Which type of plants are categorized as losing their leaves at the end of each growing season?

The correct response identifies deciduous plants as those that lose their leaves at the end of each growing season. Deciduous plants undergo a seasonal cycle where, typically in the autumn, they shed their leaves in response to changes in temperature and daylight. This process is part of their adaptation to conserve water and energy during winter when conditions are less favorable for growth. As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, these plants enter a state of dormancy, allowing them to survive through adverse conditions and emerge renewed in the spring.

Evergreen plants, in contrast, retain their leaves throughout the year. They have adaptations that allow them to maintain foliage, including needle-like leaves that reduce water loss. Perennial plants are those that live for more than two years, and while some can be deciduous, the term does not specifically refer to leaf loss in a seasonal context. Annual plants complete their life cycle in one growing season, germinating, growing, flowering, and dying within a single year. This cycle does not involve the seasonal leaf loss characteristic of deciduous plants. Thus, recognizing deciduous plants as those that drop their leaves seasonally aligns with their biological and ecological processes.