Climax community : Definition, types, theories

Climax community

The idea behind using this term was to indicate a find and stable community in a successional series. The community is self-perpetuating and is in equilibrium with the physical habitual. 

"Climax may be defined as the development of vegetation and formation of soil towards a defined point determined and limited by climate." 

 ➤  This climax is a terminal community of succession that is controlled by climate. It is capable of reproducing itself., it may not be replaced by other individuals as long as the climate remains the same. 

 ➤  For a species population in a climax community to the stable. There must be a balance between natality and mortality, between the incoming of new individuals by reproduction and outgoing individuals by death. Such balance also applies to the intake and release of matter and energy by the community as a whole.

Nature of Climax

Some of the characteristics of climax are as follows-

 ➤  Unity - The relations between climax and climate are reciprocal. The climax is not the only response to the climatic conditions but it expresses and indicates the climate that exists. It is thus clear that the climax community is a unit of expression and an indicator of climate.

 ➤  Stabilization and Variation - The climax formation attains stability gradually but a real climax can be formed when the habitat is exclusively free from disturbances. In such areas climax can be achieved but not in a real sense. Climax is such a unit that it does not modify the habitat so much as to more appreciable change in its structure. Small changes in the habitat are however easily. overcome without any effect on the formation.

Therefore, even a climax cannot be regarded as a terminal stabilized community but it is a life full of dynamism. However, the negligible changes that have been produced are not important and do not produce any marked effect on the structure or fundamental composition of the climax community.

Types of Climax

 ➤  Sub-Climax - It is a stage before climax which becomes arrested at a developmental stage and may become less permanent. The community that became stabilized at any of the seral stages of succession due to microclimate or other factors such as soil, fire, etc., is known as sere climax.

 ➤  Dis-Climax - When a pure climax is modified or changed giving a place to new species due to the disturbances and the new vegetational group appears like a climax it is known as dis climax.

 ➤  Post-and Pre-Climax - In the surroundings of each climax, areas having a more cool and moist environment and other land areas with warm and dry environments are found. The moist and cool area surrounding the climax is known as post climax while dry and warm areas as pre climax.

Theories of Climax

 ➤  Mono-Climax - According to F. Clements (1916) climax develops through a successional pattern to the highest formation, determined by climate. This idea was known as the mono-climax theory. Such a type of climax was called a Climate climax in later years. the objectionable point in this theory is the responsibility being thrown upon a single factor for the formation of climax. The climate is said to be the supreme factor controlling the type of climax.

 ➤  Poly-Climax - Several European ecologists, like Nicholos, Champion, Bore, Whittaker (1953), and Tansley (1939) advocated this theory. They took into account influences, caused by biotic factors, topographic factors, and physiographic factors and proposed a poly-climax system. He recognized specific climaxes such as edaphic climax, biotic climax, physiographic climax, etc. He also held one factor responsible for a particular climax which governs the stabilized climax community.

 ➤  Some Other Theories - The existence of edaphically and physiographically stable communities is known. there is no controversy regarding this conclusive fact. However, the controversy remains regarding the factor which governs the overall situation. According to the mono climax theory, the caroling factor can only be climate. However, poly-climax theory shows other factors responsible for controlling climax.