Gophers might be destructive in your yard, but scientists found that they have the opposite effect in recovering ecosystems.
Mount St. Helens is a volcano in Washington state. It erupted in 1980 and destroyed miles of forest around the mountain. The eruption covered the mountain in several feet of ash. Soil that plants could grow in was buried underneath the ash and rock.
Scientists knew that gophers move and fertilize soil. Gophers are sometimes called ecosystem engineers because they can change their habitat. The scientists wondered what would happen if gophers were released in parts of the area that were destroyed by the eruption. Gophers were released for just 24 hours.
The results were remarkable. The scientists returned to the area six years later. The area where the gophers were released had 40,000 plants growing. The surrounding area had almost none.
By digging, the gophers moved soil to the surface. The gophers also left seeds and spores in their droppings. This allowed new plants to grow! Today, the effects of the gophers’ work can still be seen.
What Do You Think? How can scientists use what they learned?
Photo Credit:(t)NPS photo by Gillian Bowser/U.S. National Park Service, (b)Lyn Topinka/USGS
