Welcome to IMOLD

Welcome to the interactive model of leaf decomposition (I•MOLD). The goal of this project is to explain leaf decomposition and how it relates to the Earth's carbon cycle and climate. This website contains a series of animated lessons about decomposition, an interactive model that lets you predict how different types of leaves will decompose in different climates, and classroom activities about decomposition for teachers.

Animated Lessons

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Professionally animated and narrated lessons about the carbon cycle, leaf decomposition, and decomposer microbes.

Interactive Model

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An interactive decomposition model that allows the comparison of the decomposition of different litters in the same environment, or the same litter in different environments.

Classroom Activities

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An area for teachers that contains a variety of lab and classroom active learning lesson plans.