In which situation will primary succession most likely occur?(1 point)
Responses
A disease kills off most of the plant species in an ecosystem.
A disease kills off most of the plant species in an ecosystem.
Trees in a forest ecosystem are cut down for logging.
Trees in a forest ecosystem are cut down for logging.
Sheets of ice that once covered an area melt away, exposing a layer of rock.
Sheets of ice that once covered an area melt away, exposing a layer of rock.
A small pond dries up, leaving behind moist soil.
A small pond dries up, leaving behind moist soil.
Primary succession is most likely to occur in the situation where a small pond dries up, leaving behind moist soil.
Primary succession is the process of ecological succession that occurs in an area that, for some reason, has been completely devoid of vegetation or where the soil has been completely stripped away.
Based on the given options, the situation in which primary succession is most likely to occur is:
- Sheets of ice that once covered an area melt away, exposing a layer of rock.
In this scenario, the exposed rock does not have any soil or existing vegetation, creating a suitable condition for primary succession to take place. Over time, pioneer species like lichens and mosses will colonize the rock, breaking it down into smaller particles, which eventually becomes the basis for the formation of soil. This allows larger plants to establish their roots and a new ecosystem to develop.