Describe what role a pioneer species plays during the process of ecological succession

Early colonizer role

Explanation:

Ecological succession refers to changes in the structure of components species of an ecological community over a period of time which can be as low as a decade or as large as millions of years.

Succession is divided into 3 main stages;

primary succession secondary succession climax/stable community

Primary succession occur when living organism colonize an area that holds no life at all. The colonizing living organisms are therefore referred to as pioneer species. They colonize the new area and kickstart the various ecological processes that make up a community.

Secondary succession occur when the living organisms inhabiting a community are gradually replaced by new species of organisms.

Climax community is a stable or minimally changing ecological communities.

Hence, pioneer species are early colonizer of a newly areas that hold no previous life. They kickstart the various ecological processes that constitute an ecological community such as soil formation, nutrient cycling, and primary productivity.