I think of leaf pigment analysis. But I would like something easier to perform, like the average colour of the canopy monitored by photography. Would leaf area index also help to it?
Thank you in advance.
leaf shedding can be an effective indicator and requires simple net bags at 1 m from soil level. Also canopy prosity for light can be used by taking upward picturesas in http://www.resecol.wur.nl/gest/privateGEST/Australia/Papers/Williams%201997%20savanna%20phenology.pdf of R. Williams et al.
Dear Miguel.
It is a good idea to monitor the canopy via photography. But I think comparative laboratory analyses of the pigments are necessary. If you have a huge amount of samples, you can also choose to use a portable device, like a chlorophyll meter. It depicts the relative chlorophyll content (usually) non-dimensional, so in this case its necessary to measure a calibration curve for your species. Witch measurements should follow?
Vera
Thank you both, Guido and Vera, for your thoughts on the subject. I want to measure volatile compounds at the canopy level. I also consider that pigment analysis would be the best estimate of senescence process before shedding, when litter traps could be also used. But I am more interested in monitoring the leaf physiological response to the senescence process through VOC emissions. I did not know about the chlorophyll meter, it looks to be a fast device and very reliable to my purpose, because we could have a large number of measures through the plantation and obtain a nice average value week by week, for example. Thank you!
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