When a part of the earth's upper mantle or lower crust melts, magma forms. A volcano is essentially an opening or a vent through which this magma and the dissolved gases it contains are discharged. Plants are destroyed over a wide area, during an eruption. The good thing is that volcanic soil is very rich, so once everything cools off, plants can make a big comeback! Livestock and other mammals have been killed by lava flows. They can also die from famine, forest fires, and earthquakes caused by or related to eruptions.
