Index >> Fundamentals of Microbial Ecology >> Colonisation

Colonisation
It is the establishment of a site of microbial  reproduction on a material, animal or person without resulting in tissue damage. If the habitat has not been previously colonised (e.g. gastro-intestinal tract of new born) the process is called  primary succession. When succession occurs in a habitat with a previous colonisation and succession history, it is called secondary succession which is a consequence of some catastrophic events (volcanic eruption, barren land, etc.) that has disrupted and altered the course of succession. The first colonisers of a virgin environment are called pioneer organisms.