Pioneer species

As a pioneer species ( pioneer species ) a species is called, has special adaptations to the colonization of new, more vegetation -free areas. Pioneer species ie species that occur more frequently in newly created habitats than in the old ( "mature" ) habitats. For successful colonization types are enabled by special adaptations in physiology and life cycle.

• Species with effective remote dissemination mechanisms. Since pioneering new habitats occur unpredictably and isolated, species with a high number of seeds are preferred. The seeds should have transport mechanisms. Most pioneer species are wind disseminated ( Anemochorie ). It is also possible animal distribution, V.A. by birds ( Ornithochorie ).
• Pioneer species usually bear extreme environmental conditions than other species. Established vegetation inventories dampen maxima such as temperature and soil water. The poorly developed soils of pioneer habitats often have nutrient deficiencies or imbalances.

Typical pioneer species are competitive weak and be displaced by other species during biological succession. This can be explained by the fact that the advantages in one area, such as particularly high or rapid seed production must be "bought" with limited resources by disadvantages in other areas, eg in plant height ( eng.: " trade- offs " ). The (local) extinction to compensate for the fact that they colonize newly created habitats more quickly than other types. So you are dependent for their survival on constantly newly offered pioneer habitats. Due to the loss of extreme locations (through the deposition of nutrients (especially nitrogen) and cultivation by humans ) some pioneer species of rare sites are threatened or extinct extinction.

Typical pioneer habitats can volcanic eruptions ( lava ), large fires (see Karrikine ), landslides ( debris and rubble ), change in coastline and floods, naturally arise after the retreat of a glacier. On a small scale they constantly caused by influence of animals ( feeding, subversive activity ). Such small gaps can be very important for the establishment of numerous species. Today, extensive pioneer habitats caused by human activities: for artificial ground motions, in mines and opencast mines and on fallow land.

Pioneer vegetation includes plant communities where pioneer species dominate. Typical companies are, for example,

• Dwarf rush - corridors dried up pond bottoms ( Nanocyperion ). Typical species: Toad Rush, Brown Zypergras
• Shore corridors of river banks and standing waters ( Bidention, Chenopodion rubri ). Typical species: tripartite bur, Red Goosefoot, poisonous buttercup
• Short-lived ruderal ( swards, from the Latin " Rudus " = rubble ) ( Sisymbrietalia ). These include a variety partly species-rich societies. Some common types are: Compass lettuce, arugula way, dove brome, Canadian fleabane, bugloss, evening primrose

Forest communities that consist of wind -spread, fast-growing pioneer tree species are referred to as Vorwald. Typical tree species are willow and silver birch.

A special case of pioneer vegetation in recent history was the ruderal vegetation on the caused by air raids and ground battles of World War II urban rubble and debris surfaces. The term debris flowers formed previously unknown plants for unusual or in urban areas has been particularly applied to the Rosebay Willowherb.

• Plant Type
• Plant sociology