Final answer:
Given the 55 years of recovery after a forest fire, the land in question would most likely be in the intermediate stages of secondary succession with the presence of shrubs and young trees such as birch and cherry trees rather than the mature climax community of beech and maple trees.
Step-by-step explanation:
Following a forest fire in 1955, a process called secondary succession would likely have taken place, where the land goes through a series of changes in vegetation before returning to its climax community. Initially, the fire would remove the dominant tall tree species, opening up the landscape to sun-loving pioneer species such as grasses and forbs. In the years immediately following the fire, these species would dominate the land.
As time progresses, the environment will continue to change, fostering conditions suitable for intermediate species, including shrubs, small pine, oak, and hickory trees. Since the question asks about the state of the land in 2010, which is 55 years post-disturbance, the forests would still be in the intermediate stages of succession. The final climax community in a temperate oak and hickory forest would likely include mature beech and maple trees, but 55 years is not generally sufficient time for complete reestablishment of the climax forest.