Ecological succession in a xeric shrub: an explicative hypothesis

Abstract

The ecological succession is a biotic community substitution process by other with more structuration and functionality, during the ecosystem maturation. As well, succession is a self-organization process in biotic communities, with organisms forming relationships and associations that regulate and control energy flux and organic matter cycles, in search of a growing resilience. In this work, it is presented an analysis of reported data on the plant succession of a xeric shrub at the Valle del Mezquital, Hidalgo State, Mexico. The results show there is a gradual sequency toward a more structuration and functionality within the ecosystem during xeric shrub maturation, that support better utilization of local water resources. Finally, it is concluded that the successional trend is not toward a more ecosystem complexity, but to the rise of its structuration, with cooperative organization and mutualisms as dominant interactions, in a way that ecosystem can increase its functionality.