secondary succession
Sometimes ecological succession occurs in areas where life has already existed. These areas already have soil full of nutrients. Secondary succession is the type of succession that happens after something destroys the habitat, such as a flood or other natural disaster. Abandoning a field that was once used for agriculture can also lead to secondary succession Figure below . In this case, the pioneer species would be the grasses that first appear. Lichen would not be necessary as there is already nutrient-rich soil. Slowly, the field would return to its natural state.