What type of ecological succession follows a disturbance like a forest fire?

The correct answer is secondary succession, which occurs after a disturbance that disrupts an ecosystem but leaves some soil and living organisms intact. In the context of a forest fire, while the fire may destroy vegetation and animal life, it does not eliminate the underlying soil or its nutrients. This allows for a relatively quick recovery and regrowth of the ecosystem, as remnants of the previous system can help facilitate new growth.

In secondary succession, the process begins with pioneer species such as grasses and certain weeds, which are often the first to colonize the disturbed area. Over time, these species prepare the environment for more complex plants and animals to return, eventually leading to a restored ecosystem that can resemble the original forest structure and function.

Primary succession, in contrast, happens in environments that have been completely devoid of life and soil, like after a volcanic eruption or glacial retreat, where life must start from bare rock. Climactic succession refers to the gradual change of an ecosystem towards a mature state over long periods, while chronosequence succession involves studying various sites of different ages to infer successional stages based on their present characteristics. The distinction between these types of succession is important for understanding how ecosystems recover and thrive after significant disturbances.