Pioneer plants, such as lichens and mosses, become established on the bare mineral substrate from spores or seeds that are blown, washed, or carried in by animals. Volcanic eruption Following the eruption, there is no life in the blast zone. Eventually, however, pioneer species of plants do establish themselves, beginning the course of succession. Secondary succession is the reconstruction of an ecosystem following a disturbance that damages or removes all or part of the previous community, but leaves the SOIL intact. Faster than primary succession.
Succession results in the transition of the original pioneer species to climax community.
Pioneer species become established from seeds, spores or plant parts surviving in the soil or from vegetation in surrounding undisturbed areas. Examples of Secondary Succession Floods , tornadoes fires - Prescribed burning to maintain prairies in a state of disclimax. Plowing also fig. Plowing keeps land in a continual state of disclimax. Newly arriving species alter the conditions.