Some of the characteristics of autumn are the short duration of days, the fall of leaves in deciduous trees or the migration of birds.
Autumn is one of the four seasons of the year and occurs as a transition between summer and winter. In the northern hemisphere it begins at the end of September and ends at the end of December. That is, between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice.
While in the southern hemisphere, autumn occurs between the last week of March and the last of June, as in Australia and New Zealand.
In East Asia, on the other hand, it begins in the second week of August and ends during the first week of November.
In Ireland something happens, although the national meteorological service ensures that autumn occurs during September, October and November, the ancient Gaelic traditions dictate that it is actually during the months of August, September and October that the station is experienced.
It is a station of low temperatures and of short duration, compared to the duration of the other stations.
8 main features of autumn
1. Etymology
According to some linguists, this is an Etruscan word (autu) that refers to the passage of time, and was adopted by the Romans Who transformed it into autumnus.
Over the years he came to France as a automobile. It became popular until it was very common in the sixteenth century. In the modern era it is automne (in French) and autumn (in English).
It used in reference to the season of harvests, but with the migration of the workers of the land from the fields towards the cities, was losing that connotation.
It is also used metaphorically to refer to old age. The alternative word to mean the same as autumn is fallen, a derivation of the Germanic voice that the English adopted to make reference to the fall of the leaves of the trees during this period.
It passed to North America thanks to the trips of the English settlers to their colonies in American territory.
2. Hours of natural light and temperature
The first day of this time of year is known as the autumn equinox and is characterized by having the same amount of hours of daylight and darkness because the sun is aligned with the center of the Earth.
From then on, it is a period during which the days are shorter than the nights. That is, there are more hours of darkness than natural light.
At that time of year temperatures drop considerably. Afternoons usually arrive accompanied by frost breezes.
3. Leaf Fall
During autumn the leaves of the trees are weakened by the decrease of the chlorophyll until, already yellow or brown, they fall and cover the foot of the trees to become the energy that will consume the roots to be maintained during the winter months.
4. Colors
Autumn has a very particular and distinctive color palette: ochres, yellows, reds, browns and violets, are mixed in the landscapes of most of the world.
The leaves of the trees have yellow and orange tones (with their variations), in their pigmentation, that are revealed during this time. While the red and purple leaves are due to the presence of sugars from the sap.
5. Crops
Autumn is the season of pomegranate and grape, but also of oranges, pears, ripe bananas, mandarins, apples, avocados, grapefruits, nuts, etc.
As for the vegetables, are mushrooms, cabbage, artichoke, cauliflower, pumpkin, courgette and aubergines, the vegetables of this season.
While onions, lettuce, carrots and leek, are the vegetables that are most easily found at this time of year.
In short, several crops are suitable for this season of the year, but there are a pair that is common in the northern hemisphere and in the south: corn and sunflower.
6. Celebrations
As it is a time that is celebrated in different months of the year according to the location, it is also coincides with different celebrations and / or events.
The Chinese celebrate the Moon Festival, an event in which they thank for a successful summer harvest.
Also in allusion to the crops was born the most popular celebration in North America that takes place during the fall: the day of thanksgiving.
This is a family celebration that takes place on the last Thursday of November, to thank the good of each year accompanied by a great banquet in which the stuffed turkey is the protagonist.
Halloween also happens in autumn. It is a celebration whose origin is often related to Celtic culture. People dress up and children walk from house to house ordering sweets and making jokes. It is a tradition criticized by some for considering it an ode to the supernatural.
Another event that occurs in autumn is the Northern Lights. That beautiful phenomenon that occurs by geomagnetic storms in the terrestrial ionosphere.
7. Problems associated with autumn
Given the changes in temperature and the few hours of sunlight that accompany this time of year, the human body must undergo some changes to adapt. One of them is a greater consumption of energy to maintain the thermal regulation.
This energy expenditure results in a decrease in the defenses against germs, viruses and bacteria, which increase the risk of infections, especially respiratory infections.
Hormones also become uncontrolled so it is normal to experience episodes of depression or some psychosomatic manifestations such as gastritis and / or stomach ulcers.
8. Migration of birds
There are some species of birds that undertake trip away from their nest during the autumnal season.
Among the causes of these migrations, several alternatives have been proposed: a flight from the demanding winter conditions, a hormonal theme, an evolutionary issue or something more related to the biological clock of birds.
Precisely the theory that hormones are involved, seems to be validated in the case of some mammals such as dogs, whose females go into heat twice a year and one of those times is in autumn.
References
- Alonso, Nicolás (2016). What is 'Thanksgiving'? Recovered from: elpais.com
- Araujo Joaquin (2016). Autumn. Recovered from: elmundo.es
- Birds of burgos (s / f). Migration of birds. Recovered from: avesdeburgos.com
- Cachaldora, Cristina (2016). Why do birds migrate? Recovered from: laregion.es
- Teaching (2002). The arrival of autumn. Retrieved from: educando.edu.do
- Hormones and cycles in mammals. Recovered from: www7.uc.cl
- Richmond (2014). 12 fun facts about autumn. Recovered from: richmond.com
- University of Arizona. Season character. Recovered from: u.arizona.edu.