Gophers: Pests or Engineers?

Gophers are small animals. They dig in the soil. They can be pests in your yard. But they help the soil. They help plants grow. They change their habitat. Some people call them engineers. Engineers solve problems. They build things.

Photo Credit: NPS photo by Gillian Bowser/U.S. National Park Service

Mount St. Helens is a volcano. It erupted in 1980. It destroyed forests. It buried soil. Nothing could grow.

Photo Credit: Harry Glicken/USGS

Scientists had an idea. They moved gophers to the area. They stayed for one day. The gophers helped! They dug through ash. They dug through rock. They moved soil up. They helped plants grow. 

What Do You Think?    How are gophers like engineers?

Photo Credit: EdBookPhoto/Alamy Stock Photo