Plants that colonize disturbed sites after land clearing, logging, fire, or landslides. They are normally replaced over time by other species. Alder, willow, and fireweed are common examples.
Species that are the first to colonize a new site or a new ecosystem. They are generally shade intolerant and need a lot of sunlight in order to grow. Poplars and birches are pioneer species.
any of the first plants to take root in an area cleared of vegetation during the process of succession. Depending on the area, the “pioneers” could be mosses, lichens, grasses, etc. Some of the pioneer trees that start in an area have to be strong or robust enough to compete with grasses and other pioneer plants. And since there are no other trees to shade them, they must thrive in full sunlight. Some examples of pioneer trees (depending on the ecosystem) might include cedars, pines, sumac, and sassafras.
pie-o-NEER SPEE-sheez The first species to appear in an area devoid of life. 856
The first species or community to colonise a barren or disturbed area, thereby commencing a new ecological succession.
Plants adapted to enter the gaps in open vegetation but that are unable to regenerate in climax (q.v.) woodland.
plant species that first invades unvegetated area.
An animal or plant species that establishes itself in an environment where it did not exist, or a species that colonizes an area during an early successional phase i.e, aspen establishing itself within an idle field.
First hardy species, often microbes, mosses, and lichens that begin colonizing a site as the first stage of ecological succession. See ecological succession, pioneer community.
Plant species that dominate a community in the early stages of succession.
A plant species that colonizes habitat that was previously unoccupied or sparsely occupied by that species. In the successive settlement of an area by plant species, such as after a fire, pioneer species lead the process.
In primary succession on a terrestrial site, the plants, lichens, and microbes that first colonize the site.
n: First hardy, often xerophytic , species (often microbes, mosses, and lichens) that begin colonizing a site as the first stage of ecological succession.
A pioneer species is a plant species which colonizes previously uncolonized land, usually leading to ecological succession. Since uncolonised land usually has thin, poor quality soils with few nutrients pioneer species are typically very hardy plants, with adaptions such as long roots, root nodes containing nitrogen fixing bacteria, and leaves which reduce transpiration.