Citation
Primary Succession and Ecosystem Rehabilitation
TL;DR
Facilitation is key mechanism in harsh environments
Modern synthesis of primary succession mechanisms including facilitation and environmental modification. Provides the theoretical framework for understanding how pioneer species create conditions enabling successor species - the core mechanism underlying organizational succession.
The book documents how lichens weather rock to create soil, how nitrogen-fixers enrich depleted substrates, and how vegetation moderates conditions for subsequent colonizers. These mechanisms translate directly to organizational contexts: pioneer businesses creating market infrastructure, proving demand, and building capabilities that enable successor businesses.
Key Findings from Walker et al. (2003)
- Facilitation is key mechanism in harsh environments
- Nitrogen fixers often essential for succession
- Environmental modification creates conditions for successors
- Pioneer species create conditions for own displacement
- Succession timelines vary by substrate severity
- Primary succession timescales: 200-500 years temperate, 1000+ years boreal
- Soil development is rate-limiting step
- Nitrogen fixation critical for early succession
- Facilitation dominates early stages, competition later
Used in 2 chapters
See how this research informs the book's frameworks: