ABSTRACT
As they are disturbed frequently and severely by human activities and economic pressures (Janzen 1986, 1988a; Mooney et al. 1995; Kalácska et al. 2004b; Quesada and Stoner 2004; Brooks et al. 2009), tropical dry forests (TDFs) are considered to be the most endangered major tropical ecosystem (Janzen 1988a; Portillo-Quintero and Sánchez-Azofeifa 2010). Land cover
CONTENTS
15.1 Introduction ................................................................................................ 267 15.2 Methods ....................................................................................................... 270
15.2.1 Plot Design ...................................................................................... 270 15.2.2 Field Data Collection and Analysis ............................................. 271 15.2.3 MODIS Data Extraction and Analysis ........................................ 272
15.3 Results ......................................................................................................... 273 15.3.1 Species Composition and Leaf Area Index ................................ 273 15.3.2 Estimation of Woody Area Index and Plant Area Index ......... 273 15.3.3 Estimation of Leaf Area Index and Seasonality ........................ 274 15.3.4 MODIS Leaf Area Index ................................................................ 278
15.4 Discussion ................................................................................................... 278 15.4.1 Leaf Area Index and Plant Area Index Patterns ....................... 278 15.4.2 Sources of Error in Field Measurements .................................... 279 15.4.3 Comparison between MODIS Leaf Area Index and In Situ
Leaf Area Index .............................................................................. 279 15.5 Final Remarks .............................................................................................280
