What Happens to Plants After a Volcanic Eruption?

By: Sharon Falsetto

Volcanic eruptions occur in a variety of places around the world; some volcanic eruptions occur underneath the ocean, some occur in the arctic whilst others occur in desert climates. All volcanic eruptions have an immediate effect on nearby plant life but, depending on the climate, plant recovery may be seen not long after the eruption, in geological terms.

The Impact of Volcanic Eruptions on Plant Life

When a volcano erupts, the immediate effect is devastating for plant life. Trees and smaller plants are burned, suffocated or buried by volcanic ash and lava which is released into the atmosphere. However, the long term effect of a volcanic eruption is beneficial for many plants. Volcanic eruptions bring magma from the Earth's core to the surface. Magma from a volcanic eruption contains many nutrients, fertilizing the soil around the volcano and providing ideal conditions for plants to grow.

The Nutrients in Volcanic Soil

Many people around the world have lived in the shadow of active volcanoes for centuries because of the nutrients found in volcanic soil, resulting in the ability to grow many plants. A process known as “chemical weathering” allows sunlight, moisture and gases (such as carbon dioxide) to combine with rich volcanic rock and produce a “perfect” soil, high in nutrients. Mount Vesuvius in Italy famously erupted in 79 A.D., hiding the ancient city of Pompeii for centuries. It is reported that the slopes of Mount Vesuvius were covered in orange trees, flowers, herbs, vines and vegetables because of the nutrient-rich soil to be found there.

The Volcanic Eruption of Mount Saint Helens and Plant Life

One of the most spectacular volcanic eruptions in recent history was the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens in Washington. The United States Geological Survey reports that trees were blown down or broken from as far away as 15 miles from the eruption site. However, three years after the Mount Saint Helens eruption, biologists stated that more than 90 per cent of plant species had recovered.

The United States Geological Survey also states that rain soon after the volcanic eruption washed the volcanic ash from the trees in the forests. Although the ash remained on the ground, its effect was similar to that of mulch, and allowed the trees to retain water and nutrients, without much competition from other plants.

Lassen Peak Volcanic Eruption and Plant Life

Prior to the eruption of Mount Saint Helens in Washington, Lassen Peak in northern California was noted as one of the most significant volcanic eruptions. From 1914 to 1921, Lassen Peak had sporadic volcanic eruptions, the most spectacular of which took place in 1915. A giant mushroom cloud was blown seven miles high into the atmosphere. Today, Lassen Volcanic National Park has 779 plant species.

The Role of Animals in Plant Recovery at Mount Saint Helens

The United States Geological Survey reports that one of the reasons plant life recovered so quickly after the volcanic eruption of Mount Saint Helens was due to the presence of gophers in the area. Gophers, who traditionally burrow, dug the soil in the fashion of a garden tiller and in the process combined existing soil with the the newly deposited volcanic ash. The gophers also dug up seeds, roots and bulbs and deposited them on the surface of the soil, where new plants had a chance to flourish.

Benefits of Volcanic Eruptions to Plants

Some areas of volcanic eruptions do not show signs of recovery for hundreds, or in some cases thousands, of years. However, if the conditions are right, it is possible to see the recovery of plant life in some areas of volcanic eruptions not long after the eruption. It is perhaps one of the reasons why people continue to live in dangerous and volatile areas of the world; volcanoes are unpredictable, yet they allow the growth of many plant species in some of the most nutrient-rich soil on Earth.

Source: http://plant-ecology.suite101.com/article.cfm/what-happens-to-plants-after-a-volcanic-eruption

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