Leaf Area Index Images, Cumberland Plain SuperSite, Core 1 ha, 2016

Leaf area index (LAI) can be defined as the total one sided area of leaf tissue per unit area of ground and is a key derived parameter that is associated with water and light interception, radiation transfer, water and carbon exchange. Canopy cover can be defined as the fraction of ground shaded by the vertical projection of tree crowns. These measures may be used as proxies for actual canopy leaf area. Leaf area index is the preferred measure of cover for vegetation and is a key variable used in total biomass estimation and in carbon cycling prediction models. Indirect measures of LAI include digital photographic methods using flat or hemispherical images, referred to respectively as Digital Cover Photography (DCP) and (Digital Hemispheric Photography (DHP). LAI measurements are carried out at each SuperSite using the most appropriate method for the vegetation type present. Digital Cover Photography (DCP) was carried out at the Cumberland Plain SuperSite, Core 1 ha on 18 Mar and 12 Oct 2016. The protocol followed the SuperSite Vegetation Monitoring protocol (http://www.supersites.net.au/publications-and-resources/resources-for-supersiteusers) using the Digital Canopy Photography method. Photopoints were located at 10 m intervals along the 10 Gentry Transects (11 photos per transect). Leaf Area Index images are available for viewing and download from the TERN SuperSites BioImage Portal http://bioimages.supersites.net.au/data/lai/cblp/default叶面积指数（Leaf Area Index, LAI）可定义为单位地面面积上植物叶片组织的单侧总表面积，是与水分与光线截留、辐射传输、水碳交换密切相关的关键衍生参数。冠层盖度（Canopy cover）可定义为树冠垂直投影所遮蔽的地面比例。此类指标可作为实际冠层叶面积的替代表征。叶面积指数是植被盖度的优选衡量指标，亦是总生物量估算与碳循环预测模型中的核心变量。 叶面积指数的间接测量方法包括采用平拍或半球摄影的数字摄影技术，分别称为数字冠层摄影（Digital Cover Photography, DCP）与数字半球摄影（Digital Hemispheric Photography, DHP）。各超级样地（SuperSite）会依据所在植被类型选用最适配的方法开展叶面积指数测量。 本次研究在坎伯兰平原超级样地（Cumberland Plain SuperSite）的1公顷核心样地，分别于2016年3月18日与10月12日采用数字冠层摄影法开展测量。该实验流程遵循超级样地植被监测规程（http://www.supersites.net.au/publications-and-resources/resources-for-supersiteusers）中的数字冠层摄影方法。摄影点位沿10条金特里样带（Gentry Transects）以10米间隔布设，每条样带拍摄11张照片。 叶面积指数影像可通过TERN超级样地生物影像门户（TERN SuperSites BioImage Portal）进行查看与下载，访问网址为http://bioimages.supersites.net.au/data/lai/cblp/default。