What is ecological succession?

Ecological succession is best defined as a gradual process of change and replacement in a community. This process describes how the structure of a biological community evolves over time, beginning with pioneer species that colonize a disturbed or newly formed habitat. As these species modify the environment, they create conditions that allow for more complex communities to develop, which can eventually lead to a mature and stable ecosystem known as a climax community.

Understanding this concept is essential as it highlights the dynamic nature of ecosystems, reflecting ongoing interactions among organisms and their environment. For instance, after a forest fire, the initial colonizers may be grasses and flowering plants, which are then succeeded by shrubs and eventually trees, each playing a role in shaping the community.

The other options encompass different ecological phenomena but do not capture the scope of succession. A sudden environmental change refers to events that can disrupt an ecosystem but is not a process of gradual change. Competition between species is a fundamental interaction that can influence community dynamics but is not synonymous with succession. Lastly, species extinction is the end of a lineage, which may occur during succession but is not a description of the process itself.