Farmers in South Iceland think that volcanic pollution from Holuhraun is to blame for mass deaths of field mice in the area, RÚV reports. At the end of October a record amount of sulfur dioxide was recorded in the vicinity to Fornustekkjum í Nesjum farm, close to Hornafjörður fjord. Shortly after the heavy pollution farmers went looking for their sheep and found all the dead mice. I have never before seen so many dead mice, said Bjarni Sigjónsson, farmer at Fornustekkjum in an interview with RÚV.
Another farmer close to Hornarfjörður fjord, shares Bjarni's experience. Kristín Jónsdóttir, farmer at Hlíð, also found much more dead field mice in the area than in a normal year.
Sulfur dioxide is about 2.5 times heavier than air and can linger in holes and hollows and can, particularly in still weather, build up to dangerous amount for animals and humans.
It has not been confirmed that the deaths are related to the volcanic pollution.
At the beginning of the Holuhraun eruption scientists did not fear that sulfur dioxide gases from the eruption would harm wildlife in the region. However the record-setting amount of volcanic pollution has surprised volcanologists.
Science writer Alexandra Witze has written a great piece for nature.com about the unexpected amount of volcanic gases in the eruption.
Farmers in South Iceland think that volcanic pollution from Holuhraun is to blame for mass deaths of field mice in the area, RÚV reports. At the end of October a record amount of sulfur dioxide was recorded in the vicinity to Fornustekkjum í Nesjum farm, close to Hornafjörður fjord. Shortly after the heavy pollution farmers went looking for their sheep and found all the dead mice. I have never before seen so many dead mice, said Bjarni Sigjónsson, farmer at Fornustekkjum in an interview with RÚV.
Another farmer close to Hornarfjörður fjord, shares Bjarni's experience. Kristín Jónsdóttir, farmer at Hlíð, also found much more dead field mice in the area than in a normal year.
Sulfur dioxide is about 2.5 times heavier than air and can linger in holes and hollows and can, particularly in still weather, build up to dangerous amount for animals and humans.
It has not been confirmed that the deaths are related to the volcanic pollution.
At the beginning of the Holuhraun eruption scientists did not fear that sulfur dioxide gases from the eruption would harm wildlife in the region. However the record-setting amount of volcanic pollution has surprised volcanologists.
Science writer Alexandra Witze has written a great piece for nature.com about the unexpected amount of volcanic gases in the eruption.
