Hello! My name is Kelly Jean and I recently joined Facilities Team Green as a Marketing Intern一Check out my bio here. I’m excited to post my first article on Student’s Corner.
As an international student from Haiti, I have never experienced major environmental changes from a season to another. Speaking of climate, all that I am familiar with are sunny days all year-long. As I am going through my first fall in the United States, one thing that captures my attention is the colorful trees that brighten the environment.
Similarly to humans who dress according to the temperature, trees of the Rochester area seem to be very sensitive to the weather. By the end of September, their foliage gradually gives up their green color and becomes yellow, orange, or red. The mixture of this variety of colors creates a gorgeous and inexplicable scenery. In addition, trees decorate the soil generously when their dry leaves fall.
Fortunately, I am able to enjoy spectacular trees from my the window of my dorm. When walking on the River campus, it is always a pleasure for me to stop on my way just to admire them. A mere look at these living pieces of art usually leaves a fresh smile on my lips. I am not the only one to be charmed by the bright colors of their foliage. More than once, I indeed see students happily photographing them.
The beauty of the trees prompts me to dig into the biological process behind the color changes of their leaves. During spring and summer, each leaf produces its own food thanks to its numerous cells containing chlorophyll which gives the leaf its green color. Other diversely colored pigments also coexist with chlorophyll in a latent state. When the fall comes in, the food production stops because of weather changes, leading to the extinction of chlorophyll and the green color of the leaf. Therefore, the latent colors一brown, orange, yellow or red一of the leaf become visible and enliven their surroundings.
Regrettably, the unique landscape created by these colorful trees is ephemeral. As December approaches, the snow will soon whiten nature. While they are offering their priceless spectacle, take a moment to enjoy the trees! This will help you release stress.
Written by Kelly Jean, Class of 2021
Image source: Pixabay.com