Estimating canopy cover in Scots pine stands

Abstract

The way canopy cover is defined and measured influences the obtained canopy cover percentage. Estimates of canopy cover are needed, for example, in canopy radiation modelling and remote sensing applications and as a tool for political decision-making. In this paper, we demonstrated the use of two methods, the LAI-2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer instrument and the Cajanus tube, in Scots pine stands for canopy cover estimation, and also assessed the number of measurement points required for reliable estimates. The Cajanus tube yielded slightly larger canopy closure values than the LAI-2000 instrument, but the values were nevertheless in good agreement. Both of the methods required approximately 250 measurement points for canopy closure estimates of a stand to become relatively stable. We also present the first measured effective canopy transmittance values for Scots pine stands in Finland and an example of tree pattern mapping with the Cajanus tube.