The definition of succession is the change in an ecosystem from simple to complex after a disturbance. Primary succession is when a bare and open area slowly gets covered with organisms and plants whereas secondary succession starts out as an area with organisms, becomes bare due to natural or unnatural causes, and then goes back to its original state.
Primary succession is a scenario in that occurred when Yosemite National Park was first created before any organisms were present. The park would have started as a bare rocky field, and then moss and lichens would start to emerge, followed by grasses and shrubs, and finally large pine and spruce trees. In recent history there has been no recorded documentation of a primary succession in Yosemite National Park.
But in the Yosemite secondary succession is commonly used. One of the main ways Yosemite deals with succession is by purposefully starting controlled forest fires in certain areas of the park. As quoted by the Yosemite National Park website: “Restoration of natural fire regimens in Yosemite is perhaps the most important action that can be taken to restore and protect the natural abundance, diversity, and distribution of wildlife in this park.” Controlled fires create a secondary succession in which many dead plants are destroyed to make room for new healthy plants under the patrol of park officials. Animals affected by forest fires include squirrels, chipmunks, birds, insects, and mule deer while many of the plants affected would be grasses, shrubs, small trees, and ferns. To learn more about succession and the current fire activity around Yosemite National Park visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/wildlife-fire.htm and http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/fireinfo.htm.
Primary succession is a scenario in that occurred when Yosemite National Park was first created before any organisms were present. The park would have started as a bare rocky field, and then moss and lichens would start to emerge, followed by grasses and shrubs, and finally large pine and spruce trees. In recent history there has been no recorded documentation of a primary succession in Yosemite National Park.
But in the Yosemite secondary succession is commonly used. One of the main ways Yosemite deals with succession is by purposefully starting controlled forest fires in certain areas of the park. As quoted by the Yosemite National Park website: “Restoration of natural fire regimens in Yosemite is perhaps the most important action that can be taken to restore and protect the natural abundance, diversity, and distribution of wildlife in this park.” Controlled fires create a secondary succession in which many dead plants are destroyed to make room for new healthy plants under the patrol of park officials. Animals affected by forest fires include squirrels, chipmunks, birds, insects, and mule deer while many of the plants affected would be grasses, shrubs, small trees, and ferns. To learn more about succession and the current fire activity around Yosemite National Park visit http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/wildlife-fire.htm and http://www.nps.gov/yose/blogs/fireinfo.htm.