Succession occurs in a predictable pattern with defined stages. The main difference between primary succession and secondary succession is that primary succession starts without soil while in secondary succession the soil is already formed. Soil formation must take place before plants and animals can thrive, therefore, primary succession takes longer.

Stages of Primary Succession

Click on each stage to learn more about primary succession.

Stages of Secondary Succession

Click on each stage to learn more about secondary succession.

A climax community is determined by the abiotic factors of the area.

Watch the following video to see the different climax communities around the world.