end-stage of succession (Clements 1936). For Clements, climax communities were the assemblage of characteristic plants that define an ecosystem, such as tall grasses in a prairie, or mature trees ...

For example, early colonizers like grasses might add nutrients to the soil, whereas later ones like shrubs and trees might create cover and shade. Succession stops temporarily when a “climax” ...

Cold-tolerant pioneer species like grasses begin to establish, their seeds blown in or carried by birds. The process of secondary succession is similar ... Which species enter first and what the ...

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Prairies are threatened by a mix of invasive and native plant species. As these species expand their territory, they prevent the growth of local grasses. This is especially ...