Hydrosere
(Hydrarch Succession)
What is Hydrosere or Hydrarch Succession?
A succession originates in a water body (aquatic environment) is called Hydrosere or Hydrarch Succession. Such a succession does not necessarily lead to the development of a land community. If the water body is sufficiently large and with wave action, the succession usually results in the formation of a large aquatic climax community. If the hydrarch succession starts from a comparatively small water body such as a pond, there is always a high probability for the formation of a terrestrial climax community. The important characteristics of hydrosere are given below:
Ø Hydrosere usually starts from a pond
Ø Phytoplanktons will be the pioneer community
Ø A forest or a grassland will be the climax community
Ø Includes several seral stages of plant and animal communities
Ø Seral communities of plants are more obvious than animals.
Just like other successions, the hydrosere is also completed through a sequence of several Seral Stages (Seral Communities). The seral stages of a typical Hydrosere succession are as follows:
Seral stages of Hydrosere
(1). Phyto-planktons stage
(2). Rooted submerged stage
(3). Rooted floating stage
(4). Reed-swamp stage
(5). Sedge-meadow stage
(6). Woodland stage
(7). Forest stage
(1). Phytoplankton stage:
Ø Phytoplanktons will be pioneer community in the hydrosere.
Ø Algal spores are brought into the water in the initial stages of the succession.
Ø These algal spores germinate and quickly colonize in the water body.
Ø They multiply and grow for some time. They fix light energy (photosynthesis).