Deciduous.. for a reason?

[chris]

Sad, I know but I've been thinking a lot about composting, and natural things decaying/speeding things up recently and as I was raking leaves up I thought (it's probably wrong mind!!) it's it amazing, if deciduous trees shed their leaves to act as a natural mulch/compost?

Anyone know the real reason why they do?

[binley100]

In answer to your question...........it's all about self preservation

Answers.com - Why do deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter

[chris]

Ah, yes so there you are - I am thick

-Makes mental note to google before posting

[Suky]

And it makes a really good mulch and feeds lots of bugs and fungi too

[Nicos]

...and the chooks love having a good scratch through pile of them too!

...oh- and for small kids and grown up kids to kick about

...oh- and to play havoc on railway lines

[binley100]

Ah, yes so there you are - I am thick

-Makes mental note to google before posting

I only googled cos although I sort of remember from Biology lessons they were a long time ago and decided I couldn't trust my memory

[Hilary B]

There is a bit more to it than just the 'rest time', because conifers are evergreen (most of them) and many of those grow in conditions too harsh for most deciduous trees. One reason trees shed leaves (conifers shed a few at a time all year) is to get rid of waste products, a bit like the vegetable equivalent of pooing, and we all know how good well aged poo is for plant growth!

[Cosmo and Dibs]

It is to reduce water loss through the colder season.

[Hilary B]

It is to reduce water loss through the colder season.

You mean the time of year when there are vast amounts of rain, except when things freeze??? OK so conifers lose less (needles don't have so many 'pores'), but they still lose some, and there are a lot of conifers much further North than most oaks and beech (silver birch grows even further north, and really fits the picture, most others, aren't such a good fit)

PS, of course most of these species lived through the ice age, when frozen ground was pretty near universal in winter. It's just interesting that they still do it when conditions are kinder, eg fig trees in Spain.....

[Suky]

Perhaps it's just that they know how beautiful they look in silhouette against a winter sky

[Hilary B]

Perhaps it's just that they know how beautiful they look in silhouette against a winter sky

There is that!

[Cosmo and Dibs]

Plants lose their leaves in winter as this is their dormant season.

However, it is also to reduce water loss. This may seem odd in the rainy winter, but when the ground is frozen solid for 2 or 3 weeks in a row it is pretty much the same as a summer drought- i.e. no access to water.