Whoops.

Let me start off by apologizing for misinforming all you fellow bloggers. In one of my earlier posts, "The Change", I tried to identify what kind of tree I was observing. Well, I have been claiming that the tree that I am observing is an oak tree; but upon further research, I have come to the conclusion that it is a sycamore tree.

This is a picture of a sycamore (Sycamore).

This is a picture of an Oak Tree (Gopixpic).

This specific tree I am observing is categorized as an American Sycamore. American Sycamore are native to American (clearly) and have some very distinct feature that are hard not to miss. It's leaves are thin wide and pointy. These trees also have a bark with a unique coloring; at times, they appear as a "camo" color (Sycamore (American Sycamore)).

This is a picture of a Sycamore leaf (Mason)

The seeds are spherically shape with structures that are fragile. These brown seed balls are packed tightly and carry around a lot of seeds. The actual name for these seed are achenes. Achenes are dry, hairy fruits. These seeds are a source of food for gray squirrels, beavers and other animal (American Sycamore).

This is a picture of an achene (Mason).

"When I was younger, I used to love stepping  these seed balls." Field note 11/17/14. At the time, I didn't know what they were, but they would burst and the seeds went everywhere. Every block I passed, they were there. Like a game of hopscotch, I would bounce the day away.

Citation

"American Sycamore". American Sycamore. www.fcps.edu. Web. 20 Nov. 2014 <http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/american_sycamore.htm>.

Gopixpic. www.gopixpic.com. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://www.gopixpic.com>.

Mason, Jim. "Sycamore." Sycamore. www.gpnc.com. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://www.gpnc.org/sycamore.htm>.

"Sycomore." Texas Tree Planting Guide. Texas A&M Forest Service. Web. 20 Nov. 2014. <http://texastreeplanting.tamu.edu/Display_Onetree.aspx?tid=67>.

"Sycamore (American Sycamore)." Sycamore (American Sycamore). Oplin. Web. 20 Nov. 2014 <http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact pages/sycamore/sycamore.html>.

The Cycle

As you may have already noticed, the days are becoming short and nippy. The seasons have begun to change. We experience this change four times a year. These seasonal change are part of a cycle that happens each and every year.

(Picture provided by Graphicriver.net)

The seasons aren't the only thing that change during this time, everything around us does. Trees experience one of the more dramatic and noticeable changes. The tree I am looking observing is going through such change. It is transitioning from summer to fall. 

The leaves are beginning to change. The leaves are losing the pigmentation from the chlorophyll. This is caused by shorter day. As the chlorophyll is lost, carotin particles become visible giving the leaves a yellowish, orange appearance. This is preparation for the long winter season that awaits them (information cited from https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s7qTx2l7bvo). 

The trees are are doing what they always do, adapt to their environment; just like us. We change our dress habits based on the weather and trees kind of do the same thing. "The are leaves beginning to yellow and slowly drift away; the Fall season has begun." 11/05/14 Field notes.