ForestCrowns: a software tool for analyzing ground-based digital photographs of forest canopies

摘要: Canopy coverage is a key variable used to characterize forest structure. In addition, the light transmitted through canopy an important ecological indicator of plant and animal habitat understory climate conditions. A common ground-based method document take digital photographs from below canopy. To assist with analyzing below-canopy photographs, U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station has developed computer software tool called ForestCrowns. ForestCrowns calculates transparency (or transmittance) for images taken standard or fisheye (hemispherical) camera lenses. Specific areas photograph can also be targeted obtain estimates individual tree crowns. Since assessment results saved within program, health monitoring programs detect changes over time in structure due storm, insect, disease damage.