In 1980, Mt. St. Helens erupted. The resulting lahar flowed over a wide area of the Cascade Mountains. Which of these statements DOES NOT describe the effect of the volcanic eruption?
A. It affected the living and nonliving components of the ecosystem.
B. It removed populations of mammals from the mountainside.
C. It led to succession on the mountainside.
D. It affected only nonliving components of the ecosystem.