After the volcanic eruption of 1980, scientists released the burrowing rodents for only a brief time, but their activities left a remarkably enduring impact, according to a new study

When Mount St Helens erupted in 1980, the resulting lava, ash, and debris turned the landscape barren for miles around. It was clear the land would take a long time to recover from the eruption. But one team of scientists had an idea about how they could help speed up the process;

In 1980, the eruption of Mount St. Helens devastated local ecosystems, but an experimental introduction of gophers has demonstrated a long-term positive impact on the soil and plant life. Scientists observed that gophers,

St. Helens’ mountain recovery shows how gophers and fungi revived barren land. They spurred long-lasting ecological regrowth

Scientists released gophers onto a plot of land two years after the eruption obliterated the landscape—and the results were magical.

Six years post-experiment, there were 40,000 plants thriving on the gopher plots. The untouched land remained mostly barren.