Indirect Measurement of Forest Canopy Structure from In Situ Optical Sensors

This Chapter covers the major requirements for the estimation of forest canopy structure from in situ remote sensing. In situ measurements of forest canopy structure provide the basis for remote sensing of forest attributes at all scales. Selection of a measurement strategy requires knowledge of available measurement methods and must address data set availability, constraints in forest applications and scale related considerations. The main objective of this Chapter is to describe methods that estimate parameters related to forest canopy structure. This will be accomplished through: (i) defining and describing the relevant elements of the canopy structure, (ii) providing background information on the theory and practice of in situ measurements of canopy structure, together with their limitations, and (iii) suggesting strategies for generalising ground measurements into spatially extended estimations.

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