Autumn colours affected by climate changes
Autumn colors affected by climate changes
Autumn colors display dependants on a variety of conditions but the major is temperature and carbon fixation amount. We never knew that temperature changes could so greatly influence this season and that autumn is slowly disappearing...
Maybe this is why we enjoy autumn colors even more now because those sunny autumn days become pretty rare and every year less of them can be counted..right after September we see rainy days almost as if winter is beginning sooner than ever before.
Maybe our personal experience, economy forcing some of the famous year dates like Halloween, NewYear, etc, lights, ornaments, and all the other shiny details, make us feel as if the year is ending right thereafter October...
“At the continental scale, warmer autumns have for instance been related to lower net carbon fixation, as a consequence of a higher enhancement of ecosystem respiration than the concomitant enhancement of gross photosynthesis.” (Piao SL et al, 2008), (Wu CY et al, 2012).
From the perspective of science, we can see that extended leafy season brings a higher annual net carbon fixation. (Dragoni D et al, 2011)
“The asynchrony of autumn phenology may alter the competition between co-occurring plant species, either in the case of symmetric (between understory plants - all plants being light-limited by the overstorey canopy) (Fridley JD, 2012) or asymmetric (between overstory and understory plants) competition.”(Jolly WM et al, 2004)
Unfortunately, shorter autumn is affecting many aspects of life. Less time for collecting fruits of nature for many species, collecting food, finding a suitable place to survive winter, and for humans-its economical as well as ethical perspective. For example, autumn tourism and everything that comes within- full display of autumn colors for enjoying nature and all the dates connected with, are slowly pushed away. Before we had more of these days to celebrate and now a few of them left.
Earlier onset of color occurs in years with warmer spring temperatures. According to changes in the color of leaves, how fast they shift from green to yellow, orange, and red, is a representation of temperature ranges and influences of climate change. One research lasts for 18 years and counted changes in leaves from September till the end of November each year of research. Scientists consider the number of leaves in percentages fallen and changes in colors to make a point of out climate change. The year 1994 was the year of early coloration and year 2008 year of late coloration. One of the model plants was red maple, Acer rubrum.
Results helped us understand the correlation between climate and autumn/season changes. Now more than ever we should appreciate all the goods brought by the harvest season- picking up fruits, long walks in colorful clean nature and enjoying warm sunny days without sweating and boring mosquitos, enjoying hearty food, festivals dedicated to autumn, scented candles, and warm tee, coffee in the rainy morning..all the goods of the simple life.
References:
1. Dragoni D, Schmid HP, Wayson CA, Potter H, Grimmond CSB, et al. (2011) Evidence of increased net ecosystem productivity associated with a longer vegetated season in a deciduous forest in south-central Indiana, USA. Global Change Biology 17: 886–897. [Google Scholar]
2. Fridley JD (2012) Extended leaf phenology and the autumn niche in deciduous forest invasions. Nature 485: 359–362. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
3. Jolly WM, Nemani R, Running SW (2004) Enhancement of understory productivity by asynchronous phenology with overstory competitors in a temperate deciduous forest.
