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Fireweed is often the first plant to emerge after a forest fire because its roots are uniquely adapted to harvest potassium which was burned off in the heat. It's a specialist preparing damaged land for regrowth.

A second growth forest is the first set of canopy-height trees emerging after a disturbance. The forest allows quite a bit of light, creating a dense understory packed with shade-tolerant species.

The final stage of forest succession, at which the canopy is fully closed, there are multiple understory layers co-existing, and there are entirely new species of birds, plants, and animals depending on the dense shelter and solitude of old growth forests.