ALGAL COMMUNITIES OF SPRINGS AND STREAMS IN THE MT. ST. HELENS REGION,WASHINGTON, U.S.A. FOLLOWING THE MAY 1980 ERUPTION1

Mt. St. Helens, a volcanic peak in the Cascade Range in southern Washington erupted violently on May 18, 1980, causing enormous damage to both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The initial explosion evaporated, scoured or buried all springs and streams in the blast impact area. Ash fall and erosion from defoliated hillsides subsequently filled most of the lotic habitats with organic debris and volcanic ash. Recolonization of springs and streams by algae occurred quickly in areas where erosion through the ash progressed down to bedrock. Within 15 months or less of the eruption, algal communities were established throughout the blast impact area. However, as a result of the initial and continued disturbance these communities remained in an early successional stage. Floral assemblages were highly variable except that they were composed mostly of diatoms, with Achnanthes minutissima dominating most lotic sites. Springs showed the most rapid development toward stable floras.     

圣海伦斯火山和高山植被

 Mt. St. Helens is an active volcano on the western flank of the Cascade: range in the southwestern Washington State, USA. It is located at lat. 46˚00′—46˚30′N, long 121˚52′—122˚40′W.We had investigated the alpine vegetation at Pine Creek, Butte Camp on Mt. St. Helens for three times, totaling ten days during August and eptember of 1983.The volcano had erupted sending out much pyroclastic, pumice and lava, which devdstated the vegetation around the crater. They not only mechanically destroyed plants tissue, but also buried entirely or partly of the plants.The radiant heat from the volcanic eruption caused the melting of ice and snow, creating huge mudflows, which estroyed and buried vegetation. The high temperture from direct radiant heat incinerated and scorched all the plants. On the other hand, the higher the elevation is, the stronger the wind and the lower the temperture; also snow was present on the alpine range, and this provided a lee for plants, and consequently some plants survived, and new ones row out of the ground. The alpine vegetation on Mt. St. Helens bears both the characteristic of alpine plants and the brand of volcanic activities: vegetation is sparse, species composition of plants limited, structure of community simple, production low and vegetation propagation being the main type of vegetative reproduction.The different types of lpine vegetation grow in different habitats: The community of Luekea pectinata grow in places covered by ice and snow; the community of Polygonum newberryi, Eriogonum pyroleafolium in localities covered by mudflow; the community of Phyllodace empetriformis on slopes of steep rocks and the community of grasses and sedges on low hills and plains. Hese are the four main communities on Mt. St. Helens. The recovery and succession of the alpine vegetation has been discussed. There are two types of succession, the primary and the secodary, with the secondary being the main one.Finally, the paper has analysed the reason why no forest occurs, on Mt. St. Helens. We think that it is a result of the ctive period of the volcano and that the climate conditions are favouable for forest. Also, we have suggested that some herbaceous plants be sown as soon as possible for they can accelerate the recovery of vegetation, and prevent the runoff of soil and water.     

QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE OBSERVATIONS ON AQUATIC ALGAL COMMUNITIES AND RECOLONIZATION WITHIN THE BLAST ZONE OF MT. ST. HELENS, 1980 AND 19811

Despite the destruction and total rearrangement of much of the area north of Mt St. Helens, many different species of algae became established in the aquatic systems located in the blast zone within 3–4 months after the eruption of May 18, 1980. Initial sites of intense algal activity were found in benthic regions associated with warm springs and in the littoral and phytoplanktonic communities of some small lakes. In the summers of 1980–81, overall phytoplankton numbers and activity were low in the large lakes closest to the crater (e.g. Spirit Lake). However, diatoms, blue-green and green algal isolates from these lakes were obtained in laboratory cultures on a reduced inorganic medium used to enumerate metal and sulfur oxidizing bacteria. Species of Nodularia, Pseudanabaena, Anabaena, Oscillatoria, Nitzschia, Tribonema, Chlamydomonas, Chlorella, and microflagellates (predominantly cryptomonads) were among the more common forms found in preserved samples or isolated in cultures.     

Impact of Mt. St. Helens ashfall on fruit yield of Mountain Huckleberry,Vaccinium membranaceum,important native American food

Huckleberry plants evaluated at 13 sites in the southern Cascade Mountains of Washington State during August 1980 showed significantly lower fruit yields where subjected to heavy ash deposition following the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. High insect pollinator mortality is suspected as the major causal factor. The impact of such effects of volcanic activity on Native American subsistence is discussed.     

Influence of disturbance on insect communities in Pacific Northwest streams

Coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest provide a unique setting for stream ecology research because of the great age of the forests and the important role of wood debris in structuring aquatic systems. The composition and diversity of the insect community in Mack Creek, a stream in a 450 yr conifer forest, was compared with that in Grasshopper Creek where it flowed through a recent clearcut, and at Quartz Creek, which had a 40 yr deciduous canopy. Of the 256 taxa identified, Mack Creek had the highest species richness (196) and evenness. The open site had 191 taxa but high dominance of a few grazer taxa. The deciduous-canopy site had 165 taxa with abundant detritivores. Despite differences in density, the biomass of emergence was similar at the three sites, ranging from 1.53 to 1.65 g m^–2 yr^–1.The importance of disturbance in structuring stream communities was demonstrated in phenomenological studies after a debris torrent at Quartz Creek, and by monitoring stream recovery following the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980. At Quartz Creek, the debris torrent eliminated the fauna from a 300 m reach, but there was rapid recovery. Emergence density in the same year was similar to that of the control site. The major shift in populations was a decrease in detritivores and moss associates and an increase in grazers, especially Baetis mayflies.At Ape Creek on Mt. St. Helens, over 200 taxa were recorded by 1987 but most occurred in very low densities. This site is reset by winter freshets and by infilling with glacial fines in the summer so the fauna continues to be dominated by weedy, or early successional species. At Clearwater Creek, the presence of wood debris as a stable substrate and limited inputs of fine sediment after 1980 have hastened population recovery. A decade after the eruption this site can be characterized as being in the mid-stages of succession with high insect productivity from an algal-based food web. With further growth of the riparian vegetation I predict a shift towards a detritus-based food web and fauna more similar to Mack Creek than it is at present.     

Legionella in aquatic habitats in the Mount Saint Helens blast zone

Illnesses of undiagnosed etiology among researchers exposed to lakes and streams in the Mt. St. Helens blast zone after the 18 May 1980 eruption prompted us to determine the occurrence and potential virulence ofLegionella (Legionnaries' disease bacteria) in aquatic habitats near Mt. St. Helens during the summers of 1981 and 1982. Concentrations ofL. pneumophila, L. micdadei, L. gormanii, L. dumoffii, andL. bozemanii, determined by microscopic counts using direct immunofluorescent staining, ranged from <10⁴ to 10⁵ cells/l in lakes and rivers outside the Mt. St. Helens blast zone while the numbers ofLegionella in aquatic habitats inside the blast zone were from 10⁵ to 10⁷ cells/l.Legionella numbers were consistently highest in North Coldwater and Spirit lakes, which received water from hydrothermal seeps.Legionella pneumophila serogroups 4 and 6 were isolated from North Coldwater Lake in 1981 and from South Coldwater Creek in 1982, indicating that potentially virulent strains ofLegionella persist in aquatic habitats in the blast zone of Mt. St. Helens.Technical paper no. 6923, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Lupine influence on soil carbon,nitrogen and microbial activity in developing ecosystems at Mount St. Helens

Summary Lupine influence on soil C, N, and microbial activity was estimated by comparing root-zone soil (LR) to nonroot-zone soil (NR) collected at Mount St. Helens. Samples were collected from 5 sites forming a gradient of C and N levels as a reflection of different locations and varying volcanic disturbance by the 1980 eruption. In volcanic substrates undergoing primary ecosystem development, C and N levels were low, as would be expected, but higher in LR soil than NR soil. At the least disturbed sites, N was only slightly greater in LR soil whereas significantly less C was observed in LR soil than in surrounding NR soil. Inorganic-N concentrations were small at all sites but comprised a significant proportion of the total amount of soil N in volcanic substrates. In general, LR zone soil contained significantly more NH _inf4 ^sup+ –N. The addition of glucose increased respiration in soils from all sites with the greatest relative response in volcanic soil from the low end of the C and N gradient. Active soil microbial biomass-C and cumulative respiration were correlated with C and N and were significantly greater in LR soil than in NR soil for all sites. These results are consistent with some expected trends in ecosystem development and demonstrate the significance of resource dynamics and lupines in determining patterns of ecosystem response to disturbance at Mount St. Helens. They also suggest that processes leading to soil heterogeneity can be related to either development or to degradation depending on the context of the specific ecosystem or resource under consideration.     

THE EFFECTS OF THE MOUNT ST. HELENS ERUPTION CLOUD ON FIR (ABIES SP.) NEEDLE CUTICLES: ANALYSIS WITH SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Dead fir needles were collected from standing trees of Abies amabilis in five sites at the margin of the blast zone and located progressively farther from the eruption crater of Mount St. Helens. Scanning electron microscope techniques were used to determine patterns of cuticular melting for these needles and for Abies grandis needles which were heated at specific temperatures for 2 min. Comparisons between cuticular appearances of oven-heated needles and needles from Mount St. Helens were made to determine air temperatures at the collection sites at the time of the eruption. Air temperatures at these sites are estimated to have ranged from about 50 C to about 250 C. Analysis of cuticular sulfur content showed these needles adsorbed little or no volcanic S0₂. Conifer needles provided a record of maximum air temperatures during the eruption, and helped reveal the pattern of heat distribution from the eruption cloud. This technique may prove useful for ecological studies in other heat-stressed habitats.     

Legionella sainthelensi: a new species of Legionella isolated from water near Mt. St. Helens.

Six strains of a new species, Legionella sainthelensi, were isolated from freshwater in areas affected by the volcanic eruptions of Mt. St. Helens in the state of Washington. Strains of L. sainthelensi are culturally and biochemically similar to other legionellae. They grow on buffered charcoal yeast agar but not on media that lack cysteine. They are gram-negative, nonsporeforming, motile rods that are positive in reactions for catalase, oxidase, gelatin liquefaction, and beta-lactamase. They are negative in reactions for urease, hydrolysis of hippurate, reduction of nitrates, fermentation of glucose, and blue-white autofluorescence. Their cell wall fatty acid composition is qualitatively similar to those of other legionellae, with 50 to 62% branched-chain fatty acids. They contain the isobranched-chain 14- and 16-carbon acids and anteisobranched-chain 15- and 17-carbon acids and relatively large amounts of straight-chain 16-carbon acid. All strains of L. sainthelensi contain approximately equal amounts of ubiquinones Q9, Q10, Q11, and Q12, a pattern similar to those of Legionella bozemanii, Legionella dumoffi, and Legionella longbeachae. Serological cross-reactions were observed between L. sainthelensi, both serogroups of L. longbeachae, and Legionella oakridgensis. Three strains of L. sainthelensi were greater than 90% related by DNA hybridization. The type strain of L. sainthelensi, Mt. St. Helens 4, was 36% related to the type strain of L. longbeachae and 3 to 14% related to the other nine described Legionella species.     

Legionella sainthelensi: a new species of Legionella isolated from water near Mt. St. Helens

Six strains of a new species, Legionella sainthelensi, were isolated from freshwater in areas affected by the volcanic eruptions of Mt. St. Helens in the state of Washington. Strains of L. sainthelensi are culturally and biochemically similar to other legionellae. They grow on buffered charcoal yeast agar but not on media that lack cysteine. They are gram-negative, nonsporeforming, motile rods that are positive in reactions for catalase, oxidase, gelatin liquefaction, and beta-lactamase. They are negative in reactions for urease, hydrolysis of hippurate, reduction of nitrates, fermentation of glucose, and blue-white autofluorescence. Their cell wall fatty acid composition is qualitatively similar to those of other legionellae, with 50 to 62% branched-chain fatty acids. They contain the isobranched-chain 14- and 16-carbon acids and anteisobranched-chain 15- and 17-carbon acids and relatively large amounts of straight-chain 16-carbon acid. All strains of L. sainthelensi contain approximately equal amounts of ubiquinones Q9, Q10, Q11, and Q12, a pattern similar to those of Legionella bozemanii, Legionella dumoffi, and Legionella longbeachae. Serological cross-reactions were observed between L. sainthelensi, both serogroups of L. longbeachae, and Legionella oakridgensis. Three strains of L. sainthelensi were greater than 90% related by DNA hybridization. The type strain of L. sainthelensi, Mt. St. Helens 4, was 36% related to the type strain of L. longbeachae and 3 to 14% related to the other nine described Legionella species.     

Early primary succession on the volcano Mount St. Helens

Abstract. Primary succession on Mount St. Helens, Washington State, USA, was studied using long-term observational and experimental methods. Distance from potential colonists is a major factor that impedes early primary succession. Sites near undisturbed vegetation remain low in plant cover, but species richness is comparable to intact vegetation. Sites over 500 m from sources of potential colonists have as many species, but mean species richness is much lower than in undisturbed plots. Cover is barely measurable after 11 growing seasons. Highly vagrant species of Asteraceae and Epilobium dominate isolated sites. Sites contiguous to undisturbed communities are dominated by large-seeded species. For a new surface to offer suitable conditions to invading plants, weathering, erosion and nutrient inputs must first occur. The earliest colonists are usually confined to specific microsites that offer some physical protection and enhanced resources. Primary succession on Mount St. Helens has been very slow because most habitats are isolated and physically stressful. Well-dispersed species lack the ability to establish until physical processes ameliorate the site. Species capable of establishment lack suitable dispersal abilities. Subsequently, facilitation may occur, for example through symbiotic nitrogen fixation, but these effects are thus far of only local importance. Lupinus lepidus usually facilitates colonization of other species only after it dies, leaving behind enriched soil lacking any competitors. Experiments and fine-scale observations suggest that successional sequences on Mount St. Helens are not mechanistically necessary. Rather, they result from local circumstances, landscape effects and chance.     

Low Frankia inoculation potentials in primary successional sites at Mount St. Helens, Washington, USA

The ability of 23 year old volcanic soils from Mount St. Helens, USA, to nodulate actinorhizal Sitka alder (Alnus viridis ssp. sinuata) was studied by estimating Frankia Inoculation Unit density (FIU) in four types of primary successional communities using a host-plant bioassay. Rhizospheric Mycelial Inoculation Unit (MIU) density and the effects of inoculation with alder soil and phosphorus (P) on seedling growth were also examined. FIU and MIU were highest in alder thickets, lower in lupin patch and riparian zone sites, and lowest, with no FIUs, in bare areas. Seedling dry mass was higher in treatments inoculated with alder soil but not with P addition, while root:shoot mass ratios decreased with both inoculation and P. The extremely low densities of suitable symbionts in sparsely vegetated primary successional areas at Mount St. Helens may explain the surprisingly slow rate of spread of alder from nearby seed sources.     

Dynamics of herbaceous vegetation recovery on Mount St. Helens,Washington, USA,after a volcanic eruption

Recovery of herbaceous vegetation on Mount St. Helens was studied annually after the massive lateral eruption of May 18, 1980. Measures such as species richness, cover, and diversity were combined with detrended correspondence analysis to describe vegetation recovery rates under different combinations of initial impact intensity and degree of isolation from recolonization sources. A major key to recovery is whether any plants survived the devastation. Survival of even a few individuals markedly accelerated recovery. Where no plants survived, the degree of isolation becomes paramount. New, barren substrates, a few meters from undisturbed sites, have begun to develop some vegetation, while more isolated sites have scarcely any subalpine plants present. On any site, plant-mediated processes that improve conditions for growth and the invasion of other species predominate in the early stages, but as vegetation develops, biotic inhibition and establishment of seedlings from adults already in the habitat gain importance. The rate at which this conversion occurs is a function of the size and intensity of the initial impact.Abbreviations DCA Detrended correspondence analysis     

Spatially structured herbivory and primary succession at Mount St Helens: field surveys and experimental growth studies suggest a role for nutrients

Abstract. 1. The 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens (Washington, U.S.A.) created a 60‐km² region of primary successional habitat. Since colonising in 1981, the spatial spread of the legume Lupinus lepidus at Mount St Helens, Washington, U.S.A., has afforded intriguing opportunities to study the effect of trophic dynamics on primary succession. 2. Insect herbivory on this lupine has exhibited striking spatial structure for over a decade, with inverse density‐dependent damage patterns occurring over both small (10–100 m) and large (1–10 km) spatial scales. 3. Hypothesising that lupine nutritional chemistry might underlie the spatial patterns in herbivory, the distribution of elemental macronutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus) across the landscape was characterised. 4. Samples of soil and lupine tissue (roots and leaves) were collected from sites along both local and regional gradients in lupine density. On both large and small spatial scales, lupine leaves from low‐density conditions were significantly more nutrient rich. 5. In addition, in a laboratory growth study native lepidopteran herbivores that specialise on lupines (Gelechiidae: Filatima sp.) performed better when fed leaves from low‐density, high‐nutrient lupines than on diets of low‐nutrient lupine leaves from high‐density areas a few metres away. 6. These data suggest that spatial heterogeneity in lupine nutrient chemistry may underlie the remarkable herbivory gradients witnessed at Mount St Helens.     

CONSPICUOUS ALGAL COLONIZATION OF THE ASH FROM MOUNT ST. HELENS1

Conspicuous growth of green and yellow-green algae developed in arid steppe communities in eastern Washington on the silt-sized ash from the 18 May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. In a veneer on the ash, cell numbers per gram dry ash of these aerial immigrants equaled or exceeded the highest reported values for terrestrial chlorophytes (10⁸ cells · g^?1 dry soil). Such pronounced growth was restricted largely to three microsites (under the canopy of Artemisia tridentata, along the runways of the vole, Microtus montanus, and surrounding emergent agarics), apparently in response to water-holding properties of the ash, localized nutrient input and possible reduction of predation by nematodes. Highest algal counts were in Microtus runways where daily water and urea-N input per adult animal may be 8 mL and 23 mg, respectively. Cyanophytes, commonly considered early colonizers of volcanic ash, were extremely rare. The role of blue-green algae in succession on volcanic materials may be more restricted geographically than previously recognized.     

Plant succession in areas of scorched and blown-down forest after the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens,Washington

Abstract. Patterns of plant succession were studied in areas of scorched and blown-down forest resulting from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington. Changes in species abundance were observed for 7 years in permanent sample plots representing four post-disturbance habitats, or site types. Total plant cover and species richness increased with time on all site types. In blown-down forests supporting snowpack at the time of eruption, understory recovery was dominated by the vegetative regeneration of species persisting through disturbance. In forests without snowpacks, plant survival was poorer. Increases in cover and diversity were dominated first by introduced grasses, then by colonizing forbs characteristic of early successional sites. Epilo-bium angustifolium and Anaphalis margaritacea showed widespread recruitment and clonal expansion throughout the devastated area. As a result, species composition on previously forested sites converged toward that on formerly clearcut sites, where early serai forbs resprouted vigorously from beneath the tephra. Total plant cover and species diversity were poorly correlated with post-disturbance habitat and general site characteristics (e.g. distance from the crater, elevation, slope, and aspect). However, distributions of several life-forms (e.g. low sub-shrubs and tall shrubs) were strongly correlated with depth of burial by tephra and with cover of tree rootwads. Thus, early community recovery may reflect microsite variation or chance survival and recruitment rather than broad-scale gradients in environment or disturbance. Recovery of pre-disturbance composition and structure will undoubtedly be much slower than after other types of catastrophic disturbance. The rate and direction of community recovery will largely depend on the degree to which original understory species survived the eruption.     

COLONIZING PLANTS ON THE PUMICE PLAINS,MOUNT ST. HELENS,WASHINGTON

Initial colonization on the devastated Pumice Plains on the northern flank of Mount St. Helens, Washington, was monitored in two large grids seven seasons after the eruptions of 1980. The Pumice Plains is composed primarily of deep pumice, but contains a few large mudflow channels and numerous small erosion gullies. Over 45% of 1,600 10 by 10 m quadrats (Willow Spring site) and over 35% of 875 quadrats (Lupine Patch site) were devoid of vascular plants. The most common species were the weedy natives, Anaphalis margaritacea and Epilobium angustifolium, as well as Lupinus lepidus var. lobbii, a native with poor dispersal usually found at subalpine elevations. The first two species invaded by long-distance dispersal; a few individuals of the latter somehow established by 1981 from surviving rootstocks or seeds, and dense populations have developed from these survivors. Other species are typically found at low densities in favorable microsites. Species richness averaged 1.03 per 100 m² at Willow Spring and 1.82 at Lupine Patch. There are 32 species at Willow Spring and 26 at Lupine Patch. Species richness was concentrated in sites with high soil moisture and where topographic irregularities permitted accumulation of seeds. Colonists are an unusual mix of natives, drawn from an array of open habitats, and introduced weeds originating in fields and clearcuts at lower elevations. Colonizing species are primarily herbaceous, perennial, and wind-dispersed, though seedlings of woody “climax” species occur. Three distributional patterns are recognized: hydrophiles, found near streams; facultative hydrophiles, concentrated in wet sites but successfully colonizing upland sites; and species distributed at random or in xeric sites. We predict that the course of succession will continue to be slow and herbs-dominated. Patches of Lupinus lepidus at present do not appear to facilitate colonization. Colonists will continue to be rare and be confined to favorable microsites for several years.     

Elevational gradients of small mammal diversity on the northern slopes of Mt. Qilian, China

Aim Small mammal species richness and relative abundance vary along elevational gradients, but there are different patterns that exist. This study reports the patterns of distribution and abundance of small mammals along the broader elevational gradient of Mt. Qilian range. Location The study was conducted in the Mt. Qilian range, north‐western China, from June to August 2001. Methods Removal trapping was conducted using a standardized technique at 7 sites ranging between 1600 and 3900 m elevation within three transects. Correlation, regression and graphical analyses were used to evaluate the diversity patterns along this elevational gradient. Results In total, 586 individuals representing 18 nonvolant small mammal species were collected during 20 160 trap nights. Species composition was different among the three transects with 6 (33%) of the species found only within one transect. Elevational distribution and relative abundance of small rodents showed substantial spatial variation, with only 2 species showing nonsignificant capture frequencies across elevations. Despite these variations, some general patterns of elevational distribution emerged: humped‐shape relationships between species diversity and elevation were noted in all three transects with diversity peaks at middle elevations. In addition, relative abundance was negatively correlated with elevation. Conclusions Results indicate that maximum richness and diversity of nonvolant small mammals occurred at mid‐elevations where several types of plants reached their maximum diversity and primary productivity, and where rainfall and humidity reached a maximum. It is demonstrated that the mid‐elevation bulge is a general feature of at least a large portion of the biota on the Mt. Qilian range.     

SEEDLING ESTABLISHMENT IN FORESTS AFFECTED BY TEPHRA FROM MOUNT ST. HELENS

Seedling density on permanent plots at five sites was monitored for the first four summers following the deposition of 4.5 to 15 cm of tephra from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. Because the old-growth forests at the sites were not destroyed by the volcanic eruption, the plots were under a normal tree canopy. Almost no seedlings established in 1980. By 1983 tree seedling density exceeded 35 m^−-2 at all sites. Tsuga heterophylla seedlings were most common, with Abies amabilis seedlings next in abundance. A dense layer of small trees may develop on the tephra and long-term forest dynamics could be affected. There was no successful invasion by species not already present in the stands. Seedlings of some forest herbs, especially Tiarella trifoliata, were common, but many other common forest species produced none. It is still problematical if or when these species will return to areas of the forest from which they were extirpated.     

Recovery of forest understories buried by tephra from Mount St. Helens

To determine the effects of tephra (volcanic aerial ejecta) on forest understory plants, six sites were chosen along a tephra depth gradient (23 to 150 mm) northeast of Mount St. Helens, USA. All sites were in old forests beyond the limits of direct blast damage from the volcanic eruption. At each site, 150 one m² plots were permanently marked; all tephra was removed from 50 of these in 1980. Cover and density of plant species were recorded during 1980, 1981, and 1982.Tephra 23 mm deep had almost no effect on cover and density of vascular plants, and reduced bryophyte cover for only two years. Tephra 45 mm deep destroyed almost all bryophytes. Although damaged by 45 mm tephra, deciduous herbs recovered by 1982, but some evergreen species did not. Tephra 75 mm deep reduced herb cover in 1982 to 32% and density to 26% of that in cleared plots. At two sites with an average tephra depth of 150 mm, almost all herbs were eliminated except in microsites where tephra was thin, but shrub abundance was greatly reduced only where snow had been present during tephra deposition. Almost all cover was contributed by plants established previous to the eruption; seedling cover never exceeded 0.2%. Refugia with thin tephra, resulting from erosion, were vital to the survival of many species, especially bryophytes.Nomenclature of vascular plants follows Hitchcock & Cronquist (1973); moss nomenclature follows Lawton (1971).We thank T. Hill, C. Halpern and B. Smith for field assistance. The USDA Forest Service, and especially J. F. Franklin, facilitated entry into the restricted area around Mount St. Helens. This word was supported by the National Science Foundation, USDA Science and Education Administration, and the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Forest and Range Experiment Station.