Environment
SEASONS
What do changing seasons do to a habitat? Colorado has four seasons: fall,
winter, spring and summer. Seasons change with the changing length of
daylight and temperature. This is the result of the rotation of Earth and its
position in its orbit around the sun. Plants and animals respond to the
changing seasons.
A TREE BUDS IN EARLY SPRING .
A S THE DAYS GET LONGER AND TEMPERATURES WARM ,
THE BUDS BECOME LEAVES .
F ROM
LATE SPRING TO EARLY FALL ,
THE TREE BOASTS A FULL CANOPY OF LEAVES .
F ALL BRINGS SHORTER DAYS , LONGER NIGHTS AND COOLER TEMPERATURES .
L EAVES CHANGE COLOR AND FALL FROM THE TREE .
B ARE
BRANCHES STAND STARKLY AGAINST THE
SKYLINE DURING THE BRISK , SHORT WINTER DAYS .
D AYLIGHT LENGTHENS , TEMPERATURES WARM ,
AND THE TREE MAKES BUDS . I T IS SPRING .
Wildlife react to seasonal changes in habitat in a number of ways. Some
animals like deer and elk grow winter coats. They move to elevations where
grasses and forbs are either more plentiful or covered by less snow. Bears
eat a lot of food before cold weather sets in and then find dens in which to
sleep. Their activity is markedly decreased over the winter months. Bears
become more active when daylight hours increase and temperatures warm.
Other animals move greater distances when seasons change and the
habitat changes. Hummingbirds spend the winter in Mexico and Central
America. They fly north for the summer and will be found in the Rocky
Mountains, California and as far north as Canada.
16
Science Standards 3.1, 4.3, 5, 6