Succession is a gradual change from one plant community to another. Each community, in turn, modifies the habitat and makes it suitable for new species to establish themselves.
Succession is a process of change by which one plant community is replaced by another. As succession progresses the species diversity increases and the ecosystem becomes more stable. Succession in the Broads may be regarded as a primary succession. The pioneer community includes reeds and rushes as well as other hydrophytes.
Decaying plant material
and mud build up. Without management the Broads will eventually silt up 
and in time a climax woodland ecosystem would form.
The stages
of succession can be seeen in the hydrosere 
This is a progression of plant communities as we move from open water to dry
land.
Marginal
plants include Branched Bur-reed, Common Reed, and Mint. Reed beds are gradually
replaced by
Willow
and alder. The climax ecosystem for this area is
Oak woodland
Hydrosere
Species diversity includes both abundance and richness of species. Various diversity indicies exist but they all need to consider the number of species and the numbers of individuals of each species.
