Although many animals died
following the Paricutin eruption, unable to graze on their once green
fields, and falling prey to the toxic gases and the fast moving
Pyroclastic flows, the long term effects of volcanic activity on
livestock and wildlife are minimal. As it is with farmers,
livestock will ultimately benefit from the richer soil, and the
difficult to access areas of dormant or extinct volcanoes make a perfect
refuge for some endangered species.
One of the oft overlooked adverse
effects on volcanic activity is its the many birds who die from exposure
to ash-filled air, and how their migratory patterns are also affected.
Since birds are responsible for the control of insect populations, it is
possible that some disease spreading species could thrive in areas where
there are no more birds to eat them, which in turn becomes a problem for
other animals and humans.
As I said before, nature is
neither good, nor evil, it just is. Now that we have gone past the
Zen of volcanic activity, let's get back to more scientific pursuits, so
I can tell you a little bit more about volcanoes in general. I
have included a short list including some often used volcano
terminology, but first, I'd like to review some facts...
