How do plant populations in a community change over time?

Plant populations in a community can change over time. This is also known as Evolution or Succession. Communities of plants are established and then change over time as the external environment in which they live changes. The external environment can change in the following ways: 1. Climate changes: e.g. drought conditions, floods and global warming. 2. Increase or decrease in animal and human population e.g. some plants are eaten by herbivorous animals and people. 3. Ecological Disasters affect the growth of plants in a community. For example, the Wild Flower population in the Western Cape region of South Africa regenerates itself through fire. If wildfires do not occur, the wildflower population dies out. On the other hand fire also destroys large forested areas and the plants take a while to regrow, if ever. This is just a small sample of how plant populations change over time.

Answered by taskmasters | 2024-06-10

Plant populations in a community change over time through a natural process known as ecological succession. This process begins after a disturbance—either natural, like a fire, flood, or volcanic eruption, or human-made, such as logging or urban development. Initially, pioneer species like annual plants and grasses colonize the area. These species are eventually replaced by more stable intermediate species such as shrubs and young trees. Finally, a mature community develops with climax species such as mature forests. This sequence of changes illustrates the dynamic nature of plant communities, which evolve through stages from initial colonization to mature ecosystems.
Two types of ecological succession—primary and secondary succession—highlight how communities recover from disturbances with or without remnants of the previous community. Primary succession occurs on newly exposed surfaces where no soil exists, while secondary succession happens in areas where a disturbance has occurred but soil and possibly some organisms remain. Through succession, ecosystems gradually recover, changing species composition and community structure until a relatively stable state is reached.

Answered by Alana1612 | 2024-06-24

Plant populations in a community change through ecological succession, which includes primary succession on barren land and secondary succession after disturbances. These changes are influenced by climate, human activities, and natural events. Over time, ecosystems transition from simple pioneer species to more complex and stable communities.
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Answered by taskmasters | 2024-09-17