The study of old fields has been
integral to the development of succession theory. Some of the earliest studies
of old fields were undertaken in the mid-1900s in northeastern
North America, and these studies informed many
of the classical ideas relating to old field succession. Today, long-term
studies such as the Buell-Small Succession Study continue to provide important
insights into vegetation development on abandoned farmland from both a
succession theory and restoration practice perspective. It is of little
surprise, therefore, that the theory of succession has had such success in
describing community development on these sites, and those with similar
climate, soils, vegetation, and legacy of land use. But how successful is
succession for describing community development in other old fields around the
world; those with harsher climates, poorer soils, different vegetation dynamics
and more intensive land use? We use three case studies from temperate North
America, tropical Latin America and the dry Mediterranean-climate area of southwest
Australia to explore these questions. In particular, we consider how the plant
traits of both native and introduced species interact with the legacy of land
use to lead to successional trajectories that, at
best, are unpredictable, and at worst, are “stuck” in a degraded state. How well does the theory of
succession apply to ecosystems stuck in a particular state over time-scales
beyond those of long-term research, and how does succession inform restoration
in such systems? In conclusion, we present a generalised model of old
field dynamics based on field studies from around the world, and discuss where
succession is a success, where succession is mostly a success, and where other
theories of vegetation development may better inform the restoration of old
fields.