Question

Why tropical deciduous trees of deccan plateau shed their leaves

Answer 1

Trees that lose all of their leaves for part of the year are known as deciduous trees and those that don’t are called evergreen trees. Many trees shed their leaves as a strategy to survive severe weather conditions. Most deciduous trees have broad leaves that are susceptible to being damaged during cold or dry weather.

Shedding leaves helps trees to conserve water and energy. As unfavorable weather approaches, hormones in the trees trigger the process of abscission (to cut) whereby the leaves are actively cut-off of the tree by specialized cells. At the start of the abscission process, trees reabsorb valuable nutrients from their leaves and store them for later use in their roots. Chlorophyll, the pigment that gives leaves their green colour is one of the first molecules to be broken down for its nutrients. This is one of the reasons why trees turn red, orange, and gold colors during the fall. At the end of the abscission process, when the leaves have been shed, a protective layer of cells grows over the exposed area.

Answer 2

• Tropical deciduous forests are found in large parts of India, Northern part of Australia and America. Such areas experience seasonal changes and hence the tropical deciduous trees shed their leaves in the dry season to save water.