Past research confirms invasive Chinese tallow tree leaves negatively affect the hatching success of leopard frogs and other amphibious species. Ray Montez, an environmental science graduate student at Stephen F. Austin State University, is researching the differences in chemical compositions and decay rates of these leaves, which may contribute to the changes in East Texas’ aquatic microbiological communities, as well as the broader ecosystem. Pictured, Montez extracts a water sample from a mesocosm, a controlled environment that simulates the natural world, containing Chinese tallow leaf litter. Photo courtesy of Dr. Daniel Saenz