Buffalo and western New York State: Heavy snows hit and the foliage hadn't fallen yet. The weight of the snow ripped down the tree's all over those states. I know what and why leaves fall, but the cold came for those area's long before the snow did, why didn't those foliage change then fall pior to that snow storm? What, other then the cold, triggers the foliage on tree's to change color then fall off? And is it feasable that, with continuous global warming, that incidents like this will become more frequent in years to come?
2006-11-20 08:20:25 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Environment
As far as I was aware, the shortening of the daylight is, aside from the temp, what makes leaves fall.
2006-11-20 08:23:01 · answer #1 · answered by heather g 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's my understanding that foliage color changes and leaf drop are a response to stress. Foliage is superfluous and is "sacrificed" to preserve the integrity and function of the the trunk. Much the same way that blood in a mammal is diverted from the surface to vital organs in times of stress. Something is throwing off the schedule. Could be global warming.
2006-11-20 16:26:10 · answer #2 · answered by TweetyBird 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Duration of daylength is the major cue for the foliage to begin absission.
2006-11-20 16:31:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It actually isn't the cold at all. It is a chemical change in the leaf.
Many times the autum is warm and the leaves still fall
2006-11-20 16:22:43 · answer #4 · answered by keith s 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it always seems like here ,in the midwest, the leaves fall most when it's been raining a lot. so maybe rain has something to do with it. and with the increase in global warming, our winters will be getting wetter (more rainy), so i think leaves will fall earlier and earlier in the year.
2006-11-20 16:23:49 · answer #5 · answered by mighty_power7 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Drought, exposure to certain chemicals, or perhaps changes in the light.
2006-11-20 16:28:32 · answer #6 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋