How can primary succession lead to soil formation?

Question

Isabella Anderson · Accepted Answer

Soil formation is a stage in primary succession.

After the bare land has been created or newly exposed, hardly organisms called pioneer species are blown or transported in some way or another onto the bare land. These species can survive without soil. Pioneer species typically have light seeds that disperse easily through wind. Grasses, mosses, lichens, and other plants are pioneer species.

As these pioneer plants live, attract consumers, and die, soil is either formed or improved to the point where other plants will begin to grow.

The surface of the bare land may also be eroded by wind, water, and other processes simultaneously, which also contributes to the formation of substrate. This may happen before the pioneer species arrive and it may continue to happen after their arrival if enough surface is exposed.

Maya Anderson · Answer

undefined Primary succession can lead to soil formation through a series of stages. Initially, pioneer species like lichens and mosses begin to colonize bare rock. As these organisms grow, they start breaking down the rock into smaller particles, a process known as physical weathering. Over time, organic matter accumulates as these pioneer species die and decompose. This organic matter mixes with the mineral particles, creating a thin layer of soil called regolith. As more complex plants, such as grasses and shrubs, establish themselves in the area, their roots further break down the regolith and add more organic material, gradually developing thicker, more nutrient-rich soil suitable for supporting a wider variety of plant life. This process continues, with each stage of plant growth contributing to the enhancement of the soil, eventually leading to the formation of mature soil capable of supporting a diverse ecosystem.