At University of Vermont, study examines climate’s affect fall colors

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Biologists at the University of Vermont’s Proctor Maple Research Center are trying to determine if a warming climate could be dulling New England’s fall foliage.

So their doing their own leaf peeping this fall to find out.

They’re studying how temperature affects the development of autumn colors and whether warming could mute them, prolong the foliage viewing season or delay it.

Using a three-year, $45,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, they’re planning to measure color-producing chemicals in leaves exposed to varying temperatures in hopes of finding a pattern.

The study starts next month, but some experiments are already under way.

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