Question

Broadleaf deciduous trees of temperate forests A) Have small leaves to conserve energy. B) reabsorb chlorophyll, resulting in the colorful autumn pigments becoming visible. C) grow slower than narrow-leaved trees during summer months. D) are the only type of plant life found in this biome.

Answer 1

Answer:

Broadleaf deciduous trees of temperate forests reabsorb chlorophyll, resulting in the colorful autumn pigments becoming visible.

Explanation:

During autumn and winter, deciduous trees from temperate forests need to store different nutrients that will be used for the plant growth during the following spring.  Storaging nutrients in leaves require too much energy and constant photosynthetic activity, which might be very difficult for the plant to support during these colder seasons. To confront this situation, these species have developed some strategies such as leaves senescence. The tree stops supplying water and nutrients to the leaves, so these last ones stop producing chlorophyll. When this molecule is completely lost, other pigments that were masked by the chlorophyll, show up.   Before senescence occurs, pigments such as carotenoid, anthocyanin, or pheophytin reveal yellow, orange, red, purple and brown tones, which are the characteristic autumn colors.