Our previous practical explored how a consumer chooses between different types of habitats based on their resource composition in relation to their requirements. If we take a longer term perspective, however, we will soon see that habitats themselves are intrinsically dynamic. Barren land quickly becomes colonised by simple plants which then transitions to a herbaceous community which then becomes invaded by shrubs and small trees and eventually culminates in dense woody stands or forests.
Whilst this is the general tragectory of terrestrial habitats this pathway can be interuppted through shifts in resource use or the introduction (or exclusion) of disturbances. During this practical we will also explore how different types of disturbances can alter this successional tragectory.