The next time you go for a drive, see how many varieties of tree you can recognize. It might be easier than you think at this time of year, because some trees hold onto their dead leaves throughout the winter.
In this latest Nature Moments video, Bowdoin’s Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Natural Sciences Nathaniel T. Wheelwright, explains why some species of beech and oak tree put their evolutionary history on display at this time of year.
If you want to make your own natural history observations,The Naturalist’s Notebookby Wheelwright and Bernd Heinrich (Storey Publishing, 2017) provide guidance and a systematic format, with 100 percent of royalties going to conservation and environmental education.
