If a meadow is left unmanaged, ecological succession typically leads to it becoming:

• A. A forest
• B. A swamp
• C. A prairie
• D. A desert

Answer: (A)

Ecological succession shows how an open meadow gradually becomes a forest when left unmanaged. In an abandoned meadow, grasses and wildflowers establish first, build soil organic matter, and create a more stable environment. As shrubs begin to appear and grow, tree seedlings take root, and with time a canopy forms. The shade from taller plants favors some species of trees and slows the herbaceous layer, allowing a layered forest structure to develop. This progression from open grassland to woodland is typical in temperate regions with enough moisture, so the area ultimately becomes a forest rather than a swamp, desert, or another grassland.