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Colors of Maples
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29-10-2004, 10:06 PM
Christopher Green
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(Iris Cohen) wrote in message ...
There are two major hypotheses to explain colorful fall leaves. One is that
red anthocyanins act as a sunscreen and act as antioxidants. The other is that
colorful leaves repel insects.
In that case the trees would have red leaves in midsummer, when there is more
sun and there are more insects.
Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"When you come to a fork in the road, take it." Yogi Berra
The usual explanation of the sunscreen/antioxidant adaptive value of
anthocyanins is that the need for these is actually greater during the
combination of intense cold and bright sun that occurs in fall. This
is at least plausible because it is the combination of fine days and
intense, but not killing, cold that causes the best development of red
colors.
--
Chris Green
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