Arrange the following stages of a succession in an ecosystem starting from first stage to last stage.
A. Phytoplankton
B. Submerged plant stage
C. Submerged free floating plant stage
D. Marsh-meadow stage
E. Reed swamp stage
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A, B, C, E, D
This is a hydrarch succession in a pond. It opens with the phytoplankton stage, whose dead remains build up the bottom; then rooted submerged plants such as Hydrilla take hold, followed by the submerged free floating plants such as Nymphaea and Pistia.
As silting continues, the reed swamp (amphibious) stage of Typha and Sagittaria appears, and finally the marsh-meadow stage of sedges and grasses, which leads on towards woodland and forest as the water body fills up.