What better way to begin an overview of the splendors of autumn than with … well, an overview of the vast now no-longer verdant vegetation of the vales and vistas of Vermont?
NOTE: The Drone Video Is Best Viewed FULL SCREEN
Remind Me Again Why the Leaves Change Color
Most of us have a vague recollection of learning why leaves change color in the fall from our school days. But let’s do a quick recap.
To begin with, Jack Frost can stop taking all his bows, because it’s not his handiwork.
Trees, like the rest of, like to eat. But unlike you or me, they are able to manufacture their own food. This process takes place in the leaves in cells filled with chlorophyll via photosynthesis.
Chlorophyll is the green pigment that we all associate with leaf color. It plays a crucial role in using the energy from the sun to convert the water from the tree’s roots and carbon dioxide [CO2] from the air into sugars and starches that feed the tree, and as a by-product gives off oxygen [O2].
But sitting right along with chlorophyll in the leaves’ cells are several other chemicals, including carotene and xanthophyll which you see in the orange color in carrots and yellow in corn. They’ve been there all summer working just as hard as the green chlorophyll.
But in autumn when the days get shorter and the temperatures cool off, the production of chlorophyll begins to slow down, then breaks down and disappears. So now it’s the time for the oranges and yellows of carotene and xanthophyll to be noticed and take center stage. They were there the whole time – just masked by the green chlorophyll.
But some colors – viz., the reds and purples particularly associated with maples and sumacs – have NOT been hidden all summer long. They’re being made de novo. The sugars made late in summer or early fall, particularly with warm, sunny days, are chemically converted at that time of year to anthocyanins.
And the fact that the reds and purples of anthocyanins require bright sunshine is the reason that some trees are two-toned, with leaves at the top and outside a gorgeous red or purple, while inner and lower leaves deprived of all that sunshine display the more common yellows and oranges.
At the very end, I’ll post some solid Links with information used in putting this together that have more details, along with maps showing locations near you to enjoy Autumn’s Kaleidoscopic Color Show.
But let’s enjoy some of my favorite photos of the fantasia of fall …
RESOURCES
http://extension.illinois.edu/fallcolor/updates.cfm
http://extension.illinois.edu/fallcolor/education.cfm
http://www.foliagenetwork.com/
http://www.weather.com/maps/fall-foliage
16 Responses to “Fun for Friday with Fall Foliage”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Reposted to Care2 at http://www.care2.com/news/member/101612212/3918802
I grew up in California and always thought those autumn colors in the photos were enhanced. I was delighted to be stationed on the East Coast while in the Marine Corps and discover they are not enhanced at all – they barely do the leaves justice.
I'm a Midwest boy – born, bred and bedrocked.
BUT if you think it's only in the Midwest and New England, and miss some California color, check out these Tweets for Fall (it's the site that gave the drone video):
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/10/14/drone-video-shows-gorgeous-fall-color-in-vermont-beautiful-foliage-throughout-the-nations-high-country/
Well, you're right in that I lived at sea level, and while I did get to the high country sometimes, it was never at leaf-changing season, but instead either summer or winter. But I think not having had it growing up may have given me a deeper appreciation when I did encounter it.
Being at the 1500 foot elevation here in CA, we get some of it but this year many of the trees you might have thought were turning early were just dying due to lack of water. Thanks for the VT vistas–I saw the variety of color with many that bloom in spring last May and June. I did always do a Mississippi River walk in fall in my MN years to take in the fall colors–more different kinds of trees in the same views than I get here.
Thanks for the beautiful pics. I live in the mountains of Kentucky and am enjoying the extraordinary colors right now!
Re Fall colours – interesting BBC Nature programme (with David Attenborough), the Fall colour depends largely on the maple tree; on the East Coast of America before the Europeans arrived – the Native Americans had far fewer maple trees than there are at present as they managed the land for mainly hunting and gathering, so promoted huge mature trees bearing nuts and seeds, and the rest was productive grassland, kept that way by burning. Maple trees hate this kind of management, so there were far fewer – hence far less 'Fall colour'.
Apologies Nameless, forgot my manners – thanks for the lovely photos!
Thank you, Nameless, for brightening my weekend. Our Fall, which even at its best can never compete with the marvelous colors of New England, is even drearier than usual and most leaves either just drop from the trees without much coloring or go a pitiful brown and then let go. The lack of sun doesn't help either.
We've been to New England once to go leaf peeping, and we were extremely lucky with the weather: slightly frosty at night and above 20° C (68° F) during the day and sunshine all day long. The color schemes were exquisite and we're still enjoying some of the photos which we had enlarged and put on a wall. That was in the good old days before we had a digital camera and could share, so your collage of fall pictures is very much appreciated.
Being born and raised in the NorthEast, I love autumn. The colors, the beauty of the trees, and the mountains. The covered bridge brings back memories for me, as there was one we used to cross as kids. I miss that here, and with the fires raging here now, where I live, a lot of the pines are gone/burnt. I believe that's a little Corgi playing in the leaves, how cute!!
Gorgeous, beautiful pictures, thank YOU, Nameless for these this morning.
Thanks for the bio lesson on "leaves". Enjoyed the peaceful usage of the drone video to oversee the fall foliage cover of leaves of trees. Reminded me of climbing the fire towers in upstate NY to look at the wondrous explosion of colors in the fall. The climb up was tiring but well worth the effort in having moments of visual enjoyment.
Can't recall climbing a fire tower, but a friend and I did make it up to the hotel ruins of Overlook Mountain in Woodstock in the fall. Gorgeous! And quite a climb when it was just spur of the moment.
http://www.catskillmountaineer.com/IH-overlook.html
Thanks for all the beautiful pictures. It's like driving around here.
Intersting to note is that carotene, xanthophyll and anthocyanins are all important within the human body too. For example, carotene is in carrots and anthocyanins in red grapes, but there are other sources as well. Chlorophyll is used in some products and aids in cleansing the human body.
The fall colours are gorgeous. Here on the west coast, we have some but not as much as the east. My favourite place at this time of year are the Gatineau hills of western Québec. The colours are simply awesome, and in some areas, you get the additional bonus of the smell of apples being pressed into cider. Hmmmmmmmm!!!!!
Thanks Nameless!!
Lynn, I adore Quebec, though I've been there only in July. I imagine that it is beautiful in the western part of the province in autumn…many, many firs in the east. I live in the western part of Virginia, and we are just beginning to see the leaves show color…dogwoods are already showing their beautiful fall reds. I do look forward to this time of year as much as the spring. I live on the Blue Ridge Pkwy., so we have glorious fall and spring here. To anyone who has not had the pleasure of the Northeast in both seasons, it's very well worth the trip!
Being a Minnesota boy all my life, I have taken pretty much for granted the variety and beauty of the change of seasons. I used to think fall was my least favorite season for what it portended and spring my favorite for what it portended with new life springing up everywhere. The only thing that has changed is that as I grow older, I like winter less and less, oh it has its stark beauty and there is nothing quite like the serene warmth of a living room while watching a blizzard at work out of doors. Unless you are homeless or have less than adequate shelter. Which was true of my youth and though that was well over 50 years ago, those problems have not been solved and many still suffer in the long dark months of winter.
But I've learned to love fall, the ability to have four distinct seasons is a blessing. And I remember that in the winter, far beneath the driven snow, lies a seed that with the suns love, in the spring becomes a rose. Or a bright green leaf, or beautiful dandelions, or just wild new prairie. For everything there is a season is nowhere truer than in these places which see the seasons change and meld into one another, all life becoming. Always a new chance. There's poetry in that too.
Besides being beautiful, autumn is the least allergenic of seasons. The pollinating weeds are winding down, and the air has not yet been completely filled with wood smoke. Of course, that doesn't take into account industrial polluters; it is just a small natural respite. But welcome nonetheless.