The removal or loss of leaves from trees and plants, either naturally or artificially caused.
From de- + foliation (state of having leaves), from Latin 'folium.' The term became widespread in ecological and military contexts after WWII as chemical warfare escalated.
Defoliation can trigger a cascading ecological collapse—lose the leaves, and you lose shade for understory plants, nesting sites for birds, and food sources for caterpillars that feed thousands of bird chicks annually.
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