Book 17, Question 44
Why Do Some Tropical Forests Drop Their Leaves in the Dry Season?
Not all tropical forests are wet all year. In places with a long dry season, many trees shed their leaves to save water. Then they grow new ones when the rains return.
More fun facts
- In rainforests near the Equator, seasons are wet and dry instead of hot and cold.
- In the Amazon dry season, a tree might drop 100 old leaves and grow 125 new ones.
- Trees seem to grow new leaves just before the sunny dry season arrives.
- Growth there seems limited by a lack of sunlight in the rainy season, not by a lack of water in the dry season.
- Many trees stay green because their roots reach several meters down to water stored deep underground.
Sources: NASA, NASA Science
Questions kids ask
How do some trees stay green in the dry season?
Their roots reach several meters down to water stored deep underground.