climaxClimax species, also called '''late [[Sere (ecology)|seral]]''', '''late-successional''', '''[[K-selected]]''' or '''equilibrium''' species, are [[plant]] [[species]] that will remain essentially unchanged in terms of species composition for as long as a site remains undisturbed. They are the most [[Shade tolerance|shade-tolerant]] species of [[tree]] to establish in the process of [[Ecological succession|forest succession]]. The [[seedling]]s of climax species can grow in the shade of the parent trees, ensuring their dominance indefinitely. A [[Disturbance (ecology)|disturbance]] such as fire may kill the climax species, allowing [[pioneer species|pioneer]] or earlier successional species to re-establish for a time. They are the opposite of [[pioneer species]], also known as [[ruderal species|ruderal]], fugitive, opportunistic or [[R-selected]] species, in the sense that climax species are good competitors but poor colonizers, whereas pioneer species are good colonizers but poor competitors. Climax species dominate the [[climax community]], when the pace of succession slows down, the result of [[ecological homeostasis]], which features maximum permitted [[biodiversity]], given the prevailing [[ecology|ecological]] conditions. Their reproductive strategies and other adaptive characteristics can be considered more sophisticated than those of opportunistic species. Through [[negative feedback]], they adapt themselves to specific environmental conditions. Climax species are mostly found in forests. Climax species, closely controlled by [[carrying capacity]], follow [[K strategy|K strategies]], wherein species produce fewer numbers of potential offspring, but invest more heavily in securing the reproductive success of each one to the micro-environmental conditions of its specific [[ecological niche]]. Climax species might be [[Semelparity and Iteroparity|iteroparous]], [[Efficient energy use|energy consumption efficient]] and [[Biogeochemical cycle|nutrient cycling]].<ref>[http://www.marietta.edu/~mcshaffd/eco/sym/4SPEC98.html Relationships Among Species]</ref>
