1 Introduction
Since the eruption in 1980, the area around Mount St. Helens has rebounded in ways that were somewhat unexpected, with recovery coming not only from the surrounding area, but from within the barren expanse that remained after the eruption. While not the first eruption overall, this eruption was the first to occur on the U.S mainland in a time when modern scientific monitoring could track the events associated with it. Smaller earthquakes in March of 1980 eventually led to the total collapse of the north face of the volcano which destroyed a massive area of land (Lindsey).
2 Eruption Background Information
The 1980 eruption resulted in thick layers of ash, mud, and pumice being deposited by the initial blast and pyroclastic flow …show more content…
Helens completely decimated a massive area of land through the initial eruption, the pyroclastic flow, and the numerous landslides and lahars that occurred throughout. However, this area experienced surprising levels of ecological recovery, especially when it came to the overall plant cover. The areas further from the blast were quicker to rebound from the destruction than the much closer areas such as the Pumice Plain, which is just now showing more significant signs of recovery. Sections that were cleared by the mudflows recovered at different rates depending on the seed dispersal capabilities of the plants in the area (Del Moral, 1998). Presumably, seeds with dispersal methods relying on factors such as wind or birds would be more likely to repopulate the cleared areas than other …show more content…
R., and B. Myers (2000), Mount St. Helens — From the 1980 Eruption to 2000, Available from: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs036-00/fs036-00.pdf (Accessed 4 September 2017)
Clynne, M. A., D. W. Ramsey, and E. W. Wolfe (2005, May), Pre-1980 Eruptive History of Mount St. Helens, Washington, USGS. Available from: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3045/ (Accessed 4 September 2017)
Collins, B. D., & Dunne, T. (1988). Effects of forest land management on erosion and revegetation after the eruption of mount st. helens. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 13(3), 193-205. doi: 10.1002/esp.3290130302
Del Moral, R. (1998, June). Early succession on lahars spawned by Mount St. Helens. American Journal of Botany. p. 820. Available from: Environment Complete database (Accessed 7 September 2017)
Del Moral, R. (1983). Initial Recovery of Subalpine Vegetation on Mount St. Helens, Washington. The American Midland Naturalist, 109(1), 72-80. doi:10.2307/2425517
Lindsey, R., World of Change: Devastation and Recovery at Mt. St. Helens : Feature Articles, NASA Earth Observatory. Available from: https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/sthelens.php (Accessed 4 September 2017)
Swanson, Tilling, & Topinka (1997), Mount St. Helens' May 18, 1980, Ash Fallout Distribution within the U.S.,
Since the eruption in 1980, the area around Mount St. Helens has rebounded in ways that were somewhat unexpected, with recovery coming not only from the surrounding area, but from within the barren expanse that remained after the eruption. While not the first eruption overall, this eruption was the first to occur on the U.S mainland in a time when modern scientific monitoring could track the events associated with it. Smaller earthquakes in March of 1980 eventually led to the total collapse of the north face of the volcano which destroyed a massive area of land (Lindsey).
2 Eruption Background Information
The 1980 eruption resulted in thick layers of ash, mud, and pumice being deposited by the initial blast and pyroclastic flow …show more content…
Helens completely decimated a massive area of land through the initial eruption, the pyroclastic flow, and the numerous landslides and lahars that occurred throughout. However, this area experienced surprising levels of ecological recovery, especially when it came to the overall plant cover. The areas further from the blast were quicker to rebound from the destruction than the much closer areas such as the Pumice Plain, which is just now showing more significant signs of recovery. Sections that were cleared by the mudflows recovered at different rates depending on the seed dispersal capabilities of the plants in the area (Del Moral, 1998). Presumably, seeds with dispersal methods relying on factors such as wind or birds would be more likely to repopulate the cleared areas than other …show more content…
R., and B. Myers (2000), Mount St. Helens — From the 1980 Eruption to 2000, Available from: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2000/fs036-00/fs036-00.pdf (Accessed 4 September 2017)
Clynne, M. A., D. W. Ramsey, and E. W. Wolfe (2005, May), Pre-1980 Eruptive History of Mount St. Helens, Washington, USGS. Available from: https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2005/3045/ (Accessed 4 September 2017)
Collins, B. D., & Dunne, T. (1988). Effects of forest land management on erosion and revegetation after the eruption of mount st. helens. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 13(3), 193-205. doi: 10.1002/esp.3290130302
Del Moral, R. (1998, June). Early succession on lahars spawned by Mount St. Helens. American Journal of Botany. p. 820. Available from: Environment Complete database (Accessed 7 September 2017)
Del Moral, R. (1983). Initial Recovery of Subalpine Vegetation on Mount St. Helens, Washington. The American Midland Naturalist, 109(1), 72-80. doi:10.2307/2425517
Lindsey, R., World of Change: Devastation and Recovery at Mt. St. Helens : Feature Articles, NASA Earth Observatory. Available from: https://www.earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/WorldOfChange/sthelens.php (Accessed 4 September 2017)
Swanson, Tilling, & Topinka (1997), Mount St. Helens' May 18, 1980, Ash Fallout Distribution within the U.S.,