Abstract

CABEZAS-GUTIERREZ, Marco et al. A NON-DESTRUCTIVE MODEL FOR ESTIMATING LEAF AREA INTHREE FOREST SPECIES. rev.udcaactual.divulg.cient. [online]. 2009, vol.12, n.1, pp.121-130. ISSN 0123-4226.

Relationship studies were carried out between leaf area and linear measurements of leaves of alder (Alnus acuminata H. B. K) (Betulaceae), magle (Escalonia pendula Pers.) (Escalloniacae)and oak (Quercus humboldtii Bompland) (Fagaceae), under open field conditions. The experiment was aimed to compare existing predictive linear leaf area models using non destructive measurements and assessing the accuracy of the optimum model selected from a new data set, under different conditions. The regression analyses of leaf length (Ll), leaf width (Lw) and the product LlxLw revealed several models that could be used to estimate the individual leaf area. For all species the best model was La=a +b(LlxLw), with the upper determination coefficients being 0.95. When validating the models it was found that the relationship between the actual leaf area and the predicted one, given by the developed equation was significant at level of 0.1% with a r² of 0.99 for all the cases. In conclusion, the linear model, found for the leaf area estimation of A. acuminata, E. pendula y Q. humboldtii can be used in biological, agronomical, environmental, ecophysiological and forestry research with high accuracy and rapidity.

Keywords : Leaf area; forestry; linear regression; models.

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