Abstract
A subjective visual assessment of foliage density is the mostwidely used rapid method of determining forest health. Forthese assessments to be ecologically meaningful they must bereliable (have low inter- and intra-observer variability) andreadily relate to a measure of physiological or physicalstress. A simple rapid method for assessing percent foliagedensity in lower stature trees is described. This method haslow inter-observer variability (standard deviation betweenobservers=8.6%) and therefore, minimizes the risk ofconfounding the effects of different observers with genuinechanges in density. The percentage changes in this measure offoliage density correlate well with percentage changes inbiomass, allowing a ready interpretation of observed changes.The technique does not specifically identify the cause of themeasured changes, however, with appropriate additionalmeasures this problem may be overcome.
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Frampton, C.M., Pekelharing, C.J. & Payton, I.J. A Fast Method for Monitoring Foliage Density in Single Lower-canopy Trees. Environ Monit Assess 72, 227–234 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012049205475
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1012049205475