1

Study of Ecological Succession Through

Tropical Rainforest and Tropical Grassland 1

Geremy Pauline N. Manloctao

Group 1 Sec. U 2L

September 19, 2013

_________________
1

A scientific paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements in Principles of

Ecology laboratory under Ms. Faith S. Maranan, 1st sem., 2013-2014.

ABSTRACT
The stages of ecological succession was studied through the study
and observation of a tropical grassland and tropical forest communities.
The structures of the two communities and its species were described
using the Shannons index and the Simpsons index. According to the
calculations that were made, the tropical rainforest has higher diversity
than the tropical grassland, and that the tropical grassland was observed
to be in an early stage succession while the tropical forest was observed
to be at its climax succession.

INTRODUCTION
Ecological succession, as defined by Begon (2006), is the non-seasonal,
directional and continuous pattern of colonization and extinction on a site by species
population. Succession can be observed through the abundance of some species in a
certain community. A certain species may be abundant in a certain community and at
the same time may face extinction in another. It can also be that a species may invade a
certain community, being introduced to new surroundings, and thus succession occurs.
Succession normally occurs when an opening left by a disturbance becomes an
entrance for other species to enter a certain community. These opening can either be
due to natural occurrences or man-made disturbances.
In ecological succession, the early species in a community were good colonizers
and fast growers and thus was well established in a community. However, the later
species can tolerate lower resource levels and grow along with the early species which
will eventually out-compete them in the long run. (Begon, 2006).

In the following experiment, stages of successions will be observed through the

tropical grassland and tropical forest communities. The structures of the said
communities will be also described using certain indices and computations.
The objectives of the experiment are to:
1. Infer stages of ecological succession after the study of grassland and forest
communities; and
2. Describe the structures of tropical rainforest and tropical grassland
communities through measures of species diversity and dominance indices;

MATERIALS AND METHODS

As the group was traveling to the forest study site, the vegetation on either side
of the road or trail was observed. The presence of grasses, herbaceous vegetation,
vines, shrubs and tree sapling were also noted. The scientific or common names of the
familiar species that was encountered were recorded to Table 4C.1. The change in the
type of plant habit and plant species composition as the forest side was approached
was also noted.
When the forest study site was reached, an area within the forest where the
topography was relatively flat was located, and in that area a belt transect or strip
measuring 10 x 20 m was laid out for the whole class. The transect length may be
increased depending on the spacing of the trees. The area was then divided among
groups. All the plant species that was found inside the transect belt was identified and
listed in Table 4C.1. The number of individuals of each species present in the transect

belt was counted. The population and relative densities of the species per area
observed were calculated using the following formula, in which the computed values
were entered in Table 4C.2:

Population density=

number of individuals of a speciesthebelt transect

area of thebelt transect

Relative density ( i )=

Number of individuals of a species

Total number of individuals for all species

For the grassland area, as the class was travelling to the grassland study site the
vegetation on either side of the road or trail was observed and the presence of trees or
shrubs was noted. The scientific or common names of the familiar species were
recorded in Table 4C.1. Also, indicators of agricultural activities in the area close to the
study site were observed. All observations were recorded.
An area where the vegetation is least disturbed was selected. Its topography was
taken note of. For the whole class, a 30-m transect line was laid out in the area and it
was divided equally among the three groups. All plant species intercepted by the line
were identified and listed down. The data was entered in Table 4C.3. The horizontal
cover of each species encountered along the transect was determined. The following
parameters were calculated for each species:
Cover=

Total intercept lenght for a species

x 100
Total transect length

Relative cover ( i )=

Total intercept leng t h for a species

Total intercept lengt h for all species

Table 4C.1. Species present along the trail to tropical forest and tropical
grassland study sites
Grass and short statured species found along the road/ trail to forest study site
Triplaris
Arengga
Amorphophallus
Dieffenbachia
Celtis
Tree and shrub species found along the road/ trail to grassland study site
Poaceae (Grass
Asteraceae
Cyperaceae (Sedge Fabaceae (Legume
family)
(Sunflower Family)
family)
family)
Apluda mutica
Ageratum
Cyperus sp.
Alysicarpus
conyzoides
vraginalis
Chrysophogon
Barreria ocymoides Fimbristylis sp.
aciculatus
Imperata cylindrical
Chlorrolaena
odorata
Paspalum
Elephantopus
scrobiculatum
tomentosus
Pennisetum sp.
Succharum
spontaneum
Selaria geniculata
Songhum nitidium
Mikania cordata
Pseudoelephantopu
s
Table 4C.2. Species composition in a tropical rainforest.
Species richness, S (inside the transect): ____20_____
Total quadrat size: _____200 m2_____
Name of
Species

Number of
individuals

Populatio
n Density

Relative
Density
(i)

ln i

i(ln i)

i2

Pterocarpus
indicus

0.005

0.008

-4.880

-0.037

5.776 x 10-5

Coffea robusta
Guttiferae sp.
Neotrewia
cumogon
Guamuza
tomentosa
Fern
Triplaris
Sterculiaceae
Artocarpus
oratus
Anahaw
Fishtail
Nallaceodendr
on
Anaxagorea
Subiang
Lamio
Amorphophallu
s
Celtis
Mahogany
Arengga
Parashorea
TOTAL

1
1

0.005
0.005

0.008
0.008

-4.880
-4.880

-0.037
-0.037

5.776 x 10-5
5.776 x 10-5

0.010

0.015

-4.187

-0.064

2.310 x 10-4

0.015

0.023

-4.200

-0.095

5.153 x 10-4

1
1
1

0.005
0.005
0.005

0.008
0.008
0.008

-4.880
-4.880
-4.880

-0.037
-0.037
-0.037

5.776 x 10-5
5.776 x 10-5
5.776 x 10-5

0.005

0.008

-4.880

-0.037

5.776 x 10-5

1
4

0.005
0.020

0.008
0.030

-4.880
-3.497

-0.037
-0.106

5.776 x 10-5
9.181 x 10-4

26

0.130

0.197

-1.625

-0.320

0.039

4
3
2
3

0.020
0.015
0.010
0.015

0.030
0.023
0.015
0.023

-3.497
-4.200
-4.187
-4.200

-0.106
-0.095
-0.064
-0.095

9.181 x 10-4
5.153 x 10-4
2.310 x 10-4
5.153 x 10-4

57
6
11
3
132

0.2850
0.030
0.055
0.015
0.660

0.432
0.046
0.083
0.023
1.000

-0.840
-3.090
-2.485
-4.200
-79.242

-0.363
-0.141
-0.207
-0.095
-2.047

0.187
0.002
0.007
5.153 x 10-4
0.285

i(ln
i)

i2

Table 4C.3. Species composition in a tropical grassland.

Species richness, S (intercepted by the transect line): ____16____
Total transect length (cm): ____3000 cm____

Makahiya

Intercepte
d Length
(cm)
620

20.667

Relative
Cover
(i)
0.142

-1.952

Talahib

3000

100

0.689

-0..373

Pseudoelephantopu
s
Calopogonium

247

8.233

0.057

-2.865

112

3.733

0.026

-3.650

Crotalaria

22.5

0.750

0.00

-5.298

Name of Species

%
Cover

ln i

0.277
0.257
0.163
0.095
0.026

0.020
0.475
0.003
0.007
2.500 x 10-5

Alternanthera

61.5

20.500

0.014

-4.269

Commelina

23.1

0.770

0.005

-5.298

Fimbristylis

0.700

0.001

-6.908

Desmodium

17

0.567

0.004

-5.521

Cleome

11

0.367

0.003

-5.809

Ipomea

0.3

0.010

0.001

-6.908

Chrysopogon

119

3.967

0.027

-3.612

Synedrella

104

3.467

0.024

-3.730

Meremia

0.067

0.001

-6.908

Seedling of tree

0.167

0.001

-6.908

Unknown (Poaceae)

0.133

0.001

-6.908

Total:

4351.4

163.49
8

-67.35

0.060
0.026
0.007
0.022
0.017
0.007
0.098
0.090
0.007
0.007
0.007
1.166

1.960 x 10-4
2.500 x 10-5
1.000 x 10-6
1.600 x 10-5
9.000 x 10-6
1.000 x 10-6
7.29 x 10-4
5.76 x 10-4
1.000 x 10-6
1.000 x 10-6
1.000 x 10-6
0.507

The following indices of diversity of organisms in the tropical forest and tropical
grassland were computed as follows. The table below was followed for the formulae of
the different indices. All the results of the computations were recorded in Table 4C.4.
Index
Shannon Index of Diversity
(H)
Shannon Index of
Evenness (J)

Formula
S

H = i x ln i
'

i=1

J=

H'
ln S

Descriptions
S = species richness
= number of species
i = proportion of total
sample belonging to the ith

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S

Simpson Index of
Dominance (D)

D= i 2

Simpson Index of Diversity

(SID)

SID = 1-D

i=1

Simpson Index of
Equitability (E)

E=

SID
S

species (use relative

density or relative cover for
TRF or grassland,
respectively)

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The grassland and the forest sites are stages of succession. The grassland site
is an early stage due to relatively few but in great number of species in the community.
It is dominated by weedy species which reproduce quickly but often die young. On the
contrary, the forest site is a climax stage due to its complexity. It also has more number
of species because of its stable and favorable environment. The organisms are longerlived and the nutrient- cycling is efficient because of its stability. (Colinvaux, 1993)
Indicators of ecological succession includes a wide variety, but the major
indicators are summarized by Frederick Clements Mechanism of Succession in which it
is stated that there is succession when a certain community is under any of the
following phases: nudation or the disturbance of a site, migration or the arrival of new
species, ecesis or the establishment of the initial growth of vegetation, competition
between species, reaction or the replacement of one plant community to another due to
autogenic changes, and stabilization or the development of the climax or stable
community. (Molles, 2010).
The process of succession in the tropics occurs mainly because of openings or
barren areas that appear in forests or grasslands because of natural or human-induced

disturbances. After some time, certain plants establish themselves in the areas only to
be replaced later by other species well adapted to the changing conditions. Eventually,
this will result in a stable structure, like as how mosses were replaced by vascular
plants in forest areas. (Schochet, 2013)
The forest study site is a primary growth forest. Primary succession begins with
rocks followed by lichens, mosses, grasses, shrubs then trees (Robinson, 2005).
Secondary succession, on the other hand, starts from soil then grass, shrub and up until
it reaches trees. In the forest study site, lichens, mosses, grasses, shrubs and trees
were found. The forest site is also still untainted by fire, agriculture and other
disturbances since it is maintained and protected (Pulhin, 2006). Primary growth tropical
rainforests are often characterized by large trees of specific species. Multiple canopy
layers are also present. The forest also contains trees with a wide range of age, evident
by their size.
According to the Shannon Index of Diversity (Table 4C.4), the tropical forest has
higher species diversity than the tropical grassland. Generally, tropical rainforests are
thought to be the oldest biome on earth, so the species living there had the most time to
Table 4C.4. Diversity and Similarity Indices in Tropical Grassland and Tropical
Rainforest
Community
S
H
Types
Tropical Forest
20
-2.057
Tropical
16
-1.166
Grassland
S = Species richness
H = Shannon Index of Diversity
J = Shannon Index of Evenness
D = Simpson Index of Dominance

SID

-0.683

0.285

0.715

0.036

-0.421

0.507

0.493

0.031

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SID = Simpson Index of Diversity

E = Simpson Index of Equitability or Evenness

diversify. The physical conditions like temperature, rainfall and soil type, in tropical
rainforests are relatively uniform. This characteristic makes it easier for the organisms to
live (Schochet, 2013). In addition, the soil is rich with nutrients coming from decaying
materials, and thus even with not much sunlight organisms thrive in the forest.

Saccharum spontaneum, wild sugarcane or talahib is the most common species

in the grassland study site. It is an invasive Asian grass species that originated in India.
Wild sugarcane is often resistant to weed control measures due to its deep and
extensive root system (Wishnie, 2002). These features allow the grass to dominate the
grassland.

Merremia, commonly known as morning glory, can be said as rare in the

grassland area mainly because of competition of nutrients between the grasses. Unlike
grasses with deep roots, the roots of Merremia does not grow deep enough for
gathering nutrients, thus being outcompeted by the other grasses in the site (Castillo,
2005).

The most common species in the forest is Celtis, an introduced plant in the
Philippines. It was first introduced as an ornamental plant to the country until it had also
invaded the forest area of the country. This species is considered as one of the top bioinvasive alien tree species in the Philippines. It is dioecious and fast-growing and grows

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best in heat and humidity, making it thrive in the forests of Philippines (Banguinon,
2010).

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Succession is the observed process of change in the species of structure in an
ecosystem over time. In the experiment, a tropical forest site and a tropical grassland
site were observed and studied for the stages of ecological succession. The structures
of the species were also described using the Shannon index and the Simpsons index.
Based on the calculations, the forest has a higher diversity than the grassland, with the
grassland having a primary succession while the forest a climax succession.

LITERATURE CITED
Banguinon, N. T. 2010. Ecological perspective on bioinvasion of the Makiling forest by
alien plant taxa-policy implications. Department of Forest Biological Sciences.
UPLB. Laguna, Philippines. Retrieved from (http://agris.fao.org/agrissearch/search/display.do?f=2012%2FPH%2FPH1201.xml%3BPH2011000557)
on September 10, 2013.
Begon, M., Townsend, C.R., and Harper, J.L.. 2006. Ecology: From Individuals to
Ecosystems. 4th edition. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishing, 738p.
Castillo, E. T. 2005. Grassland Species with Medicinal Potentials. Research Information
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Resources. Philippines. Retrieved from
(http://erdb.denr.gov.ph/publications/rise/r_v17n1_3.pdf) on September 10, 2013.
Colinvaux, P. 1993. Ecology. 2nd edition. New York, USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 688p.

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Molles, M.C. Jr. 2010. Ecology: Concepts and Applications. 5th edition. New York,
USA:McGraw-Hill Higher Education. xx + 572pp.
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