Grasses are among the first plants to grow after a disturbance, followed by shrubs, and “pioneer” species (See a, b, and c in the diagram below). Also known as early successional, these “pioneer” species include deciduous trees such as birches and aspen.
In future years, late successional tree species will begin to dominate the canopy (d) and less light will hit the forest floor. Shrubs and shorter woody plants will no longer congest the land. Instead, mosses and fungi become the ground’s natural carpet. As large, old trees are blown down from storm events (e), they decompose underfoot, making the landscape uneven. The canopy frees up and allows light to populate the soil which promotes the growth of shrubs in small patches among the understory. The majority of the earth is spongey, bumpy, and unlevel from one step to the next. These small hummocks, also known as “pit and mound topography”, allow water to pool and create varied micro-habitats.