What is a pioneering species

Pioneer species are hardy species which are the first to colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems, beginning a chain of ecological succession that ultimately leads to a more biodiverse steady-state ecosystem. Some lichens grow on rocks without soil, so may be among the first of life forms, and break down the rock into soil for other plants.

A pioneering species is the first species to colonize an ecosystem that is previously damaged or disrupted, just like the pioneers colonized new and developing areas of land, setting a path for others to come after them. Hence the title pioneering species.