Sunfleck Ceptometer Research Articles

Non-destructive measurement of canopy cover is an alternative to biomass sampling at anthesis to predict yield of canola-quality Brassica juncea

Biomass at anthesis is an important trait in predicting yield of Brassica oilseeds in environments where seed filling occurs in dry and warm conditions. This study aimed to compare the ability of non-destructive canopy cover measurements (Sunfleck ceptometer and digital photography) with direct biomass sampling at anthesis to predict the yield of canola-quality B. juncea (juncea canola) hybrids. Field experiments were conducted in the Victorian Mallee (226-248 mm annual rainfall) and the Wimmera (266-407 mm annual rainfall) regions from 2012 to 2014. Nineteen juncea canola genotypes were sown in the first year and 10 to 11 genotypes in the subsequent two years of field experiments. The experimental plots were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Days to 50% flowering, canopy cover and biomass at 50% flowering and seed yield were recorded. The study concluded that at low rainfall sites (<250 mm annual rainfall), the canopy cover measurements had consistent and significant positive relationships with biomass at anthesis (r 2 =0.43-0.61 in 2012 and r 2 =0.72 in 2013) and seed yield (r 2 =0.25-0.41 in 2012 and r 2 =0.51 in 2013). Canopy cover also showed a positive and significant relationship with early flowering (r 2 =0.52 in 2012 and r 2 =0.60 in 2013) at the relatively low rainfall site. These results suggest that non-destructive canopy cover measurement could replace direct biomass sampling at anthesis in prediction of yield of juncea canola hybrids in low rainfall environments.

Can we use photography to estimate radiation interception by a crop canopy?

Accuracy of determining radiation interception, and hence radiation use efficiency, depends on the method of measuring photosynthetically active radiation intercepted. Methods vary, from expensive instruments such as Sunfleck ceptometers to simple methods such as digital photography. However, before universal use of digital photography there is need to determine its reliability and compare it with conventional, but expensive, methods. In a series of experiments at Lincoln, New Zealand, canopy development for barley, wheat, white clover and four forage brassica species was determined using both digital photographs and Sunfleck ceptometer. Values obtained were used to calculate conversion coefficient (Kf/Ki) ratios between the two methods. Digital photographs were taken at 45° and 90° for barley, wheat and white clover and at only 90° for brassicas. There was an interaction of effects of crop and cultivar for the cereal crops. Barley closed canopies earlier than wheat, and 'Emir' barley and 'Stettler' wheat had consistently higher canopy cover than 'Golden Promise' and 'HY459', respectively. Canopy cover was consistently larger at 45° than 90° for cereals. However, for white clover, the angle of digital photography was not important. There was also an interaction between effects of species and method of determining canopy cover for brassicas. Photographs gave higher cover values than ceptometer for forage rape and turnip, but the relationship was variable for forage kale and swede. Kf/Ki ratios of 1.0-1.10 for cereals, white clover and forage rape and turnip show that digital photographs can be used to estimated radiation interception, in place of Sunfleck ceptometer, for these crops.

A simplified methodology for the correction of Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements obtained by ceptometer with reference to Pinus Portuguese forests

Forest leaf area index (LAI) is an important structural parameter controlling many biological and physiological processes associated with vegetation. A wide array of methods for its estimation has been proposed, including those based on the sunfleck ceptometer, a ground-based easy-to-use device taking non-destructive LAI measures. However, use of ceptometer in pine stands leads to the underestimation of LAI due to foliage clumping of this species. Previous studies have proposed a correction of biased LAI estimates based on the multiplication by a constant factor. In this study, a new method for obtaining a correction factor is proposed by considering the bias (the difference between the ceptometer measure and the reference LAI) as a function of the stand structural variables, namely the basal area. LAI data were collected from 102 sampling plots (age range: 14-74) established in Pinus pinaster forests all across nor­thern Portugal. Data from 82 sampling plots were used for the adjustment of the LAI ceptometer correction model, while the remaining 20 plots were used for the model validation. The observed LAI ranged from 0.34 to 6.4 as expected from the large heterogeneity of the sampled pine stands. Significant diffe­rences were detected between LAI values estimated by ceptometers and LAI reference values. Different correction methods have been compared for their accuracy in predicting LAI reference values. Based on the results of the stati­stical analysis carried out, the new proposed LAI correction outperformed all the other methods proposed so far. The new approach for bias reduction proposed here has the advantage of being easily applied since the basal area is almost always available from forest inventory or can be inferred from remote sensing surveys. However, the bias correction model obtained is site-specific, being dependent on stand species composition, soil fertility, site aspect, etc. and should therefore be applied only in the study area. Nonetheless, the development of a correction methodology based on an allometric approach has proved to greatly improve LAI ceptometer estimations.

Is patience a virtue? Succession, light, and the death of invasive glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus)

Non-native, invasive glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus P. Mill.) threatens North American forests by inhibiting tree regeneration. While glossy buckthorn commonly invades younger, developing forests, we hypothesized that this species is competitively excluded as secondary succession proceeds. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that glossy buckthorn mortality in New Hampshire forests is associated with low levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), low levels of nutrients in the soil, and greater abundance of shade tolerant tree species. Twenty-six living and 26 dead glossy buckthorn individuals were randomly selected on three, mid-successional study sites in southeastern New Hampshire, USA. Shrub ages, indicated by wood ring counts, showed that both living and dead shrubs were members of the same cohort, roughly 16–18 years of age. Living and dead shrubs were compared as to (1) tree basal area in the surrounding forest (estimated by plot sampling), (2) light intensity in the vicinity of the buckthorn crowns (measured by Sunfleck Ceptometer), (3) canopy openness and % total transmitted PAR (estimated by hemispheric photography), and (4) concentrations of available Ca, P, Mg, and K in the B horizon. Relative to live buckthorn shrubs, dead individuals were associated with greater basal area of shade tolerant species, decreased PAR in the vicinity of shrub crown, and decreased soil concentrations of Ca, P, and Mg. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that competition for light and perhaps nutrients limits the ability of glossy buckthorn to persist in late successional stands. If these relationships are causal, active removal of glossy buckthorn might not be required to reduce its abundance in late successional stands.

Measuring Fractional Cover and Leaf Area Index in Arid Ecosystems: Digital Camera, Radiation Transmittance, and Laser Altimetry Methods

Field measurement of shrubland ecological properties is important for both site monitoring and validation of remote sensing information. During the May 1997 NASA Earth Observing System Jornada Prototype Validation Exercise, we calculated plot-level plant area index, leaf area index, total fractional cover, and green fractional cover with data from four instruments: (1) a Dycam Agricultural Digital Camera (ADC), (2) a LI-COR LAI-2000 plant canopy analyzer, (3) a Decagon sunfleck Ceptometer, and (4) a laser altimeter. Estimates from the LAI-2000 and Ceptometer were very similar (plant area index 0.3, leaf area index 0.22, total fractional cover 0.19, green fractional cover 0.14), while the ADC produced values 5% to 10% higher. Laser altimeter values, depending on the height cutoff used to establish total fractional cover, were either higher or lower than the other instruments' values: a 10-cm cutoff produced values

Leaf orientation and distribution in a Phaseolus vulgaris L. crop and their relation to light microclimate.

Changes in canopy structure parameters (leaflet orientation, leaflet inclination and leaf area index) were measured in crops of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the field as the canopy developed between July and October. These changes were compared with the corresponding changes in seasonal light transmission. The beans showed clear heliotropic behaviour, with preferential orientation of leaflets towards the sun's beam, especially on sunny days. Nevertheless a significant proportion of the leaves pointed in other directions, with as much as 20% oriented towards the north. The highest proportion of leaf inclinations was in the range 30-40 degrees on cloudy days and between 40 degrees and 50 degrees on sunny days. Two methods were compared for assessing changes in light transmission: (a) the use of a Sunfleck Ceptometer and (b) the use of continuous records obtained with sensors installed in the canopy. Over the growth period studied, the total of the leaf plus stem area indices (L(S)) increased from 0.26 to 5.2 with the transmission coefficient (tau) for photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), obtained using the Ceptometer, correspondingly decreasing from 0.72 to 0.05, and the canopy extinction coefficient decreasing from 1.4 to 0.62. The continuous records of light transmission gave generally similar estimates of tau. Some contrasting leaf angle distribution functions were compared for estimation of L(S) from the light measurements. The best leaf angle function to predict L(S) from the observed light transmission was a conical function corrected by the degree of heliotropism.

Measurement of radiant interception of crop canopies with the LAI-2000 plant canopy analyzer

The performance of the plant canopy analyzer (PCA), model LAI-2000 (LI-COR, Lincoln, NE, USA), has been tested in two separate field trials for 18 annual crop and pasture species. The objective was to recommend appropriate techniques for reliable estimates of fractional interception of radiation (Fl), leaf area index (LAI) and canopy extinction coefficients. At least six below-canopy measurements and the use of 180° view restriction masks are recommended for row crops. Measurements should preferably be carried out before 8:00. Alternatively, shading of the sensor and sampling area is recommended during sunshine hours. The PCA's fisheye sensor proved to be more suitable than the sunfleck ceptometer (Decagon Devices, Pullman, WA, USA) for a daily estimation of canopy cover. The ceptometer would be preferable for the estimation of hourly Fl which is affected by solar orientation. The PCA's indirect, non-destructive and time saving measurement can accurately estimate LAI of soybean, sorghum, pearl millet and small canopies of wheat and milkvetch (LAI < 1.5). LAI of maize, cow- peas, rye, oats, triticele, ryegrass and perennial grasses obtained with the PCA should be corrected using the derived empirical functions. Potential users should investigate specific measurement techniques for other crops to determine whether the PCA provides reliable data. Fl and LAI measurements with the PCA were used to generate a database of extinction coefficients for photosynthetically active and global solar radiation.

Leaf area index of boreal forests: Theory, techniques, and measurements

Leaf area index (LAI) is a key structural characteristic of forest ecosystems because of the role of green leaves in controlling many biological and physical processes in plant canopies. Accurate LAI estimates are required in studies of ecophysiology, atmosphere‐ecosystem interactions, and global change. The objective of this paper is to evaluate LAI values obtained by several research teams using different methods for a broad spectrum of boreal forest types in support of the international Boreal Ecosystem‐Atmosphere Study (BOREAS). These methods include destructive sampling and optical instruments: the tracing radiation and architecture of canopies (TRAC), the LAI‐2000 plant canopy analyzer, hemispherical photography, and the Sunfleck Ceptometer. The latter three calculate LAI from measured radiation transmittance (gap fraction) using inversion models that assume a random spatial distribution of leaves. It is shown that these instruments underestimate LAI of boreal forest stands where the foliage is clumped. The TRAC quantifies the clumping effect by measuring the canopy gap size distribution. For deciduous stands the clumping index measured from TRAC includes the clumping effect at all scales, but for conifer stands it only resolves the clumping effect at scales larger than the shoot (the basic collection of needles). To determine foliage clumping within conifer shoots, a video camera and rotational light table system was used. The major difficulties in determining the surface area of small conifer needles have been largely overcome by the use of an accurate volume displacement method. Hemispherical photography has the advantage that it also provides a permanent image record of the canopies. Typically, LAI falls in the range from 1 to 4 for jack pine and aspen forests and from 1 to 6 for black spruce. Our comparative studies provide the most comprehensive set of LAI estimates available for boreal forests and demonstrate that optical techniques, combined with limited direct foliage sampling, can be used to obtain quick and accurate LAI measurements.

A comparison of direct and indirect methods for measuring leaf and surface areas of individual bushes

ABSTRACTIndirect estimates of leaf area from measurements with three commercially available instruments (DEMON, LAI‐2000 and Sunfleck Ceptometer) were compared with directly measured areas of individual Retama sphaerocarpa bushes. The three indirect methods gave good estimates of the total surface area of individual bushes. For the DEMON, the method of log‐linear averaging of transmitted radiation gave estimates closer to directly measured surface area than the method of averaging transmission linearly. For the LAI‐2000, estimated surface area index multiplied by canopy projected area gave the best agreement with directly measured values. For measurements with the Sunfleck Ceptometer, values of surface area estimated from the transmission of photosynthetic quantum flux density, without correcting for diffuse radiation, gave the best agreement with directly measured values. Surface areas estimated by the three instruments were not significantly different from directly measured total (leaf + branch + stem) surface areas. Leaf surface area could be calculated from estimated total surface area minus directly measured branch surface area. Measured branch surface area was linearly related to canopy projected area.

A Simple Method for Measuring Crop Canopy

Crop canopy cover data is used to study canopy structure and crop growth analysis. This study was conducted to determine the easiest and most reliable method of calculating crop canopy cover. Using Decagon Sunfleck Ceptometer was compared with the traditional method (tape measure) of retrieving crop canopy cover data. Data was collected on silage corn (Zea mays) and soybeans (Glycine max L.). The method of collecting data using the ceptometer was simple and quick compared to the traditional method. The ceptometer, even with human variability, was found to be ≈99% accurate. The traditional method was found to have &gt;10% variability. The ceptometer is a much quicker and more reliable tool to use. It appears to decrease the variability in the collection of crop canopy cover data.

Estimating Leaf Mass from Light Interception Measurements on Isolated Plants of Erythroxylum Species

AbstractTo determine the extent of coca (Erythroxylum spp.) production in the world, some method for estimating yield (leaf mass) in a variety of habitats is required. A computer model that simulates the growth of coca plants has the versatility for making these estimates, but there must be some reliable method to validate the model. The objective of this research was to validate the use of measurements of light interception and specific leaf area (SLA, m2 kg−1) for estimating yield. Leaf area was calculated from light interception measurements made on plants grown as hedgerow or as isolated plants, then converted to leaf mass using measurements of SLA. Light interception was measured with the Decagon Sunfleck Ceptometer (SC) and the LI‐COR Plant Canopy Analyzer (PCA). Leaf disks of known area from Erythroxylum coca var. coca and Erythroxylum novogranatense var. novogranatense were cut, dried, and weighed to determine SLA values. Leaf fresh weights were measured and corrected to dry weight using the fresh to dry weight ratio obtained from a sample at harvest. Estimated leaf mass regressed on observed leaf mass demonstrated that PCA was superior to SC in estimating leaf mass on isolated plants of various sizes using the techniques described in this paper. Leaf area was consistently underestimated by the SC. The estimates of leaf mass from the PCA gave the lower mean, absolute mean, and root mean square error terms compared with SC, and the slope of the regression line of observed leaf mass vs. predicted leaf mass was closest to a value of 1.0.

Assessing seasonal leaf area dynamics and vertical leaf area distribution in eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) with a portable light meter.

We evaluated the ability of a portable light meter (Sunfleck Ceptometer, Decagon Devices, Pullman, WA, USA) to quantify seasonal photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm) interception, projected stand leaf area index (LAI), and vertical LAI distribution in a 32-year-old eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.) plantation. Canopy PAR transmittance measured with the ceptometer was converted to LAI with the Beer-Lambert Equation. The ceptometer was sensitive to changes in PAR transmittance resulting from foliage growth. Predicted stand LAI ranged from 3.5 in the dormant season to a maximum of 5.3 in late July. Predicted LAI values were within 9% of values determined from destructive sampling. Published canopy extinction coefficients (k) were inadequate for converting PAR transmittance data to stand LAI because a significant amount of PAR was intercepted by dead branches and stems below the forest canopy. Because of interception by dead branches and stems, we estimated k = 0.84, which is substantially higher than previously reported values. The ceptometer was also sensitive to seasonal changes in PAR transmittance within the canopy. However, in contrast to predictions based on the Beer-Lambert Law, the relationship between proportional PAR transmittance (Q(i)/Q(o)) and cumulative LAI within the canopy was linear. Thus, vertical LAI distribution was best estimated with a linear model, as opposed to the non-linear model assumed in the Beer-Lambert Equation. We hypothesize that the linear relationship was a result of a gap in the canopy which was not represented by the cumulative leaf area distribution estimation procedure.

Estimation of leaf area index in fourteen southern Wisconsin forest stands using a portable radiometer.

Projected leaf area index (LAI) and Beer-Lambert Law extinction coefficients (K) were estimated for 28-year-old Picea abies (L.) Karst., Larix decidua Mill., Pinus resinosa Ait., and Pinus strobus L. plantations using vertical profile data obtained with a portable integrating radiometer (sunfleck ceptometer). Predicted LAI values were compared with direct measures of LAI. Based on dimensional analysis, LAI ranged from 5.0 for Larix decidua to 10.5 for Picea abies. Significant inverse relationships between cumulative LAI and canopy transmitted radiation were observed for the four species (R(2) = 0.92-0.97). Beer-Lambert extinction coefficients ranged from 0.39 for Picea abies to 0.84 for Pinus strobus. Stand-level predictions of LAI based on the Beer-Lambert Law were compared with measured LAI values for eight conifer and six broadleaf stands. Using local K estimates resulted in predicted LAI values with an average 6% error. Using published K values resulted in an average error of 20%. High LAI and concomitantly low light levels below the canopy of Picea abies stands resulted in large overestimation errors in predicted LAI, rendering the sunfleck ceptometer inappropriate for forests with large LAIs.