A Spatial Relationship between Canopy and Understory Leaf Area Index in an Old-Growth Cool-Temperate Deciduous Forest

Quantification of leaf area index (LAI) is essential for understanding forest productivity and the atmosphere–vegetation interface, where the majority of gas and energy exchange occurs. LAI is one of the most difficult plant variables to adequately quantify, owing to large spatial and temporal variability, and few studies have examined the horizontal and vertical distribution of LAI in forest ecosystems. In this study, we demonstrated the LAI distribution in each layer from the understory to canopy using multiple-point measurements (121 points) and examined the relationships among layers in a cool-temperate deciduous forest. LAI at each point, and the spatial distribution of LAI in each layer, varied within the forest. The spatial distribution of LAI in the upper layer was more heterogeneous than that of LAI at the scale of the entire forest. Significant negative correlations were observed between the upper- and lower-layer LAI. Our results indicate that the understory compensates for gaps in LAI in the upper layer; thus, the LAI of the entire forest tends to remain spatially homogeneous even in a mature forest ecosystem.

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Temporal disparity in leaf chlorophyll content and leaf area index across a growing season in a temperate deciduous forest

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation ◽

10.1016/j.jag.2014.06.005 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 312-320 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

H. Croft ◽

J.M. Chen ◽

Y. Zhang

Keyword(s):

Leaf Area Index ◽

Leaf Area ◽

Chlorophyll Content ◽

Deciduous Forest ◽

Growing Season ◽

Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽

Area Index ◽

Leaf Chlorophyll ◽

Temperate Deciduous ◽

Temporal Disparity

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Using digital cover photography to track the canopy recovery process following a typhoon disturbance in a cool–temperate deciduous forest

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/cjfr-2018-0005 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 48 (7) ◽

pp. 740-748 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Motomu Toda ◽

Taro Nakai ◽

Yuji Kodama ◽

Toshihiko Hara

Keyword(s):

Leaf Area ◽

Deciduous Forest ◽

Extreme Event ◽

Climate Extremes ◽

Ecological Implication ◽

Temperate Deciduous Forest ◽

Area Index ◽

Typhoon Disturbance ◽

Cool Temperate ◽

Temperate Deciduous

Climate extremes impact the function, structure, and composition of terrestrial ecosystems, while ecosystem responses to climate extremes differ with variations in frequency, intensity, and timing of the extreme event. We examined the canopy recovery processes following a typhoon disturbance in a cool–temperate deciduous forest in northern Japan based on 6-year data of canopy coverage imagery using a digital cover photography (DCP) approach that estimates canopy metrics relevant to leaf and woody masses, spatial dynamics, or arrangement of foliage elements. The DCP-derived imagery detected increases in leaf area index and foliage cover within 2∼3 years after the typhoon (i.e., recovery to the pre-typhoon state). Meanwhile, the recovery in leaf area and foliage cover observed after 6 years resulted from a spatial re-arrangement of the foliage elements (i.e., small within-crown gap fraction, foliage clumping) with increasing canopy space availability. Thus, the recovery of the spatial arrangement of foliage elements after the typhoon to the pre-typhoon state takes longer than the recovery of the leaf and woody masses. This study provides an important ecological implication in terms of possible resilience adaptation for ecosystem function and structure following extreme climate events.

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