What follows a small disturbance in an area that has previously supported life?

The correct answer is secondary succession. This term refers to the process of ecological recovery that occurs in an area where a disturbance has altered the environment but where soil and some vegetation still remain. This might happen after events such as a forest fire, a hurricane, or human activities like farming that leave some remnants of the ecosystem in place.

In secondary succession, the existing soil contains the seeds and nutrients necessary for new plant life to grow, which helps the ecosystem recover more quickly than if it were starting from bare rock or completely barren conditions, as is the case in primary succession.

In situations characterized by secondary succession, various species of plants and animals gradually re-establish themselves, ultimately leading to a relatively stable climax community, although the process can vary in time and outcome based on specific environmental conditions.