Page 10 - November 2018
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conserve energy and hunker down for
the colder air temperatures of the
upcoming winter. When the trees do
get the signal, the chlorophyll begins
to drain from the leaves, leaving
Dear EarthTalk: Do environmental behind carotenoids (in orange and
factors influence fall foliage colors? – yellow leaves) or anthocyanins (in red
Bess Walker, Clinton, CT leaves) until the they fall to the
ground.
An uptick in the intensity of
hurricanes, prolonged periods of drought But the unpredictability of a fast-
precipitating wildfires, flooded out changing climate has some species of
coastal regions, melting ice caps—most trees confused about when to drop
of us can agree that man-made climate their leaves as warmer temperatures
change is at least a contributing factor for linger longer into the fall. Some trees
these modern-day environmental
maladies
that seem to Fall Foliage Northern California
be
compounding
on top of
one another
in recent
years. But
another
(less serious
albeit still
troubling)
effect of our
fossil fuel
profligacy
might just
be
compromised
fall foliage displays. are simply producing fewer leaves as a
result, while others are thrown out of
The deciduous trees that drop their whack as to when to drop their leaves.
leaves in the fall rely on cues from the
surrounding environment to signal when A 2016 study by Chinese researchers
to stop producing chlorophyll (which and published in the peer-reviewed
turns the leaves green) in order to scientific journal Global Change
Biology found trees changing
LIVING
LIVING color (“phenology”) later than in
LIVING
LIVING
LIVING
recorded history across 70 percent
of the study area (the Northern
TRUSUSTTSS Hemisphere), presumably due to
TR
TRUSUSTTSS
TR
TRUSTS
warmer air temperatures pushing
the process back.
Also, drought before and/or
• A Free Consultation during the fall can drastically
• A Living Trust - Single or Married reduce the foliage show, given
• Pour-Over Will(s) trees lack of resources to begin
• Power(s) of Attorney For: with. Researchers have found that One way you can guarantee some kind of
during drought years, trees’ leaves
Health Care, Asset Management tend to turn color early and peter the stars of New England’s fall foliage fall color display in your yard is to plant a
• All Transfer Documents to Trust out sooner, if they don’t skip the show—such as sugar maples, yellow variety of native plants and trees known to
• Notarization Fees Included color show altogether and go birches and others—are expected to turn bright colors in the fall. If there is
straight to brown. Granted shift their habitat north within the next enough diversity among them, you’re sure to
Free Family Information Packet droughts come and go and cannot few decades. Indeed, biologists warn get some kind of show every year, even if
be pinned directly on global that foliage fans might have to head every plant isn’t “turned on.”
NO EXTRA CHARGE warming, no doubt climate change north of the U.S./Canada border to see
FOR IN-HOME SERVICES is increasing their prevalence and these colorful denizens of the CONTACTS: “Delayed autumn phenology
intensity. autumnal forest by 2100. Meanwhile, in the Northern Hemisphere is related to
SIRKIN & SIRKIN And at a more macro level, the other iconic foliage species—such as change in both climate and spring
ashes, elms and oaks—are facing new
ATTORNEYS AT LAW overall year-by-year warming threats from warming-induced insect phenology,”
trend is forcing many species
EarthTalk® is produced by Roddy
800-300-9977 north in search of the right outbreaks, with various troops of Scheer & Doug Moss for the 501(c)3
beetles and borers moving into new
temperature conditions for
optimal growth. To wit, some of habitat with global warming clearing nonprofit EarthTalk. Send questions to:
the way for them. question@earthtalk.org.
10 November 2018