One of the characteristics of secondary succession is that it

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks for a characteristic of secondary succession, which is the process by which a community re-develops after an existing one has been disturbed or destroyed.

Step 2: Explain the concept Ecological succession is the gradual change in the species composition of a community over time. It comes in two types:

• Primary succession: starts on a bare, lifeless surface (bare rock, sand dunes, new volcanic land) where no soil exists yet. Pioneers such as lichens and mosses come first. It is slow, often taking hundreds or thousands of years.
• Secondary succession: starts where a community previously existed but was removed by fire, farming, flooding or logging. Soil is already present, with seeds, roots and microorganisms. It is faster.

Step 3: Test each option

• A. Starts on a bare surface: This describes primary succession, so it is wrong.
• B. Takes longer time to reach climax: Secondary succession is faster than primary because soil and seeds are already there, so it is wrong.
• C. Starts on already colonized surface: The area was previously occupied by organisms, such as a farmland left fallow or a burnt forest. This is correct.
• D. Starts with low organism: This is vague, and organisms and seeds are often abundant in the soil at the start. It is not the defining feature.

Step 4: Answer

Tip: Remember Primary = Pioneers on bare rock (Poor start, slow). Secondary = Soil already there (Speedy). If the question mentions "already colonized," "soil present," or "after disturbance," think secondary succession.