disturbance (specifically, a disturbance that leaves at least some living material behind). In contrast, primary succession follows the complete killing of all living organisms, as would happen after a major volcanic eruption.