preclimax

[ pree-klahy-maks ]

nounEcology.
  1. a stable community that precedes the full development of the climax community of a given area and that results from local variations in soil and water.

Origin of preclimax

1
First recorded in 1915–20; pre- + climax

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024