The study looked at different areas in a limestone mine that were being restored with trees. They found 25 plant species that could grow well in these areas, with some species naturally regenerating better in older restoration plots. The process of plant community succession was slower in the restoration areas compared to natural forests, but pioneer species helped improve conditions for other plants to grow. This information can help choose the right plants for restoring areas previously used for mining, speeding up the recovery of plant diversity.