pre-climax
1. The community immediately preceding the climax, especially where this is forest (e.g. on light soils in Britain, beechwood is the pre-climax to oakwood).

2. In the mono-climax model of climax vegetation development, the name given to communities differing from the climatic climax, owing to hotter and/or drier environmental conditions than are characteristic of the regional climate. Such conditions typically occur in rain-shadow areas in the lee of mountain ranges. See also climax theory. Compare post-climax.

pre-climax
1. The community immediately preceding the climax, especially where this is forest (e.g. on light soils in Britain, beechwood is the preclimax to oakwood).

2. In the monoclimax model of climax vegetation development, the name given to communities differing from the climatic climax owing to the hotter and/or drier environmental conditions than are characteristic of the regional climate. Such conditions typically occur in rain-shadow areas in the lee of mountain ranges. See also CLIMAX THEORY; compare POST-CLIMAX.