Ecosystems
Secondary Succession
Secondary succession occurs when an established ecosystem slowly renews itself after its habitat has been damaged. Students can utilize the resources in this lesson to study this concept.
Observe changes in ecosystems.
A common example of secondary succession is an abandoned farm field. After the farmer stops using the land to grow crops, it will eventually revert to its previous natural state. Read Chapter 40, Section 3 of E. O. Wilson’s Life on Earth and watch Movie 40.3, Starting Over, to learn about the rules of succession and see how it happens in real life.
Life on Earth, Unit 7
Download for free in iBooksStudy an abandoned habitat.
Consult field guides, parks services, and wildlife agencies for information about indigenous plants and how they have been affected by succession in an abandoned field or development. Use Pages to write a story or create a timeline with the RWT Timeline app to imagine what might happen to this location. Identify the species that are likely to colonize the open area and describe how the plant communities will change over time. Do research to find photos and information about what the area used to look like and why, compared to its current state.
RWT Timeline
Download for free in the App StoreApply the rules of succession.
Look for examples of current highway or construction projects that encroach on wild habitat areas. Use the Sketchbook Express app to illustrate and explain how such instances are examples of habitat fragmentation and describe how the environment has changed.
Sketchbook Express
Download for free in the App StoreIn a functioning ecosystem, the process of secondary succession never really ends.
Explore other lessons.
Celebrate Earth Day.
Learning Materials
Explore the Earth Day collection of apps, books, and more in iTunes.
Customize your lessonsApple and the Environment
See what Apple is doing to help leave the world a better place.
Learn more