I conducted this project as part of Professor Pringle’s EEB321 class at Princeton University.
 
As shown in the photo below, the specimen that I studied using the foldscope was a fallen leaf with a bright yellow-orange hue showing early signs of decomposition. I chose this leaf because I was interested in the microscopic changes that take place as a part of the leaf senescence and decomposition process. Though, as seen in the second photo below, I was unable to obtain any clear images using the foldscope, and therefore could not investigate the microscopic properties of leaf senescence, I was still able to analyze its impacts and importance in the ecosystem. While leaves are alive and flourishing on their trees, they are not only important to the tree’s survival and reproduction, but also serve as vital nutrition for leaf predators. These leaf predators include vertebrate herbivores such as deer, as well as insects such as aphids and beetles. However, once leaves go through the process of senescence and begin decomposition, they play a different but important role for a new host of species such as earthworms and snails which feed on these leaves. This perpetual cycle of leaf growth and decomposition creates a number of different opportunities for different species to develop different niches which may in part rely on the use/consumption of leaves at varying stages of their growth.