Secondary succession occurs after disruption of a former community, such as wildfires or tornadoes.

• A. Colonization of a new habitat
• B. Follows a disruption that wipes out the existing community
• C. Soil formation after erosion
• D. Plant growth on bare rock

Answer: (B)

Secondary succession happens after a disturbance damages or eliminates the current community but leaves the soil and some seed sources intact, so life can regrow from surviving organisms and the seed bank. Wildfires and tornadoes fit this scenario because they disrupt the aboveground community while the ground and soil remain, enabling plants to recolonize and rebuild the ecosystem from that soil base. The option describing this disruption as wiping out the existing community captures that idea, making it the best fit.

Other ideas don’t match as well: colonization of a new habitat refers to organisms establishing in an area with little or no prior community, not recovery after a disturbance. Soil formation after erosion focuses on creating soil rather than reassembling a community. Plant growth on bare rock describes primary succession, which starts from completely exposed substrate with no soil.