Ecological succession
Primary succession on bare rock or sand. Secondary succession after fire, flood, or abandonment.
Stages
Pioneer species (fast-growing, short-lived) → shrub establishment → tree canopy closure → mature community (climax concept debated in modern ecology).
Disturbance legacies
Dead wood, soil seed banks, and surviving root systems shape recovery speed. Moderate disturbance can increase diversity; severe disturbance may reset to pioneers only.