Climax species

The idea of a climax species has been criticized in recent ecological literature.[9] Any assessment of successional states depends on assumptions about the natural fire regime. But the idea of a dominant species is still widely used in silvicultural programs and California Department of Forestry literature.^{[citation needed]}

Examples

White spruce (Picea glauca) is an example of a climax species in the northern forests of North America due to its ability to adapt to resource scarce, stable conditions, it dominates Northern forest ecosystem in the absence of a disturbance.^[10]

Other examples of climax species in old-growth forests:

• Canadian hemlock
• Pacific silver fir
• White fir
• Yellow carabeen
• Blue grama
• Douglas fir
• Coast redwood
• European beech

See also

• Climax vegetation

References