Arrange the following steps of primary succession in the correct sequence:
(A) Marsh-meadow stage
(B) Submerged free floating plant stage
(C) Forest
(D) Phytoplankton
(E) Scrub stage
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → (D) → (B) → (A) → (E) → (C)
Primary succession in water begins with phytoplankton (D), then submerged free-floating plants (B), the marsh-meadow stage (A), the scrub stage (E), and finally forest (C).
Note: This question is from the topic “Succession of Plants” in Chapter 14, Ecosystem, of the pre-rationalised NCERT book. This portion is not in the present NCERT book, where the chapter is now Chapter 12, Ecosystem. The extract below is from the pre-rationalised edition.
NCERT Extract (Pre-rationalised edition, Chapter 14, Ecosystem):
Succession of Plants – “… In primary succession in water, the pioneers are the small phytoplanktons, which are replaced with time by rooted-submerged plants, rooted-floating angiosperms followed by free-floating plants, then reed-swamp, marsh-meadow, scrub and finally the trees. The climax again would be a forest. With time the water body is converted into land (Figure 14.5).”