Singlet oxygen, a byproduct of the photosyntheticprocess by which certain cells convert sunlight into energy, is a highly toxic and reactive substance that tears cells apart.
As summer turns to autumn, the photosyntheticprocess slows down as the days get both shorter and colder, which in turn leads to less chlorophyll production and the green fading to yellow.
While the energy for on this planet is captured by green plants in the photosyntheticprocess, microorganisms are generally responsible for the final decomposition of the photosynthetic products .