If left alone, a meadow will undergo succession and become a:

• A. Barrens
• B. Wetland
• C. Forest
• D. Larger meadow

Answer: (C)

Succession is the gradual change in plant communities that happens when an area is allowed to develop without disturbance. A meadow starts as an open, sunny patch dominated by grasses and forbs. Over time, organic matter builds up, soils become richer, and shade increases as shrubs and young trees establish. Those changes favor species that tolerate shade and woody growth, so the area progressively shifts from meadow to shrubland and eventually to a forest. In temperate regions, a forest is a common end point of this natural progression, rather than remaining a meadow, becoming barren, or turning into a wetland. Barrens are typically areas with little vegetation, wetlands require persistent saturation, and a larger meadow would only happen if disturbance kept it open—which natural succession tends not to do.