ACT Science Question of the Day
Daily challenge for ACT Science. Test yourself and track progress.
Ecological succession refers to the observable change of the species composition of an ecological community over a period of time. This phenomenon is also known as forest succession. It is a process that begins with the colonization of a habitat by robust pioneer species that can survive inclement and harsh environments. Pioneer species are characterized by small size and rapid reproduction of many offspring. Over successive generations these species are replaced with increasing complexity until the ecosystem reaches a self-perpetuating climax community that ceases to vary in composition.
Researchers decide to quantify the ecological succession of a particular deciduous forest. Figure 1 is a representation of an ecological community over a forty-year period. The bars on the graph represent the percentage of the forest community that is made up by a particular species.
What are the least dominant species at the forty-year interval?