The beautiful colors of the forest during the fall – eventually the leaves will fall off. Why?
Fall is here and soon the trees around the area will start changing colors. It could be argued that autumn really is the best time to see Maryland, as the changing of the leaves bring out the beauty of our land. But you might be thinking about what comes after that very pretty display. That is, that all of the leaves will soon fall off, leaving themselves in your lawn for you to rake up. Raking probably isn’t on the top of your favorite fall chores. But have you ever wondered why leaves fall off in the first place?
A Survival Strategy
Trees that lose their leaves in the autumn are called deciduous trees, while those that retain them are called evergreen trees. Deciduous trees shed their leaves in the autumn as a way to survive the harsh winter. Most of these trees have broad leaves that are susceptible to wind and snow damage during the winter. Shedding these leaves are a way for the trees to conserve water and energy. It may also help with the pollination process in the springtime. Without leaves in the way, wind-blown pollen can travel much farther distances to reach more trees.
How do Tree Leaves Fall Off?
As colder weather approaches, a hormone is triggered that starts the shedding process. This hormone tells the tree to start absorbing the nutrients from the leaves. One of the first things to be broken down in this process is chlorophyll. This is the molecule that gives tree leaves their green color, so this explains why the leaves turn red, yellow, and brown during the start of autumn. Once all the nutrients have been absorbed by the tree, the leaves fall off and a protective layer of cells grows over the exposed area. Then the dead leaves pile up on your yard until it’s time for you to rake them!
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