华北落叶松人工林叶面积指数实测值与冠层分析仪读数值的比较和动态校正

叶面积指数(LAI)是森林生态系统的重要结构参数,用来反映植物叶量和群体生长特征[1-4],对生态系统水分和养分循环、地表和大气之间的相互作用等诸多过程都有重要影响[5-6],广泛应用于植物生态、植物生理、生态水文以及一些交叉学科的研究中,也可作为科学培育森林、评价林分质量的定量指     

Response of LAI-2000 estimates to changes in plant surface area index in a Scots pine stand

We assessed the accuracy with which the LAI-2000 plant canopy analyzer measured changes in leaf area index (LAI) and plant area index (PAI) in a 25-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand. Stand density was 2100 stems ha(-1) and mean tree height was 8.7 m. Needle and branch areas of the stand were reduced progressively to zero by the stepwise removal of branches on all trees growing in a circular plot with a radius of 25 m. An LAI-2000 estimate was taken after each step reduction. The needle and branch surface areas removed at each step were estimated from direct measurements and were compared with the changes in the LAI-2000 estimates. Initially (before removal of branches), directly measured PAI was 5.2 (needles = 86%, branches = 8% and stems = 6%). The LAI-2000 estimate of total surface area was 66% of direct PAI and 77% of direct LAI. There was a nonlinear relationship between the LAI-2000 estimate and directly measured PAI, such that their ratio (equivalent to the clumping factor) increased from 0.66 to 1.05 with decreasing PAI. At the last measurement, when only stems were left, the LAI-2000 estimate agreed well with the direct measurement of PAI. The LAI-2000 underestimated the direct measurement of LAI at the first three steps when LAI was > 2 and the proportion of woody area was small (< 20%). However, because the LAI-2000 estimate included stem and branch areas, it overestimated the direct measurement of LAI at the last three measurements when the proportion of woody area was large (> 20%).     

Calibration and assessment of seasonal changes in leaf area index of a tropical dry forest in different stages of succession

A simple measure of the amount of foliage present in a forest is leaf area index (LAI; the amount of foliage per unit ground surface area), which can be determined by optical estimation (gap fraction method) with an instrument such as the Li-Cor LAI-2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer. However, optical instruments such as the LAI-2000 cannot directly differentiate between foliage and woody components of the canopy. Studies investigating LAI and its calibration (extracting foliar LAI from optical estimates) in tropical forests are rare. We calibrated optical estimates of LAI from the LAI-2000 with leaf litter data for a tropical dry forest. We also developed a robust method for determining LAI from leaf litter data in a tropical dry forest environment. We found that, depending on the successional stage of the canopy and the season, the LAI-2000 may underestimate LAI by 17% to over 40%. In the dry season, the instrument overestimated LAI by the contribution of the woody area index. Examination of the seasonal variation in LAI for three successional stages in a tropical dry forest indicated differences in timing of leaf fall according to successional stage and functional group (i.e., lianas and trees). We conclude that when calculating LAI from optical estimates, it is necessary to account for the differences between values obtained from optical and semi-direct techniques. In addition, to calculate LAI from litter collected in traps, specific leaf area must be calculated for each species rather than from a mean value for multiple species.     

Estimating leaf area index in different types of mature forest stands in Switzerland: a comparison of methods

Leaf area index (LAI) was estimated at 15 sites in the Swiss Long-Term Forest Ecosystem Research Programme (LWF) in 2004–2005 using two indirect techniques: the LAI-2000 plant canopy analyzer (Licor Inc.) and digital hemispherical photography, applying several exposure settings. Hemispherical photographs of the canopy were analysed using Hemisfer, a software package that offers several new features, which were tested here: (1) automatic thresholding taking the gamma value of the picture into account; (2) implementation of several equations to solve the gap-fraction inversion model from which LAI estimates are derived; (3) correction for ground slope effects, and (4) correction for clumped canopies. In seven broadleaved stands in our sample set, LAI was also estimated semi-directly from litterfall. The various equations used to solve the gap-fraction inversion model generated significantly different estimates for the LAI-2000 measurements. In contrast, the same equations applied in Hemisfer did not produce significantly different estimates. The best relationship between the LAI-2000 and the Hemisfer estimates was obtained when the hemispherical photographs were overexposed by one to two stops compared with the exposure setting derived from the reading of a spotmeter in a canopy gap. There was no clear general relationship between the litterfall and the LAI-2000 or the hemispherical photographs estimates. This was probably due to the heterogeneity of the canopy, or to biased litterfall collection at sites on steep slopes or sites subject to strong winds. This study introduces new arguments into the comparison of the advantages and drawbacks of the LAI-2000 and hemispherical photography in terms of applicability and accuracy.     

Optical and litter collection methods for measuring leaf area index in an old-growth temperate forest in northeastern China

Hemispherical photographs combined with litter collection were applied to determine seasonal dynamics of leaf area index (LAI) between the period of maximum leaf area and the leafless period from an old-growth temperate forest in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, northeastern China. Our objective is to explore the change in the relationship between “true” LAI and effective LAI (calculated only from hemispherical photography) and to find the best LAI estimation models. Effective LAI in November is corrected for contribution of woody material and clumping at shoot and beyond shoot levels, to give minimum “true” LAI. The “true” LAI in each period is estimated as a sum of the minimum “true” LAI and litter collection LAI in each period. Power function regression calibration models were then carried out between “true” LAI and effective LAI in each period and the entire litter-fall period. Then, significance tests were applied to detect the differences among different models. The results showed that the average “true” LAI ranged from 2.74 ± 0.54 on November 1 to 6.64 ± 1.34 on July 1. For the entire season, average effective LAI was 53.16 % lower than the average “true” LAI. After significance tests, calibration models were classified into two types: (1) maximum LAI period and the period of maximum leaf fall; (2) the period during which leaves began falling and all deciduous leaves had fallen. Based on our experience, we believe that the classified models can produce reliable and accurate LA1 values for the needle and broad-leaved mixed forest stands under the non-destructive condition.     

Allometry and evaluation of in situ optical LAI determination in Scots pine: a case study in Belgium

We evaluated several optical methods for in situ estimation of leaf area index (LAI) in a Belgian Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stand. The results obtained were compared with LAI determined from allometric relationships established in the same stand. We found high correlations between branch cross-sectional area, diameter at breast height (DBH) and basal area as dependent variables, and leaf mass, needle area and crown projection as independent variables. We then compared LAI estimated by allometry with LAI determined by three optical methods (LAI-2000, TRAC and digital hemispherical photography) both before and after corrections for blue light scattering, clumping and non-leafy material. Estimates of stand LAI of Scots pine ranged from 1.52 for hemispherical photography to 3.57 for the allometric estimate based on DBH. There was no significant difference (alpha = 0.01) between the allometric LAI estimates and the optical LAI values corrected for blue light scattering, clumping and interception by non-leafy material. However, we observed high sensitivity of the optical LAI estimates to the various conversion factors, particularly to the clumping factor, indicating the need for caution when correcting LAI measured by optical methods.     

Estimation of LAI in the forested watershed using ASTER data based on Price’s model in summer and winter

Leaf area index (LAI) is an important parameter to identify the water balance in forested watershed as a biological factor influencing directly on the evapotranspiration in the forest area. The purpose of this study was to estimate the LAI in a small forested watershed in summer and winter by applying the Terra/Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data to the LAI estimation method. In this study, the estimation was based on the absorption and scattering processes of the solar radiation in the vegetation canopy and the spectral reflectance characteristics of soil vegetation. First, we estimated LAI based on Price’s model by application of ASTER data on the forested watershed located in the Tenzan Mountains of Saga, Japan. To validate the results of LAI estimation, secondly, we compared them to the measured LAI obtained by a plant canopy analyzer (LAI-2000) on the observation area inside the target region. This study showed that the LAI estimation method was a feasible and accurate method as indicated by the high relationship (r = 0.97) between LAI derived from ASTER data and LAI measured by LAI-2000. This paper is the first report on LAI estimation using Terra/ASTER data based on Price’s model and field investigation. This LAI estimation method is a reliable and applicable method.     

Importance of woody materials for seasonal variation in leaf area index from optical methods in a deciduous needleleaf forest

Woody materials (woody area index, WAI) is a key error source in estimating leaf area index (LAI) by optical methods, but how to correct the error caused by WAI during different seasons has not reached consensus. In this study, effective plant area index (PAI_e) was first estimated using two indirect optical methods (digital hemispherical photography, DHP, and LAI-2000) in a deciduous needleleaf forest, and then four different schemes for correcting the contribution of WAI to PAI_e were tested here. We also directly estimated the seasonality of LAI by a litter collection method and an allometric method. Directly subtracting WAI from PAI resulted in a greater degree of uncertainty in correcting seasonal changes of PAI_e from both DHP and LAI-2000. Therefore, we introduced a new correction factor, the stem-to-total area ratio, which was reasonable and useful for quantifying seasonal changes in the contribution of WAI to PAI_e. We finally recommend a practical scheme for correcting PAI_e from both DHP and LAI-2000, with accuracies as high as 88% and 87% during most growing seasons, respectively. Additionally, LAI values estimated from allometry were concordant with those estimated from litter collection, indicating that the allometry method is useful for tracking seasonal changes in LAI.     

Effects of leaf aggregation in a broad-leaf canopy on estimates of leaf area index by the gap-fraction method

We compared leaf area index (LAI) estimates of a broad-leaf tropical hardwood, Metrosideros polymorpha Gaud (‘Ōhi’a), using a optical method (LI-COR LAI-2000) and direct determination (harvest and allometry). There was a strong correlation between LAI estimates by the two methods, but direct estimates were higher than the optical estimates by a factor of 2.44. The ratio of harvest leaf area to projected leaf area within twigs was similar (2.42) to that of whole plots, suggesting that aggregation of leaves at this scale of branching may account for most of the underestimate by the optical method. The within-branch ratio of actual to projected leaf area did not differ among three sites on three islands of varying land surface age but similar climate, suggesting that a correction factor determined by harvest could be used to adjust optical estimates of LAI in other M. polymorpha forests.     

城市绿地园林树种叶面积指数测定方法研究——以小叶榕为例

分别采用半球面影像技术和LAI-2000冠层分析仪对华南地区最常用园林树种小叶榕(Ficus microcarpa)的叶面积指数(Leaf Area Index,LAI)进行测定、比较和分析。研究表明,2种测量仪器所测LAI值存在极显著正相关(P<0.001);用半球面影像技术测量的LAI值与冠幅、胸径和树高之间也存在极显著一元线性关系,构建回归模型分别为:LAI=0.0444Cw+1.6526,LAI=0.0088D+1.8327,LAI=0.0543H+1.6404;通过模型可估测小叶榕单株的叶面积指数,达到95%的置信区间的估测值范围。     

A comparison of red spruce and balsam fir shoot structures

I compared the shoot structures of high-elevation red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.). Needle widths, thicknesses and perimeters were measured to estimate total leaf areas from measured projected leaf areas. Measured needle perimeter/needle width ratios differed significantly from estimated ratios that assumed needles were either rhomboidal or elliptical in cross section. The vertical and horizontal silhouette shoot area to total leaf area ratios (STAR(v) and STAR(h)) of the two species were negatively correlated with needle packing and canopy height. Red spruce had higher values of STAR(v) than balsam fir at each canopy height, but STAR(v) declined with canopy height at a similar rate in the two species. The STAR(h) values of the two species did not differ significantly at a given canopy height. Needle packing increased with canopy height at the same rate in the two species. Needle weight increased in red spruce and decreased in balsam fir with increased needle packing, but showed no significant dependence on canopy height. Red spruce had higher values of STAR(h) than balsam fir at low values of needle packing, but STAR(h) values converged at high values of needle packing. The generally comparable values of STAR, along with similar needle diameters, may imply that red spruce and balsam fir have similar collection efficiencies of wet and dry particles. Measurements of STAR may be used to estimate leaf area indices (LAI) more accurately when using indirect techniques.     

黄土高原区不同密度刺槐林冠层结构特征及月动态变化

为合理经营黄土高原区刺槐人工林,利用LAI-2200植物冠层分析仪,研究了不同密度刺槐人工林冠层结构特征及月变化。结果表明:密度对LAI(叶面积指数)有影响,随着密度的增加,林分叶面积指数趋于一致;在生长月份上,LAI为先增后降趋势,最大值出现在6月底。密度与冠层开度呈显著负相关,随着密度的增加,刺槐林DIFN明显降低,925～1 125株/hm2与其他3个密度林分有显著性差异;DIFN(无截取散射)随月份的变化均呈"V"字型变化,在6月底至8月初DIFN最低。密度与MTA(平均叶倾角)呈显著正相关,密度在925～1 125株/hm2范围的刺槐林分,叶片几乎处于水平状态,其他3种密度林分MTA均在40°～50°之间有最大分布频率,而月份对MTA影响不显著。对叶面积指数与冠层开度进行回归分析,发现两者之间呈指数回归关系(R2=0.998)。     

Decreasing the error in the measurement of the ecosystem effective leaf area index of a Pinus massoniana forest

Decreasing the forest ecosystem leaf-area index error(LAIe)helps accurately estimate the growth and light energy utilization of aboveground foliage.Analyzing light transmission in forest ecosystems can effectively determine LAIe.The LAI-2200 plant canopy analyzer(PCA)is used extensively for rapid field-effective LAI(LAIe)measurements and primarily to measure forest canopy LAIe values.However,sometimes this parameter must also be measured in forests with small clearings.In this study,we used the LAI-2200 PCA to obtain one A-value and four B-values each for the canopy,herbaceous layer,and forest ecosystem LAIe.Field measurements showed that the three LAIe types were obviously different.In certain quadrats,the average herbaceous layer(Dicranopteris dichotoma Bernh.)LAIe apparently exceeded that of the Pinus massoniana forest ecosystem.The sources of this error were measuring and recording A-value readings for small canopies and underestimating the ecosystem LAIe.We obtained similar coefficients of determination for both the pre-recomputation and post-recomputation of the canopy and forest ecosystem LAIe(R^2C 0.96 and R^2C 0.99,respectively);thus,the error was decreased.Measuring field LAIe with the LAI-2200 PCA and recomputation should compensate for LAIe underestimation in complex forest ecosystems.     

Validation of an efficient visual method for estimating leaf area index in clonal Eucalyptus plantations

Leaf area index (LAI) is a key ecophysiological parameter in forest stands because it characterises the interface between atmospheric processes and plant physiology. Several indirect methods for estimating LAI have been developed. However, these methods have limitations that can affect the estimates. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of a visual method for estimating LAI in clonal Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla plantations and to compare it with hemispherical photography, ceptometer and LAI-2000^® estimates. Destructive sampling for direct determination of the actual LAI was performed in 22 plots at two geographical locations in Brazil. Actual LAI values were then used to develop a field guide with photographic images representing an LAI range of 1.0–5.0 m² m^?2 (leaf area/ground area). The visual LAI estimation guide was evaluated with 17 observers in the field. The average difference between actual LAI and visual LAI estimation was 12% and the absolute difference between the two methods was less than or equal to 0.5 m² m^?2 in 77% of plots. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were high between actual LAI and hemispherical photographs (0.8), visual estimation (0.93) and LAI-2000^® (0.99) and low for the ceptometer (0.18). However, absolute values differed among methods, with the average difference between the actual and estimated LAI of [12]% for visual estimation, 28% for the LAI-2000^®, 37% for the ceptometer and ?43% for hemispherical photographs. The LAI-2000^® and ceptometer overestimated LAI in all plots, whereas hemispherical photographs underestimated the values in all measurements, showing that these methods need calibration to be used. No differences were observed between actual LAI and visual estimates across stand ages of 2–8 years and LAI of 1.5–5.3 m² m^?2 (P > 0.05). The results show that visual estimation of LAI in Eucalyptus stands is a practical method that is unaffected by atmospheric characteristics and can be used on an operational scale.     

Use of Digital Photography for Analysis of Canopy Closure

The relationships between trees and understory crops are very important in agroforestry systems. Also, above ground interactions can be related to canopy structure. However, measurements of canopy structural parameters, either destructive or indirect, are time-consuming or prohibitively expensive. The present work explored the use of digital photography as a simple method to characterise the extent of canopy closure (CC), defined as the area of tree canopies projected onto the horizontal ground surface beneath, and expressed as a percentage of the ground covered. Measurements were made in two Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus nitens, Deane and Maiden) plantations and a subtropical mixed legume woodland dominated by Albizia (Albizia sp), Kidneywood (Eysenhardtia sp.) and Desert Fern (Lysiloma sp.). Images were captured at dawn to minimise light scattering and the number of sunlit foliage elements. Mean CC estimates provided by analysis of images obtained using digital cameras with contrasting performance, a Kodak DC-120 and a Canon EOS D1, were similar in precision and accuracy both between the two cameras and to those provided by a Li-Cor LAI-2000 canopy analyser. Bias between the estimates provided by the Kodak and Canon cameras was –0.02, between the Kodak and LAI-2000 was –0.07 and between the Canon and LAI-2000 was –0.05. Data from a pruning experiment using alder also demonstrated the repeatability of estimates obtained with a photographic method using the Kodak camera. The number of ring sensors within the LAI-2000 used to estimate CC affected agreement between the photographic method and the LAI-2000.     

Canopy Structure and Leaf Area Index in a Mature Scots Pine Forest

The projected leaf area index (LAI) of a mature stand of Scotspine (Pinus sylvestris L.) at Thetford Forest, south-east Englandwas measured by sampling the needle populations on harvestedand wind-thrown trees covering the range of girth sizes. Thevertical distribution of leaf area for individual trees waspolymodal while that for the canopy as a whole was adequatelydescribed by the curve for a normal distribution with the inclusionof a term for positive skewness. The fitted curve defined themidpoint of the canopy at a height of 14.3 m and the standarddeviation of leaf area with respect to height as 13% of thecanopy depth. The fitted curve explained 90 per cent of thevariation and the estimates of the parameters were close tothe measured values. Using previous measurements showing that needle production andfall could be described by linear regression equations, a modelwas developed to predict the annual changes of current and oldneedles in a closed canopy. The maximum LAI at Thetford was2.73 on 12th August of which 36 per cent was new (current) needles.Leaf area index varied by only 7 per cent between November toMay inclusive; higher values occurred between June and Octoberat times of potentially high photosynthetic and transpirationrates. The leaf characteristics of the stand were similar to thoseof a stand of Scots pine of similar age at Roseisle in north-eastScotland.     

Conversion of total leaf area to projected leaf area in lodgepole pine and Douglas-fir

Three definitions of leaf area index (LAI) in the literature have no predictable relationship with each other. Factors were derived for converting total LAI to projected LAI of horizontal leaves and to projected LAI for inclined leaves of lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta Dougl. var. latifolia Engelm.) and coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) to allow comparison of results from different studies. An algorithm was derived to allow determination of these factors based on twig angles and the angles that the foliage subtends with the twig. Allowances were made for both the vertical and horizontal components of projection. The value of the factor for converting total LAI to projected LAI for inclined leaves was 0.229 + 0.0032 for lodgepole pine and 0.230 + 0.0037 for Douglas-fir. Sensitivity analysis established that this conversion factor was more sensitive to differences in vertical angles of the twigs than to twig rotation or foliar arrangement on the twig.     

Vascular tissue anatomy of Norway spruce needles and twigs in relation to magnesium deficiency

Vascular tissues of needles and twigs of Norway spruce with low foliar magnesium concentrations were examined by light microscopy. Observations were made on samples from (1) apparently healthy trees, (2) trees exhibiting progressive symptoms of decline, including the yellowing and fall of needles and the death of twigs and branches in the subapical canopy, and (3) trees recovering from symptoms of decline after fertilization with magnesium sulfate. Abnormalities in cambium and phloem anatomy, which were apparent in 2-year-old needles of declining trees, were seen only in needles at least 4 years old in healthy trees, suggesting that needles of declining trees are susceptible to precocious aging. Abnormalities in xylem anatomy were observed in needles 3 years or more in age in declining trees, but were never seen in needles of healthy trees. Over time, anatomical abnormalities in declining trees were seen in progressively younger twigs, which may explain the acropetal development of decline symptoms. After fertilization with magnesium sulfate, normal phloem and xylem were observed in the newly formed tissues.     

Modeling radiation transfer within the canopy of a Chinese fir plantation

Calculation of radiation transfer within the canopy of a plantation on sloped sites is described. The canopy was assumed to consist of evenly cone-shaped crowns. Within-tree shading by object tree and between-tree shading by tree crowns around the object tree were differentiated. The two-dimensional needle area density (NAD) was introduced in the calculation of radiation transfer and interception. The model was validated with measurements of both daily photosynthetic photo flux density (PPFD) and daily photosynthetic radiation at tens of points within the crown of a 17-year-old Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation growing on a sloped site. Simulation showed that modeled data closely matched measurements. Simulation errors likely result from the uneven size of tree crowns, irregular crown shape, grouping of needles to shoots and twigs, etc. Scattering radiation amounted to below 10%, in most cases, of daily radiation, and its uncertainty was relatively small.     

Landscape pattern and spatial variability of leaf area index in Eastern Amazonia

Uncertainties about the implications of land-cover heterogeneity on the Amazonian carbon (C) and water cycles are, in part, related to the lack of information about spatial patterns of key variables that control these fluxes at the regional scale. Leaf area index (LAI) is one of these key variables, regulating a number of ecosystem processes (e.g. evaporation, transpiration and photosynthesis). In order to generate a sampling strategy for LAI across a section of Amazonia, we generated a landscape unit (LU) map for the Tapajós region, Eastern Amazonia, as a basis for stratification. We identified seven primary forest classes, stratified according to vegetation and/or terrain characteristics, and one secondary forest class, covering 80% of the region. Primary forest units were the most representative, covering 62% of the total area. The LAI measurements were carried out in 13 selected LUs. In each LU, we marked out three 50 m × 50 m plots giving a total number of 39 plots (9.75 ha). A pair of LAI-2000 plant canopy analysers was used to estimate LAI. We recorded a total of 25 LAI measurements within each plot. We used the field data to verify the statistical distribution of LAI samples, analyse the LAI variability within and among sites, and show the influence of sample size on LAI variation and precision. The LAI showed a high coefficient of variation at the plot level (0.25 ha), from 5.2% to 23%, but this was reduced at the landscape unit level (three co-located plots, 1.8–12%). The level of precision was <10% and 15% at the plot and landscape unit level, respectively. The LAI decreased from a dense lowland forest site (5.10) to a secondary forest (3.46) and to a pasture site (1.56). We found evidence for differences in the scale of spatial heterogeneity of closed canopy forest versus open canopy forest and palm forests. Landscape variables could, in part, explain differences in LAI among forest sites, and land use is an important modifier of LAI patterns. The stratified LAI sampling proposed in the present study could cope with three important aspects of C and water fluxes modelling: (1) optimise the information obtained from field measurements, which is an advance for models parameterisation, compared to the usual random sampling; (2) generate information for a subsequent scaling up of point field measurements to surfaces covering the whole region; and (3) build a useful basis for validation of estimations, based on remote sensing data, of LAI in the Tapajós region. The variability of LAI in the Tapajós region showed that this variable is a source of uncertainty for large-scale process modelling.