Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Leaf Area Index (LAI) Bear Brook Watershed (West of Watershed 6)

Leaf area index (LAI) of the mature deciduous forest in the Bear Brook watershed (west of WS6) at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is estimated on the basis of leaf litterfall collections; the raw data for litterfall are posted in the EDI data package – Fine Litterfall Data at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, 1992 – present (https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?scope=knb-lter-hbr&identifier=49). Leaf litterfall collected in 0.097 m2 litter traps is sorted by species. The number of leaves of each species is counted. The counts are multiplied by the average area per leaf for each species in each plot to estimate LAI. Litter traps are located randomly within each of four plots that are arranged along the elevation gradient within the deciduous forest zone. These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station.

哈伯德布鲁克实验林（Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest）内熊溪流域（WS6西侧）的成熟落叶林叶面积指数（Leaf Area Index, LAI）通过落叶凋落物收集数据估算得到；凋落物原始数据已发布于EDI数据包《哈伯德布鲁克实验林细凋落物数据（1992年至今）》，链接为https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?scope=knb-lter-hbr&identifier=49。研究人员使用面积为0.097平方米的凋落物收集器采集落叶，按物种对收集到的凋落物进行分类并统计各物种的叶片数量，将该计数结果乘以各物种在对应样地中的单叶平均面积，以此估算叶面积指数（LAI）。凋落物收集器随机布置于沿落叶林带海拔梯度设置的4个样地内。本数据集作为哈伯德布鲁克生态系统研究（Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study, HBES）的一部分采集所得，该研究为哈伯德布鲁克实验林的合作项目，实验林由美国农业部林务局北部研究站运营维护。