I haven't seen it in the news just yet, but aren't the leaves falling early in Vancouver, BC? Is there a precedent for this? I wonder if there will be implications for the health of the trees, it seems as though they would be dormant for a long time unless there is also an early spring. Also, is it happening elsewhere?
Our garden has been looking like Fall for the last three weeks. Normally this happens mid to late September.
I have not noticed any unusual leaf drop. The arbutus have been dropping leaves, but that is normal for them this time of year.
Infections both funagal & bacterial can cause premature leaf fall (canker, anthracnose - things like that). We took out our mature (overmature?) Service Berries (Amelanchier) 2 years ago due to premature leaf drop. I suspect it was caused by some root disease, but they lived with it in a moderate way for many years. Some trees do not have a long lifespan (see recent discussion of Birch) & one sign of age & senescence can be an inability to carry leaves to the end of the season. I suspect a similar mechanism is working on my head-hair! I hope a silviculturalist may expand on my observations & correct me if & where I am wrong. gb.