Macroscale and Microscale Development of Ecological Systems Along Disturbance Gradients on Mount St. Helens: Synthesis of Research

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A major data synthesis effort will bring to a close an eight-year study of the effects of a major volcanic eruption on the structure and function of several ecosystems on Mt. St. Helens in the state of Washington. Ecological studies have been conducted on the rates and patterns of recovery of three ecosystem types on Mt. St. Helens; coniferous forests, and sub- alpine and alpine meadows. During the past eight years the ecological research has been focussed in four areas: soil processes and development, plant physiology, plant population dynamics, and insect population dynamics. Data derived from these studies will be used to develop a set of sub-models that will be linked together in a "master" model of landscape dynamics in these "recovering" ecosystems. The models will be structured such that they can be applied at a variety scales in space and time. In addition, the models will be linked to a geographic information system (GIS) so that they will be geographically specific. The development of geographically-referenced process models will be an important advance in ecological research because it will permit field-based validation of these models. Beyond contribution to advances in ecological modeling, this research will help us to understand how biological systems respond to and recover from major catastrophic disturbances such as volcanic eruptions. Such understanding should help us to devise management strategies for reconstructing natural ecosystems following various kinds of destructive events associated with human activities. Dr. Bliss and his colleagues have good records of productivity. The institutional support available to them is superior.