A climax community is the final stage of ecological succession, characterized by a stable and mature ecosystem that has reached a state of ecological equilibrium, including maintaining a relatively constant and resilient species composition over time and having an efficient energy flow.
Climax communities typically contain a diverse array of species that are well-adapted to the specific environmental conditions of the area, and they play an important role in contributing to global biodiversity. Common examples of climax community types include tropical rainforests, coral reefs, deserts and grasslands.
Climatic climax communities are climax communities that are primarily influenced by the regional climate, including temperature and precipitation patterns. Edaphic climax communities are created by local soil conditions and other substrate characteristics, such as their topography, texture, pH, nutrients and moisture. Polyclimax communities consist of several climax community types that coexist in the same area due to localized environmental differences, including with regard to moisture, soil type, topography and biotic conditions.
Climax communities can be disrupted by both natural processes and human activity, including the introduction of invasive species, wildfires, urbanization, agriculture, climate change and pollution.