Essepchi Nasyr Ake - Weather Predictor from Alai
Essepchi Nasyr Ake from Alai paid great attention to the plant and animal world for the purpose of weather prediction.
He believed that the deterioration or improvement of the weather could be determined by observing plants and animals — changes in the weather can be inferred from their behavior. According to local residents, Nasyr Ake was a good hunter and an experienced trainer of birds of prey; through his work, he had ample opportunity to study the nature of his homeland well. He knew many plants but paid particular attention to the flowers of kaakym — dandelion, too teke — goat's rue, leaves of uy bede — red clover, yshkyn — sorrel, kozu kulak — mountain sorrel, twigs of karagay — spruce, archi — juniper, and the abundant sprouts of ermen — wormwood, among others; he remembered the timing of leaf fall as well as the changes in the color of leaves of trees and shrubs: tereks — poplars, ak kayysh — birches, tal — willows.
It is known that the abundant growth of wild plants largely depends on the amount of precipitation, as well as the properties of the soil and the habitat. In particular, the vigorous growth of wormwood provides food for animals during harsh winters (nature seems to compensate for the lack of other grasses). Wormwood is a good disinfectant for many ailments. The Kyrgyz have long known that animals consuming this bitter herb rid themselves of intestinal diseases. However, to this day, we do not have scientific evidence of a connection between the abundance of wormwood and the onset of a cold winter following a relatively favorable previous one.
The activity of plants and animals depends on climatic conditions; many plants respond remarkably sensitively to atmospheric changes, i.e., the humidity or, conversely, the dryness of the air can be judged by their condition. Some plants close their flower petals before bad weather to protect the pollen and reduce heat loss; others, in high humidity, close their stomata and thereby reduce the evaporation area while abundantly secreting nectar; others weep, forming tiny droplets of sap at the tips of leaves and twigs; and some change the shape and position of their leaves — bending them sideways, curling or straightening them.
Stomata on leaves are not visible without a microscope. Nature has created these amazing moisture regulators scattered across the entire surface of leaves. That is why even in great heat, the leaves of plants remain cool.
Currently, more than 400 species of plants are known that can serve as living "barometers" of the weather, among them chyrmooc — bindweed, joogazyn — tulip, many representatives of zhylky teke — goat's beard, balzaminder — balsams, kvk bazinder — gentians, koyon tomuktar — clematis, and others. Some plants emit a strong fragrance before heavy rain, for example, chege gul — carnation, kunduz gul — buttercup, kokomerin — jujube, and others. "Tears" on the leaves of dan osumduktor — cereal plants, shilbiler — honeysuckle, ak taygaktar — rhododendron, karyndyz — elecampane, and others also appear before rain. The leaves of field red clover and sorrel slowly fold on cloudy days; taruu — millet also folds its leaves and curls its flower petals before bad weather. Dandelion flowers do not open early in the morning; if the flower petals rise and open by 9-10 a.m. and remain in this position until noon, it will not rain that day. Spruce branches bend in anticipation of a snowstorm, and straighten for clear weather.
Leaves are colored by different pigments; for example, thanks to chlorophyll, they are green, which facilitates photosynthesis and plant growth. In autumn, chlorophyll is replaced by xanthophyll and carotene, causing leaves to change color to yellow and orange.
However, some leaves do not change color at all, for example, kara-zhyjach — elm, siren gulu — lilac, and others; their leaves remain green until the end of leaf fall. The autumn aging of the leaf gradually spreads to its petiole, where a fragile layer of thin-walled, loosely arranged cells forms. At this moment, a light breeze, raindrops, dew, or even the leaf's own weight is enough for it to detach from the branch. The timing, duration, and nature of leaf fall vary among different trees and shrubs.
Interestingly, plants have evolved the ability to "recognize" the approach of winter not so much by fluctuating temperature indicators but by a stable astronomical factor — the reduction in day length. This calendar sign serves as a reliable signal for plants about the onset of autumn and winter. Thus, leaf fall is an important biological adaptation of plants to winter cold, an example of purposefulness in nature.
