Succession Trap
The more successful you are at one stage, the harder it becomes to transition to the next.
What makes you strong today makes you weak tomorrow. Every year of climax success made the transition harder.
Alders dominate early succession because they're optimized for bare, nitrogen-poor soil. But those same traits - fast growth, high light requirements, short lifespan - doom them in late succession when soil is rich and canopy closed. Alders don't 'fail' to become hemlocks. They're trapped by their own success.
Business Application of Succession Trap
The more successful you are at one stage, the harder it becomes to transition to the next. Your current success creates the very conditions that prevent future adaptation. Blockbuster's retail optimization prevented digital transition. Yahoo's oscillation between strategies prevented excellence at any.