Which term refers to the final stage in a forest development

Old-growth stage or primary forest stage is the climax stage or the last stage in a forest development.

Explanation:

There are four stages which occur in an ecological succession of forest in a sequential manner which are:

1) Standard initiation or open Shrub stage, which is characterized by the presence large amount of Sunlight on the forest floor which provides essential energy for the plants to grow, it is dominated by new plants or grass.

2) Stem exclusion stage, which is characterized by the presence of shade-intolerant shrubs and shade-tolerant shrubs which slowly begins to dominate the area

3) understory re-initiation or young stage, which is characterized by the presence of canopy of the forest from where no sunlight can reach the forest floor, and

4) The old-growth stage or gap dynamic stage or primary forest stage. In the primary forest stage is characterized by the presence of trees of different ages and the canopy of the forest which is the continuous green cover of the forest becomes discontinuous.