title: Unravelling the evolution of autumn colours: an interdisciplinary approach.
abstract: Leaf colour change is commonly observed in temperate deciduous forests in autumn. This is not simply a side effect of leaf senescence, and, in the past decade, several hypotheses have emerged to explain the evolution of autumn colours. Yet a lack of crosstalk between plant physiologists and evolutionary ecologists has resulted in slow progress, and so the adaptive value of this colour change remains a mystery. Here we provide an interdisciplinary summary of the current body of knowledge on autumn colours, and discuss unresolved issues and future avenues of research that might help reveal the evolutionary meaning of this spectacle of nature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, UK. marco.archetti@zoo.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Archetti
authors.forename: Thomas F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Döring
authors.forename: Snorre B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.forename: Nicole M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Simon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Leather
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Simcha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lev-Yadun
authors.forename: Yiannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manetas
authors.forename: Helen J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Ougham
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Schaberg
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003116:Color; D003118:Color Perception; D054910:Compound Eye, Arthropod / Q000502:physiology; D007313:Insecta / Q000502:physiology; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012621:Seasons; D014197:Trees / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*