Gophers: The Unsung Heroes of Mount St. Helens' Revival
After the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, scientists introduced pocket gophers to the devastated landscape to study their impact on ecosystem recovery. Despite their brief 24-hour stay, the gophers' digging and the introduction of spores and fungi significantly boosted plant growth, transforming barren areas into thriving ecosystems over decades. This experiment highlights the potential of using natural processes to aid habitat recovery after environmental disasters.