Submitted by ShookeSpear t3_ygmsja in explainlikeimfive
iDarick t1_iu9bbum wrote
Trees conserve themselves for the winter. Leaves store energy. You want all your beefy fat to go dormant and expect further survival. Trees consume power sources and take a nap after.
na3than t1_iu9de9g wrote
That doesn't answer the question. What causes an attached leaf--one in which there is a bond between the leaf stem and the branch--to become an unattached leaf?
iDarick t1_iu9dn10 wrote
On nature you drop off what's unnecessary for survival process. So the leaf do it's job and leaves.
na3than t1_iu9dr3h wrote
That still doesn't answer the question. What causes an attached leaf--one in which there is a bond between the leaf stem and the branch--to become an unattached leaf?
iDarick t1_iu9e0t0 wrote
The mechanism is called abscission - a layer of cells in the stalk of the leaf swell up and die, weakening the stalk so that the wind will dislodge the leaf. Before this happens, the tree draws resources out of the leaf (senescence), which causes the change in colour from green to browns and reds.
iDarick t1_iu9e91q wrote
I thought that's ELI5, not biology sub mate, sorry for that.
ShookeSpear OP t1_iu9foqt wrote
I suppose I chose the wrong sub then. I understand the conservation of energy and nutrients required by a tree for the dormant phase of its growing. I was looking for your very specific answer about abscission. So thank you for that!
My theory relating to the sudden heating of the petiole does make it seem like I have at least a 6 year old’s understanding of tree biology, so probably the wrong sub…
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