"Auto-" meaning self or same, and "-genic" meaning producing or causing. Autogenic succession refers to
ecological succession
Ecological succession is the process of change in the species structure of an ecological community over time. The time scale can be decades (for example, after a wildfire) or more or less.
Bacteria allows for the cycling of nutrients such as ca ...
driven by
biotic factors within an ecosystem and although the mechanisms of autogenic succession have long been debated, the role of living things in shaping the progression of succession was realized early on. Presently, there is more of a consensus that the mechanisms of facilitation, tolerance, and inhibition all contribute to autogenic succession. The concept of succession is most often associated with communities of vegetation and forests, though it is applicable to a broader range of ecosystems. In contrast,
allogenic succession
In ecology, allogenic succession is succession driven by the abiotic components of an ecosystem. In contrast, autogenic succession is driven by the biotic components of the ecosystem. An allogenic succession can be brought about in a number of ways ...
is driven by the
abiotic component
In biology and ecology, abiotic components or abiotic factors are non-living chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems. Abiotic factors and the phenomena associated with them und ...
s of the ecosystem.
How it occurs
The plants themselves (biotic components) cause succession to occur.
* Light captured by leaves
*Production of detritus
*Water and nutrient uptake
*Nitrogen fixation
*anthropogenic climate change
These aspects lead to a gradual ecological change in a particular spot of land, known as a progression of inhabiting species. Autogenic succession can be viewed as a secondary succession because of pre-existing plant life.
Facilitation
*Improvement of site factors like increased organic matter
Inhibition
*Hinders species or growth
References
Ecological succession
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