Succession: A Population Process

Abstract

For over 80 years succession theory has played a central role in plant ecology, providing both a predictive tool and organizational scheme. Drawing on this long history of research and observation, Margalef (1968), Odum (1969), Whittaker (1975) and others have identified general trends in community development. Their synthetic treatments have helped focus the efforts of subsequent workers examining the empirical and experimental basis of succession theory (e.g. Connell & Slatyer 1977, Drury & Nisbet 1973, Egler 1975, Horn 1974, Pickett 1976, van Hulst 1978). This more recent work suggests that the classical succession paradigm is seriously flawed and that many long held concepts need to be reexamined.