The normalized difference vegetation index of small Douglas-fir canopies with varying chlorophyll concentrations

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Remote Sensing of Environment; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0034-4257(94)90061-2· OSTI ID:7001160

Yoder, B J; Waring, R H ^[1]

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1. Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States). Dept. of Forest Science

In an experiment with miniature canopies of 1-m-tall Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) seedlings, the authors modified leaf area index, light absorption capacity, and photosynthetic potential by altering the concentration of chlorophyll in foliage and by controlling the density of seedlings. They measured canopy photosynthesis and light transmission in controlled-environment chambers and then transferred seedlings to a hemispheric illumination system where they measured canopy reflectance. They found that altering the visible band used for computation of a normalized vegetation index substantially changed the correlations between the index and canopy properties. For example, the normalized index was best correlated to light absorption capacity when they used a narrow red band and least correlated when they used a narrow green band. The cause of these differences is chlorophyll. The green regions of reflectance spectra were much more sensitive to changes in chlorophyll concentration compared with the red or near-infrared regions. Increased chlorophyll concentration was also related to increased photosynthetic potential when canopies had been grown under full sunlight. However, they found no statistically significant relationship between leaf chlorophyll concentration and canopy light absorption.

• OSTI ID: 7001160
• Journal Information: Remote Sensing of Environment; (United States), Journal Name: Remote Sensing of Environment; (United States) Vol. 49:1; ISSN RSEEA7; ISSN 0034-4257
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540210* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Basic Studies-- (1990-)
CANOPIES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLOROPHYLL
CONIFERS
FIRS
GROWTH
HETEROCYCLIC ACIDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
PHYTOCHROMES
PIGMENTS
PINOPHYTA
PLANT GROWTH
PLANTS
PORPHYRINS
PROTEINS
REMOTE SENSING
SYNTHESIS
TREES