WHY DO MANY TREES HAVE BRIGHT COLOURED LEAVES IN AUTUMN?

Many deciduous trees change their leaf colour in autumn, and usually this happens right before the leaves are shed. It may seem pointless. Why should plants make such extravagant changes in the colour of parts that are about to die anyway? As it turns out, it is more costly for the plant to keep its green colour. Many of the bright red and yellow colours are in fact there in the summer too, but they are kind of "hidden" behind the green. The webinar summarizes the current body of knowledge on autumn leaf colours, what makes them change, what is their adaptive value and evolutionary meaning.