#autogenic succession

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

Which succession is driven temporarily by living organisms like pathogens or herbivores?

Biogenic succession attributes a temporary directional change to living agents such as herbivores, pathogens, or ecosystem engineers. Their population activity changes mortality, recruitment, or habitat structure, producing community replacement even though the driver is not the plants' own progressive modification of the site. Classical succession terminology divides community development into site exposure, arrival, establishment, interaction, environmental reaction, and relative stabilization. Modern ecology treats these as useful descriptions rather than a rigid deterministic program. Loca

Ref: Ecology: Concepts and Applications, Molles, 9th Ed., Ch. 20

View Details

ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

In autogenic succession, change is driven by:

Autogenic succession is generated by the organisms already occupying a site. Their growth and metabolism modify resource levels and physical conditions—for example, by shading, litter accumulation, nitrogen fixation, or soil development—creating feedbacks that favor some later species and disadvantage others. Successional trajectories emerge from dispersal, establishment, species interactions, and organism-driven environmental change. Priority effects can make arrival order important, while retained soil and propagules strongly accelerate recovery after disturbance. Facilitation, tolerance, an

Ref: Ecology: Concepts and Applications, Molles, 9th Ed., Ch. 20

View Details

SUCCESSION

An example of autogenic succession is:

Grasses colonizing a sand dune can initiate autogenic succession because the organisms themselves modify the habitat and influence later community development. Grass roots bind mobile sand, while stems reduce wind speed and trap additional particles. Dead leaves and roots add organic matter, microbes release nutrients, and improved water retention makes the substrate less hostile. These changes permit herbs, shrubs, and eventually trees to establish where regional climate allows. The succession is autogenic to the extent that biological engineering drives the transition, although wind depositi

Ref: Ecology: Concepts and Applications, Molles, 9th Ed., Ch. 20

View Details

SUCCESSION

Which term describes modification of environment by organisms?

Autogenic change is environmental modification caused by organisms within the community, and it can drive succession. Plants create shade, roots alter soil structure, litter adds organic matter, nitrogen-fixing microbes enrich nutrient supply, and sphagnum can acidify wetland water. These changes modify the establishment and competitive success of later species. Allogenic change originates outside the community, such as volcanic deposition, flooding, erosion, climate shifts, or altered fire regimes. “Catagenic” and “progenetic” are not the standard contrasting terms for organism-driven success

Ref: Ecology: Concepts and Applications, Molles, 9th Ed., Ch. 20

View Details