First species to populate an area during primary succession.

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First species to populate an area during primary succession.

In primary succession, the first inhabitants are pioneer species. These hardy organisms are able to colonize barren, nutrient-poor surfaces with little to no soil—think lichens, mosses, and certain cyanobacteria. They break down rock physically and chemically, start forming some soil, and add organic material as they live and die. This initial soil development creates a more hospitable environment that allows other plants and animals to move in, setting the stage for successive communities to develop. Trophic cascade is about changes in food webs across levels, not about who starts colonizing a bare area. Primary succession describes the overall process, not a specific organism. Biomass measures how much living material is present, not which organisms initiate establishment.

In primary succession, the first inhabitants are pioneer species. These hardy organisms are able to colonize barren, nutrient-poor surfaces with little to no soil—think lichens, mosses, and certain cyanobacteria. They break down rock physically and chemically, start forming some soil, and add organic material as they live and die. This initial soil development creates a more hospitable environment that allows other plants and animals to move in, setting the stage for successive communities to develop.

Trophic cascade is about changes in food webs across levels, not about who starts colonizing a bare area. Primary succession describes the overall process, not a specific organism. Biomass measures how much living material is present, not which organisms initiate establishment.

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