Succession as a unifying model of ecosystem ecology and conservation.

Authors

Jacob E Allgeier, Donald R Zak

Published in

Trends in ecology & evolution. Aug 25, 2026. Epub Aug 25, 2026.

Abstract

Succession is a fundamental concept in ecology because it provides perspectives on how ecosystems change over time and respond following disturbance. It is also a useful concept for conservation and restoration because human activity has increased the frequency and magnitude of disturbances globally. Ecosystem ecology offers a unique perspective on succession because it views dynamics through the lens of process-based currencies-such as net ecosystem production-that subsume multiple simultaneous properties of energy and nutrient flow, thereby providing a useful measure with which to monitor and anticipate net change. Studying succession through these perspectives reveals fundamental patterns that unify central principles of ecosystem ecology and provide a predictive model on which to base conservation and restoration efforts.

PMID:
42637653
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 25 Aug 2026.

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