Rapid, reliable and objective estimations of leaf area index (LAI), defined as one half the total intercepting area per unit ground surface area, are essential for numerous studies of atmosphere-vegetation interaction, as LAI is very often a critical parameter in process-based models of canopy response to global environmental change. The usefulness of indirect optical LAI measurements by means of hemispherical canopy photography has already been demonstrated in that context. LAI is then calculated by gap fraction inversion. As a standardized protocol is needed for digital hemispherical canopy photography, virtual 3-D canopy stand models can be used to develop, validate and optimize data processing from these photographs.

Date Published: 19 October 2005
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 5976, Remote Sensing for Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Hydrology VII, 597613 (19 October 2005); doi: 10.1117/12.627648

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 5976:
Remote Sensing for Agriculture, Ecosystems, and Hydrology VII
Manfred Owe; Guido D'Urso, Editor(s)