Biodiversity increase in primary succession

Yes, biodiversity generally increases during primary succession. Primary succession is the process by which a community of living organisms develops in an area that has not previously been inhabited. This can happen after a volcanic eruption, a glacier retreat, or a human disturbance such as deforestation.

In the early stages of primary succession, the environment is harsh and there are few resources available. Only a small number of pioneer species can survive in these conditions. However, as the succession progresses, the environment becomes more hospitable and more species are able to colonize. This increase in biodiversity is due to a number of factors, including:

• Increased availability of resources: As pioneer species die and decompose, they add organic matter to the soil and make it more fertile. This allows other species to move in and take advantage of the new resources.
• Increased habitat complexity: As succession progresses, the vegetation becomes more complex and diverse. This provides more habitats for different species to live in.
• Facilitation: Some species can make it easier for other species to colonize an area. For example, some plants create shade or provide nutrients for other plants to grow in.

Relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem resilience

Ecosystem resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances. Biodiversity plays an important role in ecosystem resilience by providing a number of benefits, including:

• Functional redundancy: Different species often perform the same functions in an ecosystem. This means that if one species is lost, another species can often take over its role. This functional redundancy helps to keep the ecosystem functioning even when there are disturbances.
• Insurance effect: Different species are often adapted to different conditions. This means that if one set of conditions is no longer favorable, some species will still be able to survive. This insurance effect helps to protect the ecosystem from collapse.
• Buffering effect: Biodiversity can help to buffer the effects of disturbances by absorbing or dispersing the energy of the disturbance. For example, a forest with a high diversity of trees is more likely to survive a storm than a forest with a low diversity of trees.

Overall, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience are positively correlated. Ecosystems with higher biodiversity are generally more resilient to disturbances.

Here are some examples of how biodiversity has helped ecosystems to recover from disturbances:

• In the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989, the diversity of sea otters helped to speed the recovery of the ecosystem. Sea otters eat sea urchins, which in turn eat kelp. When the sea otter population declined due to the oil spill, the sea urchin population increased and began to overgraze on kelp. This led to a decline in the kelp forest ecosystem. However, the recovery of the sea otter population helped to control the sea urchin population and allowed the kelp forest to recover.
• In the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the diversity of mangroves helped to protect coastal communities from storm surges. Mangroves are trees that grow in intertidal zones. They have dense root systems that help to stabilize the coastline and absorb the energy of storm surges. Mangrove forests also provide habitat for a variety of marine life, which helps to support the local economy.

These are just a few examples of the many ways in which biodiversity contributes to ecosystem resilience. It is important to protect biodiversity in order to ensure that ecosystems are able to withstand and recover from disturbances.

Dr Murtadha Shukur thank you for your contribution to the discussion

I believe that during the processes of ecological succession, both biomass productivity and biodiversity increase. This means that there are more organisms with greater species diversity at each stage of succession than in the previous stage.Species diversity commonly increases with succession and this relationship is an important justification for conserving large areas of old-growth habitats. Species richness generally increased during succession (in 78% of all primary seres but only 48% of all secondary seres). Succession leads to climax communities that may vary due to random events and interactions over time. This leads to a pattern of alternative stable states for a given ecosystem. Ecosystem stability, succession and biodiversity are intrinsically linked. During the Intermediate Species stage, grasses can take root and slowly over time, shrubs begin to grow. Competition for resources begins during this phase and the survival of the fittest move on to the next phase. The final stage is called the Climax Species. This is when the ecosystem has the most biodiversity. Primary succession occurs in an environment without previous life, or a barren habitat. Secondary succession occurs in an area that had previously been inhabited but experienced a disturbance, such as a wildfire.The biggest direct driver of wildlife declines globally is the conversion of natural forests and grasslands to intensive agriculture and livestock. Ecosystem resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to absorb change and return to the same equilibrium state after a temporary disturbance. Ecosystems with higher species diversity tend to be more resilient. The higher the biodiversity is in an ecosystem, the higher its resilience is. What happens if one part of an ecosystem is disturbed? If one part is disturbed, the whole part is disturbed because everything is connected. Biodiversity gives resilience from the microbes that contribute to the formation of the human biome to the genes that help us adapt to stress in the environment supports all forms of livelihoods, may help regulate disease, and is necessary for physical, mental, and spiritual health and social well-being. Loss of biodiversity undermines the ability of ecosystems to function effectively and efficiently and thus undermines nature's ability to support a healthy environment. This is particularly important in a changing climate in which loss of biodiversity reduces nature's resilience to change. Greater biodiversity in ecosystems, species, and individuals leads to greater stability. For example, species with high genetic diversity and many populations that are adapted to a wide variety of conditions are more likely to be able to weather disturbances, disease, and climate change.