A sea rocket was the first plant to grow on Surtsey, an island that rose from the sea during a volcanic eruption on November 14, 1963. The eruption began from a seabed about 130 meters deep and likely started a few days earlier. By the next day, the island was formed, and within a few weeks, it had grown to an altitude of 174 meters. The eruption continued for about three and a half years, ending in early June 1967, leaving behind an island of 2.65 square kilometers with a peak of around 170 meters. Two smaller islands, Syrtlingur and Jólnir, also formed in 1965 but were later eroded by the sea and disappeared. Since 1965, Surtsey has been closed to the public, allowing scientists to study how life naturally colonizes a completely barren landscape. In 1969, a 15-centimeter tomato plant was discovered on the island, believed to have grown from seeds in human waste. This unusual find remained a secret for 46 years until it was revealed in 2015 by an Icelandic newspaper. The plant was found by Ágúst H. Bjarnason, a researcher with the Surtsey Research Society, under a lava overhang. He collected the plant carefully to preserve the integrity of the natural colonization process. The discovery was kept confidential to protect the credibility of the ongoing scientific study. The first plant to colonize Surtsey was the sea rocket, carried there by ocean currents. By 2013, scientists had recorded 69 species of vascular plants on the island, with 59 still present and 39 forming stable populations. Gulls, which began nesting on the island around 1985, have played a significant role in this growth. They transport nutrients from the sea to the volcanic soil, helping plants thrive. Their nesting area expanded dramatically, from 0.03 hectares in 1988 to 12.1 hectares in 2012, transforming bare rock into dense grasslands. Since its formation, Surtsey has been subject to erosion. A 2020 study by Óskarsson and his team found that by 2019, the island's surface had shrunk to 1.2 square kilometers, with some coastal areas retreating up to 720 meters. More than half of the land gained during the eruption has been lost. The softer lava fields erode quickly, especially on the southwest side, while the harder volcanic tuff core resists erosion better. Scientists predict that in about 100 years, only a hard core of about 0.39 square kilometers will remain, which could last for several centuries. Surtsey has been protected since 1965, with additional protections in 1974 and 2006. The goal was to observe, without human interference, how life naturally colonizes a barren land. In 2008, UNESCO added Surtsey to its World Heritage List. Today, visits to the island are strictly limited to a few scientists with special permits, who are only allowed to stay for the duration of their research.