The effects of burial by tephra (volcanic aerial ejecta) on
forest understory plants were examined northeast of Mount St. Helens,
Washington, in the area where the 18 May 1980 eruption deposited
tephra but did not destroy canopy trees. At six sites along a tephra
depth gradient from 2-15 cm, understory...
Field and laboratory studies were conducted on volcanic ash from Yakima, Moses Lake, Spokane, Washington, and Moscow, Idaho, three weeks after the May 18, 1980, eruption of Mt. St. Helens in southwestern Washington. These studies examined 1) the chemical, physical, and water retentivity properties of the ash, 2) the effect...