Concepts of succession: seral stages, climatic climax, sub-climax and plagioclimax
Succession describes how an ecosystem changes through predictable stages over time. Left alone, it builds toward a stable community called the climax — but humans or physical barriers can stop or redirect that journey.
Real World
The sand dunes at Studland Bay in Dorset show textbook succession — bare sand gives way to marram grass, then scrub, and eventually oak woodland as soil depth and organic content increase inland.
Exam Focus
For 'explain' questions on plagioclimax, always state the specific human activity interrupting succession, not just that 'humans intervene'.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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