Forest canopy cover and canopy closure: comparison of assessment techniques

Abstract

The article, in relation to the importance of canopy cover as stand density and biodiversity indicator, describes the main related field measurement techniques. In particular the authors emphasize the distinction between canopy cover and canopy closure when forest cover is usually measured through the current techniques. After a conceptual clarification the study focuses on the comparison of three ground-based canopy cover estimation techniques and two ground-based canopy closure estimation techniques, analyzing the data collected in a test carried out on Alpine stands. As expected, the results indicate that some techniques [GRS densiometer, visual estimation and hemispherical photographs (HP) assessed with a narrow angle of view] are more suitable to measure canopy cover, while others (spherical densiometer and HP with a wide angle of view) are more adapted to estimate canopy closure. In general, the techniques that use a wide angle of view tend to overestimate the canopy cover.