Analysis of Canopy Structure in Fagus crenata Forests by Airborne Laser Scanner

Abstract

In order to quantify forest stand canopy structure and leaf area we used LiDAR data to analyze the three-dimensional structure of forest canopies in the Appi and Naeba beech forests. Parameters related to canopy structure, including gap ratio, variations in canopy height and canopy surface area, were then calculated from the LiDAR data. Leaf area index (LAI) was estimated using a standard forest census. Comparisons between LAI and canopy characteristics suggested that LAI cannot be estimated using a single parameter. This may be because the foliage distribution within each tree crown is variable and has a complex branching and foliage clustering structure. To estimate the spatial distribution of LAI in a forested area, other parameters associated with beech canopy architecture, and their interactions, need to be investigated. This could facilitate the estimation of LAI from LiDAR data.