Can Leaf area meter and leaf area index meter do the same job in case of canopy properties data sampling of trees? Elaborate answer is solicited please.
Regards,
I dont think , there is much difference . Knowing the leaf area is essential for studies involving photosynthesis as well. The accuracy of a leaf-level photosynthesis measurement is dependent on the accuracy of the leaf area measurement. Leaf-level photosynthesis measurements are reported as the number of micromoles of carbon dioxide assimilated per unit time and leaf area.Leaf area index (LAI) is a dimensionless quantity that characterizes plant canopies. It is defined as the one-sided green leaf area per unit ground surface area (LAI = leaf area / ground area, m2 / m2) in broad leaf canopies.LAI is used to predict photosynthetic primary production, evapotranspiration and as a reference tool for crop growth. As such, LAI plays an essential role in theoretical production ecology. Please go through the review cited below:
Ground-based measurements of leaf area index: a review of methods, instruments and current controversies ,Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 54, No. 392, pp. 2403±2417, November 2003
Abstract: Leaf area index (LAI) is the total one-sided area of leaf tissue per unit ground surface area. It is a key parameter in ecophysiology, especially for scaling up the gas exchange from leaf to canopy level. It characterizes the canopy±atmosphere interface, where most of the energy ¯uxes exchange. It is also one of the
most dif®cult to quantify properly, owing to large spatial and temporal variability. Many methods have been developed to quantify LAI from the ground and some of them are also suitable for describing other structural parameters of the canopy. This paper reviews the direct and indirect methods, the required instruments, their advantages, disadvantages and accuracy of the results. Analysis of the literature shows that most cross-validations between direct and indirect methods have pointed to a signi®cant underestimation of LAI with the latter techniques, especially in forest stands. The two main causes for the discrepancy, clumping and contribution of stem and branches, are discussed and some recent theoretical or technical solutions are presented as potential improvements to reduce bias or discrepancies. The accuracy, sampling strategy and spatial validity of the LAI measurements have to be assessed for quality assurance of both the measurement and the modelling purposes of all the LAI-dependent ecophysiological and biophysical processes of canopies. ..PDF enclosed
Dear Sir,
Why not to try imageJ software. It is jus a suggestion. It works for several researchers and it helps me a lot.
Dear Sir Anoop Kumar Srivastava,
thanks for your elaborated answer. However, i mean to ask that if leaf area meter is available to me instead of LAI meter, how can I change my strategy to take the LAI readings from fruit trees for example. how should i take the readings from leaf area meter and then convert into leaf area index readings/measurements? pl explain if considerable.
regards,
As such, leaf area meter is meant to measure the individual leaf area. This instrument cannot be used for field measurement of LAI, because it is impracticable to measure the area of an entire canopy of leaves. Hence we have to use an instrument such as the Li-Cor Canopy analyser. Of course you can work out the LAI if you know the leaf area, which may be practicable in a green house experiment or so.
Yes leaf area meter give observation for individual leaf while LAI to needed for crown cover or canopies in a plantation or forest. So same will not be used. Canopy analyzer . Forest canopy density also gives similar result in percent.
The use of the normalized-difference vegetation index (NDVI) has also had some success in a larger scale to estimate LAI. One example:
Wilson, T.B. and Meyers, T.P., 2007. Determining vegetation indices from solar and photosynthetically active radiation fluxes. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 144(3), pp.160-179.
Also there is a need to easily measure individual leaf area in the field. If you need this there is a leaf area app project (Leafscan):
https://www.researchgate.net/project/Leafscan-iOS-app-for-measuring-leaf-surface-area
Pablo
Which Leaf Area Meter you suggest for taking LAI for research purposes?
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