When Mount St.Helens erupted, three relatively distinct zones of destruction resulted: the Pumice Plain, which was essentially sterilized and had no remaining life; the Blowdown Zone on the mountain slopes, where downed trees and vegetation were covered with mud and ash; and farther down, forests that remained standing but were also covered with mud and ash.Based on these levels of destruction, what would the likely rate of recovery be for these zones?
A) All would recover quickly, at relatively equal rates.
B) None would recover; the heat, mud, and ash would prevent regrowth.
C) The Pumice Plain would recover fastest, followed by the Blowdown Zone and then the lower forests.
D) The lower forests would recover fastest, followed by the Blowdown Zone and then the Pumice Plain.
E) The Blowdown Zone and lower forests would recover relatively quickly; the Pumice Plain would never recover.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The lower forests, having retained their standing structure despite being covered in mud and ash, would likely recover faster than areas with more severe damage. The Blowdown Zone, with downed trees and vegetation, would have some organic material to facilitate regrowth, albeit at a slower pace. The Pumice Plain, being sterilized with no remaining life, would recover the slowest as it would need to start from a baseline of zero biological activity.