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What causes the variety of autumn leaf colors?
Asked by LostInParadise (31859)
October 15th, 2008
I know that the fall leaf colors are due to the residual of the leaf that is present after the phototsynthesizing cholorophyl goes away. But why is there such a variety of different colors? Not that I am complaining.
The colors come in various shades of yellow, orange, red and brown and each tree species seems to have its own specific color. Unlike flower colors, I doubt that the colors have any significance on their own. I would suppose that just as chlorophyl makes leaves uniformly green, whatever is left over must serve some purpose and therefore should have a characteristic color.
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