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Predicting leaf and canopy 15 N compositions from reflectance spectra
Author(s) -
Wang Lixin,
Okin Gregory Stewart,
Wang Jin,
Epstein Howard,
Macko Stephen A.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2006gl028506
Subject(s) - canopy , reflectivity , spectral line , wavelength , scale (ratio) , environmental science , remote sensing , horticulture , botany , biology , geology , optics , physics , quantum mechanics , astronomy
We explored whether 15 N concentration could be predicted from reflectance spectra of fresh leaves, and, if so, whether the spectral features were related to the 15 N concentration on a canopy scale. Leaf scale reflectance (R) measurements were conducted in Ghanzi, Botswana using a spectrophotometer in March 2005 and canopy scale leaf R was measured in a series of successional fields in Northern Virginia, USA using the same instrument in September 2005. Results showed that there was a strong correlation between foliar 15 N concentration and spectral data in both visible and near‐infrared wavelength regions. Stepwise regressions showed that the first‐difference of the log1/R [(log 1/R)′] could explain 76 to 92% of the variation in foliar δ 15 N, providing the most reliable correlations with foliar 15 N at bands near 600 and 700 nm. The present study indicates the possibility of estimating fresh leaf 15 N abundance from high‐resolution reflectance at leaf and canopy levels.