Gophers Revive Mount St. Helens in 24-Hour Experiment
Following the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, scientists introduced gophers to the devastated landscape for a single day, leading to long-term ecological benefits. The gophers helped regenerate plant life by bringing beneficial bacteria and fungi to the surface, resulting in a thriving ecosystem 40 years later. This experiment highlights the critical role of microbes and fungi in ecosystem recovery, as demonstrated by the stark contrast between areas with and without gopher intervention.
