The vocabulary term that describes the first organisms to begin succession is pioneer species.
Pioneer species are hardy species (plants that can withstand the extremes of climate or habitat) which are the first organisms to colonize an already damaged or disturbed ecosystem. Pioneer species include lichen, algae and fungi. These species are the first organisms to begin succession, and they normalize the habitat along with abiotic factors such as temperature, water, sunlight, wind and nutrient availability.
