Contextualization

Ecological succession refers to the process of continuous and predictable change in species sets of an ecosystem over time. This process begins with the colonization of a new habitat (primary succession) or after a disturbance that removes part or all of an existing ecosystem (secondary succession).

It starts with species adapted to unstable and less competitive environments (pioneer species), advances to more competitive and less tolerant to instability intermediate species, culminating in species adapted to stable and highly competitive environments (climax species). This gradual change process until the climax stage is essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

These concepts are fundamental to understand conservation biology and the processes of recovering degraded areas. Ecological succession is highly relevant for understanding and predicting ecosystem dynamics, for biodiversity conservation planning, and for the recovery of degraded areas.

It is important that when studying ecological succession, we address not only the temporal and spatial aspects of this phenomenon but also its relationship with biodiversity preservation and conservation. After all, human actions have strongly impacted ecosystems, often accelerating, delaying, or even preventing natural succession processes.

To delve deeper into the topic and build a solid foundation for discussion, I suggest that students use the book 'Ecology of Populations and Communities' by Begon, Townsend, and Harper, available in the school library. Additionally, they can use the website 'Brasil Escola' (https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/sucessao-ecologica.htm), which offers didactic and reliable articles on the subject. Finally, the 'BioExplica' channel on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GA6paLbJ8o) has animated videos that aid in understanding the topic.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: The Journey of Ecological Succession

Project Objective:

The objective of this project is to graphically represent ecological succession in different habitats to better understand how species changes occur over time. In addition, students must identify the pioneer, intermediate, and climax species of each stage.

Detailed Project Description:

Each group of 3 to 5 students will be responsible for creating a series of drawings that represent the stages of ecological succession in a specific type of habitat, such as a lake, a forest, a mountain, etc. Each drawing should represent a stage of ecological succession and show the characteristic species of that stage.

The project will be divided into three main parts: research, preparation, and presentation.

1. Research: Students must research ecological succession in the chosen habitat, identify the different species that occur in each stage, and understand the role of each.

2. Preparation: Students must create the drawings, trying to represent the species and habitat in each stage as realistically as possible. It is suggested that the drawings be done on A3 paper so that the details can be well visualized.

3. Presentation: Each group will present their drawings to the class and explain the process of ecological succession in the chosen habitat.

Required Materials:

• Books and internet access for research
• A3 paper, colored pencils, colored pens, glue, scissors, and other art materials for drawing preparation

Detailed Step-by-Step:

1. Group Formation: Each group should consist of 3 to 5 students.

2. Habitat Selection: Each group should choose a type of habitat to research and represent.

3. Research: Students must research ecological succession in the chosen habitat and identify the different species that occur in each stage.

4. Drawing Preparation: Each group must create a series of drawings representing the different stages of ecological succession, from the initial stage to the climax stage.

5. Presentation: Each group must present their drawings to the class and explain the process of ecological succession in the chosen habitat.

Project Deliverables:

At the end of the project, students must submit a written report that includes:

1. Introduction: The student must contextualize the topic, its relevance and real-world application, and the objective of this project.

2. Development: The student must explain the theory behind the ecological succession topic, detail the activity, indicate the methodology used, and finally present and discuss the drawings obtained.

3. Conclusion: The student must conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project.

4. Bibliography: The student must indicate the sources they relied on to work on the project, such as books, web pages, videos, etc.

Reports must be submitted within one week after the presentation of the drawings.