colonization

biology

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June 24, 2026

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In biology, "colonizing" refers to species that are the first to inhabit new or disturbed environments. These are known as pioneer species. They reproduce and grow rapidly, utilizing available resources before larger competitors arrive. Examples include lichens, mosses, and microorganisms. These species play a crucial role in ecological succession, gradually paving the way for other organisms to establish themselves and change the community structure over time. Protozoans, for instance, have colonized a vast range of habitats, from soils to oceans, forming essential parts of microbial and planktonic communities.

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angiosperm
Distribution and abundance
…has contributed to their successful colonization of more habitats than any other group of land plants. Gymnosperms (the nonflowering seed plants) are only woody plants with a few woody twining vines. There are few herbaceous or aquatic gymnosperms; most gymnosperms do not occur as swampy vegetation or in marine habitats.…
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…has contributed to their successful colonization of more habitats than any other group of land plants. Gymnosperms (the nonflowering seed plants) are only woody plants with a few woody twining vines. There are few herbaceous or aquatic gymnosperms; most gymnosperms do not occur as swampy vegetation or in marine habitats.…
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marine ecosystem
Dynamics of populations and assemblages
Patterns of colonization and succession can have a significant impact on benthic assemblages. For example, when intertidal reefs are cleared experimentally, the assemblage of organisms that colonize the bare space often reflects the types of larvae available in local waters at the time. Tube worms may dominate…
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Patterns of colonization and succession can have a significant impact on benthic assemblages. For example, when intertidal reefs are cleared experimentally, the assemblage of organisms that colonize the bare space often reflects the types of larvae available in local waters at the time. Tube worms may dominate…
Read More

plant
Dispersal and colonization
The methods by which plants are distributed over Earth’s surface are as diverse and complex as the plants themselves. The most widely occurring plants are the small-bodied rapidly reproducing forms whose spores can be carried by wind and water and by birds and other…
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The methods by which plants are distributed over Earth’s surface are as diverse and complex as the plants themselves. The most widely occurring plants are the small-bodied rapidly reproducing forms whose spores can be carried by wind and water and by birds and other…
Read More