Which of the following examples would most likely exhibit primary succession?
field left fallow by a sugar beet farmer
new lava flow from the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary Islands
forest fire in a national park
clear-cutting a forest to use the lumber to make paper
new lava flow from the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the Canary Islands
Primary succession typically occurs on newly exposed land, such as after a volcanic eruption or glacial retreat, where there was no previous soil or vegetation present. In this case, the new lava flow would create a barren landscape that would need to be colonized by pioneering plants and organisms starting the process of primary succession.