If evolution is the perfection of everything through "survival of the fittest"...?

Question

Then everything about a species must function for a survival purpose ? Then what is the purpose of the fall colors in flora ?

Answer 1

To give gods good little helpers something to wonder about.

Answer 2

Perk1973 is right.

As for fall colors, that is no mystery. The reason we see fall colors is because of chromoplasts left in the leaves that could not be obsorbed fast enough following a cold snap (chroloplasts are not the only photoreactive organelles in plant cells, just the most prevalent ones). If given time to slowly go dormant, a trees leaves simply turn brown. Why don't they get ready for fall earlier, you ask? It's because weather patterns are variable and the tree would not want to miss out on days when it could be storing energy, so it waits. A few days will give the tree more energy then that which gets lost in senescing leaves.

So there you go, all the reds and yellows in fall are there for a reason that makes evolutionary sense and not to give you something pretty to look at.

Answer 3

You have a fundamental misunderstanding of evolution. It has nothing to do with perfection and little to do with being the fittest. evolution simply postulates that species change over time, either due to random mutation or to adjust to changes in their environment. That change is not necessarily better or for a survival purpose. It is at best a response to outside stimuli.

As for your example, the fall colors have a "reason" (the green chlorophyll dies, revealing the underlying colors of the leaf), but it does not have a "purpose"

Answer 4

Actually, both previous answers are right.

The plant uses the energy in the chlorophyll molecules first because the angle of the sun no longer allows the proper wavelength of light for regular photosynthesis. Red and yellow wavelengths still function to a certain degree (they are always there but are usually masked by the amount of greens reflected) and are useful in their range of photosynthesis.

And ugly trees get cut down first.

Answer 5

to beautify... for survival the synergy of mutual benefit is also part of the equation and the fall colors help all the wildlife and create natural mulch beds to fertilize in the future...the color is from the photo synthesis being disrupted...but

my giant maple tree in the front yard holds her leaves till the first heavy snow forces them off and she is the last to change colors...the other trees are barren first and she buds early and lets go of the leaves only when forced by other elements,

Does that make her a mutant tree?

Answer 6

Wrong, not every single aspect of an organism is for survival. In fact "extra" material is what can evolve when a species is in a new niche.

Answer 7

The 'fall colors' are actually what the colors are with out the chloroplast in the leaves. The chloroplast makes the leaves green. Kinda like always dying your hair but then you run out of money and your true color shows.

(Someone find the science web link for that.) :-)

Answer 8

I don't believe in evolution, but i think that because of the shorter days the plants can't make as much food and the true pigments show.

Answer 9

lack of chlorophyll pigment due to less photosynthesis caused by the shorter days

Answer 10

Yes where there is no artificial selection