Succession at Mount St. Helens Activity
When Mount St. Helens erupted in 1980, entire ecosystems surrounding the mountain were destroyed by the heat and pyroclastic flows. Scientists expected that ecosystem recovery would take many decades. As it turned out, succession took place much faster than expected, making the area a living research project for scientists. In this activity, students will track the appearance of plant and animal species in an area of the mountain over a period of 30 years, tracking the progression of succession.
To set up the activity, download and print off these succession sheets that show the animals found during each year.
Essential concepts: Ecosystem succession, secondary succession, pioneers, climax community, generalists, specialists, reproductive strategy.
