Reliability and limitations of a novel terrestrial laser scanner for daily monitoring of forest canopy dynamics

Abstract

Leaf area index (LAI) or plant area index (PAI) are commonly used to represent canopy structure and dynamics, but daily estimation of these variables using traditional ground-based methods is impractical and prone to multiple errors during data acquisition and processing. Existing terrestrial laser scanners can provide accurate representation of forest canopy structure, but the sensors are expensive, data processing is complex, and measurements are typically confined to a single event, which severely limits their utility in the interpretation of canopy trends indicated by remotely sensed data. We tested a novel, low-cost terrestrial laser scanner for its capacity to provide reliable and succ..