Question

on may 18, 1980, mount st. helens in washington state experienced a huge volcanic eruption after a magnitude 5.1 earthquake. during the eruption, hot ash and pumice poured down the west, south, and east sides of the mountain, melting the snow and ice at the top of the volcano and producing volcanic mudflows. which type of process first occurred in the ecosystem around mount st. helens after it erupted?- primary succession- secondary succession- a climax community- species extinction

Explanation:

Primary succession occurs in areas where no soil or living organisms remain after a severe disturbance, like a volcanic eruption that covers land with sterile ash and pumice. The Mount St. Helens eruption left a barren, lifeless substrate, so this is the first ecological process to begin. Secondary succession requires existing soil and some remaining organisms, a climax community is a mature end state, and species extinction is an event that happens during the eruption, not the subsequent ecosystem recovery process.

Answer:

primary succession