The values of leaf area index (LAI) were optically measured with digital hemispherical photography in deciduous Populus euphratica Oliv forests in the Tarim River Basin, China, and then they are estimated and analyzed. Circular fisheye photography was compared with another alternative indirect method (cover photography) for estimating LAI. The purpose of the study was to develop a practical estimation mode for measuring and estimating LAI in arid areas. The results derived by the rapid and automatic analysis of cover images using WinSCANOPY 2006 are similar to that derived by the manual image analysis using Adobe Photoshop. Estimated results of LAI from cover photography are more ideal than that from circular fisheye photography to correlate with LAI from destructive sampling.
['Zhongguo Ma', 'Xi Chen', 'Guli Japper', 'Cun Chang']
Study on LAI Estimation of Broadleaf Forests in Arid Areas Using Digital Hemispherical Photography - A Case Study in the Tarim River Basin, China