Leaf Area Index (LAI): The Researcher’s Complete Guide
Leaf area index is a single number–a statistical snapshot of a canopy taken at one particular time. But that one number can lead to significant insight.
The Expert Guide to Leaf Area Index: Theory, Methods, and Application
Plant physiologist Jeff Ritter explains the practical application of Leaf Area Index and how this measurement will transform your research.
The ins and outs of LAI
Leaf Area Index (LAI) has vast implications across land use management, ecology, and any project impacted by gross primary productivity (GPP). But multiple measurement methods make the process of choosing the best method for your application confusing. How do you balance accuracy and labor efforts? Join us February 27th, 2024 at 9am PST to find out.
In this webinar, METER’s Product Manager for plant, canopy, and atmospheric monitoring, Jeff Ritter, will discuss:
- What is LAI?
- Why measure LAI?
- Direct sampling methods, including litter traps
- Indirect ground-based methods, including hemispherical photography
- The difference between transmittance and reflectance methods
- Satellite-based approaches
- How to choose the right method for your project that balances precision and labor intensity
Presenter
Jeff Ritter is the Product Manager for plant, canopy, and atmospheric monitoring instrumentation here at METER. He earned his master’s degree in plant physiology from Washington State University, where his research focused on leaf-level gas exchange, and the impact of plant biochemistry on the measurement of the global carbon cycle. Prior to working at METER, he held a research faculty position at Washington State University in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences.
Next steps
- Link to slideshare
- Educational Guide: The researcher’s complete guide to Leaf Area Index (LAI)
- Measure LAI with the LP-80 ceptometer
- Related webinar: 5 Insider Tips—How to Be Fieldwork Ready
- Podcast: Episode 21 – Understanding the Language of Plants
- Related webinar: Radiation Resource Capture: Are You Leaving Yield On The Table?
- Request a ZENTRA Cloud live demo
Questions?
Our scientists have decades of experience helping researchers and growers measure the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum.
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