Some trees in Maine are already losing their leaves, weeks ahead of peak fall foliage season.<\/p>\n
Jay Wason, a professor of forest ecosystem physiology at University of Maine said abnormally dry weather is stressing some vulnerable trees.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll that means is that the trees have detected that, \u2018Hey, conditions are not great for me any more to maintain these expensive leaves to do photosynthesis, so I can ditch them now and go into my winter dormant mode,\u2019\u201d Wason said.<\/p>\n
Drought conditions developed in Maine over the summer and most of the state was still in a moderate drought<\/a>\u00a0as of last week.<\/p>\n Wason said trees exposed to heat and dryness are more likely to lose their leaves early.<\/p>\n Trees that are \u201cup on a ridge top, someplace that is a little more likely to have drier conditions develop more quickly than like a valley location where there might be more reliable water in a relatively dry period,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Species such as aspen and birch are more susceptible to drought effects, Wason added.<\/p>\n Despite the ongoing drought, the Maine Department of Agriculture Conservation and Forestry said a mix of sunny days and cool nights the state has experienced is an ideal mix for producing strong leaf colors.<\/p>\n