Retrieval of leaf area index of Moso bamboo forest with Landsat Thematic Mapper image based on PROSAIL canopy radiative transfer model.

The PROSAIL canopy radiative transfer model was used to establish leaf area index (LAI) and canopy reflectance lookup-table for Moso bamboo forest. The combination of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) image and this model was then used to retrieve LAI. The results demonstrated that the sensitivity of the input parameters in the PROSAIL model decreased in order of LAI >chlorophyll content (C_ab) > leaf structure parameters (N) > mean leaf angle (ALA) > equivalent water thickness (C_w) > dry matter content (C_m). The most sensitive factors LAI and C_ab were then used to construct the LAI-canopy reflectance lookup-table. The LAI estimates from the PROSAIL model had good agreement with the reference data, with the coefficient of determination (R² ) reached 0. 90. The root mean square error (RMSE) and relative RMSE were 0. 58 and 13-0%, respectively. However, the mean LAI estimate was higher than the observed value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]