Fall Season

Fall

        The cycle of nature never ceases to amaze or end.  Throughout every year, every passing of a new day and the cycle of seasons, nature goes through a constant status shift, with fall perhaps being the most interesting.  Autumn sees the growing ends of many of natures’ cycles, including the shortening of days, animal patterns begin to change, such as migration and the growing of winter coats, and trees begin to lose their leaves to prepare for the winter survival.  Fall could be referred to as the falling action of natures’ endless cycle, a time where all life must slow down and prepare for the winter resolution.  Though your own views on autumn may differ, autumn is an essential part of the worlds’ ecosystems ability to continue to thrive.

        While all of autumns’ seasonal changes affect us, the shortening of days most likely have the deepest impact.  One of the more obvious effects of shorter days is less daylight to work with.  Not only do people have to use the daylight time they have more efficiently, but the impaired visibility when working or driving in the dark can lead to increased chances for accidents.  Then, the shorter days also give rise to cooling temperatures, which in turn leads to having to dress warmer and having to drive more cautiously, as all weather can have effects on road conditions.  While all of this does have an effect on us, it has an even bigger on wildlife, from animals migrating to warmer environments to preparing to hibernate through the winter.

        As was just previously mentioned, seasonal changes have a very big impact on animal life.  Different varieties of animals have different mechanisms to cope with the oncoming temperature decreases.  Many animals might grow winter coats to help camouflage them from predators in the winter.  Numerous varieties of birds will migrate south to warmer climates, and smaller animals with build shelters or dig tunnels under the ground to protect them from the elements.  Even larger animals, like bears, will find a sheltered place to hibernate throughout the winter.

        Maybe, the most notable seasonal change in the fall are the changing colors of the leaves.  While the trees are very beautiful during this time, it is for a purpose.  The trees are preparing to shed their leaves so they don’t absorb too much water and essentially dry out.  Other plants do not have this means of survival, so many will drop seeds and bulbs that will grow into new plants in the spring.  While many plants might freeze at the first frost, there will always be something to takes its place.

        While humans have used their increased intellect to find new ways to survive the changing weather, we owe much of it to the fauna around us.  In fact, our coping mechanisms seem to be just adaptations of what other wildlife has done to prepare itself since of the dawn of time.  Autumn has been as much of a part of human learning as anything has.  All life adapts to natures constant shifting of weather, with fall being an important part of that shift.  Through sheer beauty and times of self-destruction, natures’ cycle never ceases to amaze and never ceases to end.