Below-Ground Processes in Forest Succession

In many forests, most energy utilization and nitrogen transformations of carbon compounds take place below ground (Harris et al. 1980; Fogel 1980). This is true throughout secondary succession. The above-ground patterns of changes in species composition and vegetative structure with forest succession are accompanied by and indicative of major qualitative and quantitative changes below ground. One stage in succession may be affected by prior stages through processes that occur below ground, but the extent of this influence is little known and is of considerable current research interest.