Succeeding with succession: Using ecological community dynamics to build low-impact biofuels

Succession is a powerful force in ecology. Disused land that has been previously disturbed, such as abandoned cropland or pasture, can rapidly accumulate new species, build thicker soils, break down pollutants, and support increased production of biomass. All this occurs with no active management or artificial inputs, making such systems particularly promising as a means for producing the next generation of biofuel crops. While managers have made spectacular progress in engineering particular well-known systems to maximize such properties, general theory still lags behind. I explore potential methods for tracking and guiding succession in less well-understood systems.