WhyLeavesChange HaveyoueverwonderedwhytreesaresuddenlycolorfulintheAutumn?Thereasonfor thesechangesisallbecauseofthreemainfactors:weather,lightandthecellsintheleaves. First,wewilltakealookathowthechemicalsintheleavesaffectthecolor,:Leaves containthreemainpigments:carotene,anthocyanin,andthephotosyntheticpigment, chlorophyll(Curiosities,2007).Onepigmentyoumighthavenoticedwaschlorophyll.Chlorophyll happenstobeagreenpigmentcellaswellasthemostabundant(Curiosities,2007).Chlorophyll, inleaves,isinchargeofphotosynthesis.AnotherchemicalthataffectstheleavescolorisAuxin. Auxinisachemicalthatcontrolsabandofcellscalledtheabscissionlayer(Curiosities,2007). Auxinpreventsthislayerfromdevelopingbut,whenfallcomesaroundAuxinisnolonger producedintheleaves.TheabsenceofAuxinallowstheAbscissionlayertodevelopeandthen cutoffthecirculationofwater,nutrientsaswellassugartotheleaves.Next,wewillseewhat roleweatherhasinthechangingofleavescolor. WhatdoyounoticeaboutAutumnandFallbesidesthecolorofitall?WhatInoticeis howmuchcoolerandlongerandlongerthenightsget.

Believeitornotbuttheselongcoolnights triggerreactionsinleaves.Chlorophylliscontinuouslybeingproducedduringthegrowing seasoncausingleavestoappeargreenbut,asAutumnanditscool,shortnightscomearound, theproductionofchlorophyllfadesaway(Tackett,2011).WhentheChlorophyll,thatoncemade theleavesgreen,disappears,thecarotenoidsandanthocyaninsthatarepresentlyintheleaves showsitstruecolors(Tackett,2001).NowweknowwhytheleaveschangeinAutumnbecause ofthechangeinweatherbut,whatdoeslighthavetodowithit? Didyouknowthatlightisreallywavelengthsthatweseereflectingoffobjects?Youcan seetheselightwavesonrainydaysasrainbows.Chlorophyllmustabsorbenergyfromthesun orwavesoflightforphotosynthesistooccur.WhenChlorophyllisabsorbingtheenergyor wavesoflightfromthesun,itabsorbstheothercolorsbutreflectsbackgreenandthatswhywe seetheleavesasgreen(HendersonStateUniversity,2013.So,whenthechlorophyllstopsbeing producedthecolorgreenisanewlightwaveabsorbedbytheleavesandthecolorredand yellowarereflectedbackbecauseofCarotenoidsandAnthocyanins. Inconclusion,thereasonforthecolorfulseasonisbecauseofChlorophyll,Weatherand lightwavesfromthesun.Thesethreefactorsiswhatcausestheleavestochangeandcreate thebeautiful,coolAutumnseason.

Citations "ColorationofLeaves."ColorationofLeaves.HendersonStateUniversity,n.d.Web. 20Dec.2013. "Curiosities:WhyDoLeavesChangeColorintheFall?"(Oct.11,2007).Universityof Madison,n.d.Web.18Dec.2013.

Tackett,Keith."NortheasternArea."WhyLeavesChangeColor.USDAFOREST SERVICE,n.d.Web.20Dec.2013.