Primary and secondary succession is a common component of most biology and environmental science courses. The topic can be tricky. I use the following graphic organizer/coloring sheet to help student understanding. Yes, there are two types of succession (primary and secondary) that students must be able to differentiate, but there are subtleties to the topic that could lead to big misunderstandings if not communicated correctly.
Link to Download Coloring Sheet
Implementation
I always include a filled-in version of the notes I create. Sometimes I use the template I created to look at and just throw a blank copy under the documentary camera and lecture while filling in a blank copy in front of the class. Alternatively, if you do not want to lecture, this short youtube video could serve as a good source to take notes from.
Avoid These Common Misconceptions
1. Students often assume that succession follows a fast and linear progression towards a stable climax community. In reality, succession can be slow, non-linear, and unpredictable due to various environmental factors and disturbances.
2. It’s commonly misunderstood that primary succession always begins on bare rock, and secondary succession starts with soil. While typically true, primary succession can also occur on other surfaces devoid of soil, like lava flows, and secondary succession may happen in places where the soil is heavily degraded (over-farming), not just where it remains intact.
3. There’s a misconception that ecological succession moves towards a more complex or “better” state. Succession is simply an ecological response to disturbance, and the resulting community isn’t necessarily more complex or desirable than the preceding one. Similar to evolution.
4. Students often assume that a climax community can only be a forest ecosystem. Succession can occur in any ecosystem and climax communities are unique for each (deserts, tundra, etc).
