Greetings from Yosemite National Park

If you look closely, you can see the life on this rock. But really, you can find life anywhere.
When I went to Yosemite to conduct research on the biodiversity of macro invertebrates, I hadn’t expected to uncover so many different species hidden under the logs we found in the water. Caddis flies, stoneflies, water pennies, beetles, water striders, water boatmen, yphrias, aquatic worms, midges, and mayflies: we found them all. We left no log unturned, no data unlogged. But despite all of the unique organisms we found, I was still hesitant to go in the water for the first couple of days. One day, while my group was taking data near the shore of a muddy lake, we found a leech. It wasn’t just anywhere though— it was found stuck on to my group mate’s leg. But days passed, and more astonishing organisms came up in our experiments, reminding me of all that I was missing out on. What struck me most were the frog eggs we found (shown in this picture). I could see the blue-speckled eggs clinging on to the rock, cheesy as it is, glistening under the sunlight. But nature is cheesy. It only takes a few moments to stop and remember how small we are compared to this large ecosystem, how everything fits so perfectly together, and how much we’re ignoring nature in our everyday lives. So the next time you go to a park, don’t stop exploring. Don’t leave any meadow unexplored, any rock unturned.

Sincerely,
Vivian