Application of the LI-COR LAI-2000 for measuring leaf area index in young beech stands

Leaf area index from 12 pure beech stands was estimated with LI-COR's LAI-2 000 (LAI,,) and compared with LAI calculated from locally parameterized all ometric diameter-leaf-area-relationships. Measurements with the LAI-2000 we re made twice, in summer and leafless in winter. We observed a strong corre lation and a bias between LAI-2000 estimates and LAI calculated from tree a llometrics. LAI-2000 estimates were always lower (32% on average). Underest imation could not be explained by stand attributes such as stand basal area and mean stand height and diameter. The multiplicative combination of LAI- 2000 estimates and stand attributes explained more of the variance in direc tly calculated LAI than LAI-2000 estimates alone. Employing LAI,, determine d as the difference of LAI-2000 estimates in summer and winter respectively yielded just slightly better results.