xerosere
/ˈzɪrəˌsɪr/
noun
- A sequence of plant communities that develops in a very dry environment over time, starting from bare rock or sand.
- The xerosere in the desert sand dunes started with hardy grasses and ended with a sparse woodland.
- A xerosere begins with lichens on dry rock and slowly leads to shrubs and small trees.
- Ecologists studied the xerosere on the volcanic island to see how plants colonized the barren lava.
Antonyms