Balsam fir is a shade-tolerant, late successional, but relatively short-lived tree that occurs only in the eastern and central parts of the North American taiga.
Detailed mapping of the trees in a tropical rainforest can reveal the locations of previous gaps through identification of clumps of the quicker-growing, more light-demanding species, which have yet to be replaced by trees in the final stage of successional recovery.
Species found at lower elevations are often widespread colonizers of disturbed or successional habitats.
There is evidence to support earlier experience that the best way to ensure the preservation of the indigenous biota is to maintain a matrix of the indigenous vegetation with more than 50 percent of the land area undisturbed and an additional 25 to 50 percent in successional stages.
Species restricted to northeastern Asia include chosenia (Chosenia arbutifolia), an early successional broad-leaved tree of floodplains; Siberian stone pine (Pinus sibirica), a short shrub or tree; and Asian spruce (Picea obovata).
Jack pine is a relatively small, short-lived, early successional tree occurring in the eastern and central parts of taiga east of the Rocky Mountains.
Moose depend on high-quality feeding areas in the shrub zone along river floodplains and on the early successional growth of woody plants in burned or cutover forest.
Other factors control moose numbers, such as the restriction of access to plants during years of deep snow and lack of early successional woody plant growth caused by forest maturation.
In secondary successional environments, the recovery process that follows a disturbance begins sooner.
Characteristic of the taiga is the general lack of late successional species that develop under an intact forest canopy.
A similar succession of animal species occurs, and interactions between plants, animals, and environment influence the pattern and rate of successional change.
