The trees are losing their old leaves due to climate change



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Each year, in a process known as senescence, autumn tree leaves turn yellow, orange and red as they stop growing and absorb nutrients from the foliage, before falling off the tree before winter. The maturity of the leaves also marks the end of the period when plants absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.

Global warming led to longer growing seasons, two weeks earlier than 100 years ago, when European trees formed spring leaves, the researchers said.

“Autumn is late because older models will be getting warmer in the next century; the growing seasons will be longer overall and autumn will be two to three weeks later, ”said environmentalist Konstantin Johner.

However, Johner and The team of researchers said their results skew this prediction.

“Indeed, we predict by the end of the century that the leaves could fall three to six days earlier,” said Johner, a writer involved in a study published in the journal Friday. Sciences, additional.

Using a combination of field observations, laboratory tests, and models, the experts examined data from six European deciduous tree species (European horse chestnut, silver birch, European beech, European larch, English oak, and rowan) over the past six decades. .

Experts have found that increased productivity in spring and summer as a result of high levels of carbon dioxide, temperature and light causes trees to shed their leaves earlier.

Fall temperature and length of day are the main environmental factors that cause trees to lose their leaves, Johner said. Now, the researchers have identified a third factor: “self-limited” productivity.

“Now let’s see, this third great mechanism is at work: the productivity (of trees) controls itself. If it’s already long in the spring and summer, if the plant absorbs too much CO2 in the spring and summer, it sheds its leaves sooner, “he said.

“This is a mechanism that we also see in humans: if you start eating earlier, you will be whole,” he said.

The results show that trees have productivity barriers, Johner said.

“We can’t put more and more CO2 into the atmosphere, (hopefully) trees do more, there are limits,” he said.

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