Species succession refers to which of the following?

• A. The weather patterns
• B. The genetic changes over generations
• C. The seasonal temperature fluctuations
• D. The order in which species show up on remains

Answer: (D)

The main idea being tested is the orderly sequence of insect colonization on a decomposing body over time. In forensic entomology, after death a body becomes a habitat for insects, and different species tend to arrive and dominate at predictable stages as the remains decompose. This pattern, known as species succession, is what researchers use to help estimate the minimum time since death by comparing the development of collected insects to known arrival times and growth rates. Environmental factors like weather and temperature can influence how quickly the sequence unfolds, but the defining concept is the order in which species show up on remains. The other options describe weather patterns, genetic changes over generations, and seasonal temperature fluctuations, which are not about the structured sequence of colonizers on a corpse.