Which type of succession occurs in an area that was partially destroyed by disturbances?

Secondary succession is the process that occurs in an area that was partially destroyed by disturbances. This type of succession takes place after events such as wildfires, floods, or human activities like farming, which remove some, but not all, of the vegetation and organisms from an area. The soil remains intact in these scenarios, which allows for quicker recovery since seeds and roots present in the soil can sprout, and new species can invade from the surrounding areas.

In contrast, primary succession occurs in lifeless areas where soil has not yet formed, such as after a volcanic eruption or glacial retreat, requiring a longer time frame for ecological establishment. Climatic succession is not a standard term used in ecology and would not specifically refer to disturbances. Geological succession typically refers to changes over vast time scales in the Earth's structures and does not directly relate to ecological recovery processes. Thus, secondary succession aptly describes the sequence of changes that reestablish an ecosystem after a disturbance that has not completely destroyed the soil.