NATURAL SUCCESSION AND THE HUMAN MIMICK THROUGH THE RISING OF MEGA CITIES [SKYCRAPER ORIENTED].

In the field of ecology, succession is the natural process by which a community of organisms in an ecosystem gradually replaces another. The process of succession begins with a group of simple, rapidly growing organisms called the pioneer community. The final stage of ecological succession, which consists of the most complex and stable community, is called the climax vegetation.
The human societal development takes a similar pattern as such, through an increase in population. In the field of population and urban geography, it is believed that people move into a favorable area in drifts from different places and tend to settle down permanently. Over time one generation succeeds the order beginning with homogenous group to a vast heterogeneous pack of people with advancing technology for shelter and thus the emergence of complex buildings.
Through the stages of succession which are nudation, migration, excess, competition, stability, the ecosystem reaches a stage of structural complexity and subsequent climax. This is achieved while the vegetation undisturbed passes through stages where plants and animals compete to establish themselves, reproduce, compete for space, sunlight, nutrients all in a quest to survive leading to an endless struggle known as the survival of the fittest in which only the strong can survive.
In comparison, the human society tries in earnest to outdo each order in wealth and property. High rise apartments are thought to be trendy and cool, offering a paradise view, lots of sunshine and free flow of natural air. Thus competition between tall buildings developed as technology and affluence evolved. A ten story building in the middle of Manhattan in new York city will be deprived of essentials such as sunlight, free flow of air for comfort and thus has to be pulled down for a fifty story building [that is before many seventy story buildings cover the sky overtime]. Thus, the climax of human succession could be said to have been reached.
In the plant community as explained above, a stage of structural complexity is reached as well, as such only the most advanced species could carry on living.
Thus the above keen observation of mine attempts to put forth the glaring similarities inherent within ecological succession and human territorial expansion and quest for survival.
Muhammad Tijjani Nakande is a 300 level student, department of geography, university of Maiduguri, Borno state Nigeria.
You can reach him at www.muhammadnakandesworld.blogspot.com or email him at memzycool@yahoo.com