Question

Differentiate between primary and secondary succession. Provide one example of each. [3]

Answer 1

[2 + 1]
$\begin{array}{cc}\text{Primary Succession}& \text{Secondary Succession}\\ \text{(i) It occurs in an area which is}& \text{(i) It occurs in an area which has}\\ \text{barren or lifeless.}& \text{been devoid recently and}\\ & \text{previously inhabited.}\\ \text{(ii) Soil is absent at the beginning}& \text{(ii) Soil is present at the beginning}\\ \text{of primary succession and the enviro}& \text{of secondary succession with}\\ \text{nment is not suitable for sustaining}& \text{some organisms.}\\ \text{normal life forms.}& \\ \text{(iii) There is no humus in the}& \text{(iii) Humus is present from the very}\\ \text{beginning as soil is absent.}& \text{beginning by the decomposition of}\\ & \text{previous organisms.}\\ \text{(iv) Establishment of biotic community}& \text{(iv) Establishment of biotic community}\\ \text{is very slow.}& \text{is faster.}\\ \text{e.g. succession on newly cooled lava.}& \text{e.g.succession in a burnt forest.}\end{array}$