• Definition: Cyclical succession is the regular and repeating replacement of species in an ecosystem over time without needing big disturbances to trigger it.
• Imagine a merry-go-round. Just like how the horses and seats take turns, species in cyclical succession take turns to dominate!

🌳 North-west Europe

• Scenario: Oak forests dominate but can't regenerate themselves. Why? Oak trees hate the shade.

• What happens next?

  🤓 Real-world example: Think of oak forests like ice cream melting in the sun. If you put it back in the freezer (the grassland), it'll become ice cream again!

• Other tree species or grasslands take over.
• But here's the twist: Oak seedlings love grassland! They grow tall, shade out the grass, and BOOM! The oak forest returns.

• Scenario: Deciduous shrubs and evergreen trees are the main players. But guess what? Fires! They happen every 10-15 years and sometimes even less frequently.

• Fire's role: Resets the community, making it a hot (pun intended) spot for cyclical succession.

  🤓 Real-world example: Imagine the chaparral like a phoenix. After a fire, it rises again from its ashes.