Question

an old plowed farmer’s field begins to recover after being abandoned. this is an example of which type of succession?
secondary
tertiary
primary

Explanation:

To determine the type of succession, we recall:

• Primary succession occurs on lifeless, newly formed substrates (e.g., bare rock, volcanic ash) with no soil.
• Secondary succession occurs in an area where a disturbance (like abandonment of a farm field) has destroyed a community but left the soil intact.
• Tertiary succession is not a standard ecological succession term.

The abandoned farmer’s field has soil (from previous farming) and is recovering, so it fits secondary succession.

Answer:

A. secondary