Pioneer organism

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A pioneer organism, also called a disaster taxon, is an organism that colonizes a previously empty area first, or one that repopulates vacant niches after a natural disaster, mass extinction or any other catastrophic event that wipes out most life of the prior biome.^[1] A group of such organisms capable of continued procreation among themselves are a pioneer species.

Natural disaster[edit]

After a natural disaster, common pioneer organisms include lichens and algae. Mosses usually follow lichens in colonization but cannot serve as pioneer organisms. These common pioneer organisms can have a preference in the temperatures they are in. Lichens are more inclined to be in regions with more rainfall, whereas algae and mosses have a preference of being in regions with more humidity.^[2]

Pioneer organisms modify their environment and establish conditions that accommodate other organisms. In some circumstances, other organisms can be considered pioneer organisms. Birds are usually the first to inhabit newly-created islands, and seeds, such as the coconut, may also be the first arrivals on barren soil.

Extinction event[edit]

Since the resolution of the fossil record is low, pioneer organisms are often identified as those that lived within hundreds, thousands, or a million years of the extinction event. For example, after the Permian–Triassic extinction event 252 million years ago, Lystrosaurus, a tusked therapsid, was considered a disaster taxon.^[1]

See also[edit]

• Ecological succession
• Primary succession
• Secondary succession

References[edit]