Young Red Maple Leaves

Acer rubrum

6×8″ Red maple leaf ink, cochineal insect ink, redbud flower ink, lilac flower ink, lichen ink, and pen on paper

Red maple was a central focus of my Smith College undergraduate honors thesis, in which I studied how the tree responds to drought stress. I used a relatively new technique called the Optical Vulnerability (OV) method, which uses high-resolution imaging and transmitted light to observe changes in water content and vessel function in plant tissues. This allowed me to study how red maples manage water loss and adapt to changing environmental conditions. Red maples are widespread and resilient, and their ability to thrive in a variety of environments makes them an important indicator of the health of our ecosystems.