H51A-01 Evaluation of Global and National LAI Estimates over Canada METHODOLOGY LAI INTERCOMPARISONS LEAF AREA INDEX JUNE 1997 LEAF AREA INDEX 1993 Baseline Year Areas with valid LAI values (MODIS quality levels 1 or 2 only, snow free VGT and POLDER). Moving window filter (5kmm for MODIS vs. VGT and 9km for VGT vs. Polder ). Scatter plots of data summarized as a function of VGT land cover crop type. Point evaluation at BOREAS Flux Tower sites performed based on high resolution LAI images adjusted for temporal differences using field data. FRAMEWORK DATA SETS AND DATA PRODUCT MASKS BOREAS TOWER FLUX SITE COMPARIONS, June 2000 VGT-MODIS 1km water fraction (Fernandes et. al., 2000) 1km land cover maps (Cihlar et al., 2000) used to stratify Intercomparions. Both maps are also used In the VGT LAI product. Left: Regions where both VGT and POLDER products map snow free LAI in June Right: Regions where VGT and MODIS map snow free LAI and where MODIS retrieval quality is first or second category. 05LAI NSA-OBSNSA-OJPSSA-OBSSSA-OJP CASI VGT MODIS POLDER CASI 2m multispectral composites Feb June, 200 LAI Maps Based on CASI data and Landsat Data from 1994, 2000 MODIS and VGT show reasonable agreement to CASI. POLDER shows bias due to 6km scale. ECOCLIM shows bias due to use of plot scale in-situ data LAImax. Reference LAI images based on FLIM-CLUS algorithm (Fernandes et al., 2003) calibrated to in-situ June 1994 values. Temporal changes between 1994 and 2000 were mapped using co-incident multidate Landsat imagery. Fernandes, R. A., J. R. Miller, J. M. Chen, and I. G. Rubinstein, Evaluating Image Based Estimates of Leaf Area Index in Boreal Conifer Stands over a Range of Scales using High-Resolution CASI Imagery. Remote Sensing of Environment 89: CONCLUSIONS VGT vs. POLDER Needleaf Forest Broadleaf Forest Crops Pasture/Grasses Tundra/Barren Needleaf Forest Broadleaf Forest Crops Pasture/Grasses Tundra/Barren MODIS LAIx20 VGT LAIx20 POLDER LAIx20 Only high quality MODIS retrievals were compared to VGT LAI over snow free regions at a 5km x 5km scale. In general, MODIS LAI was consistently larger than VGT LAI over forests and tundra. MODIS LAI had a narrower range than VGT over pasture and crops. The two cluster distribution over broadleaf vegetation is likely due to land cover. No consistent bias was noted with respect to water fraction. NEEDLEAF FOR. BROADLEF FOR. PASTURE/GRASS CROPS TUNDRA/BARE POLDER LAI from 1997 was compared to 1998 VGT LAI at 9km scale. In general, POLDER LAI was similar to VGT LAI exceptions were for crops in central Canada and in broadleaf stands in Eastern Canada where POLDER LAI was substantially higher and at the tree line where both higher and lower LAI values were mapped. LAND USE OF COMPARED REGIONS MODIS LAI JUNE 2000 – VGT LAI JUNE 2000 LAND USE OF COMPARED REGIONS POLDER LAI JUNE 1997 – VGT LAI JUNE1998 ALL three products are in relatively good agreement over crops and grasslands. MODIS LAI values are substantially higher than VGT values (and POLDER values) over forests. This may be related to the use of projected leaf area by MODIS over needleaf forests but does not explain the bias over broadleaf forests. MODIS LAI values are also substantially higher than VGT (and POLDER) over tundra. It is not clear why. MODIS LAI values do not show a reasonable dynamic range over crops and pasture. POLDER and VGT values were relatively consistent considering the 9km comparison scale and 1 year difference in the data. A follow-up comparison to additional field sites is required to understand why MODIS validates well at BOREAS sites but is systematically different from VGT and POLDER. Fernandes, R.A., Pavlic, G., 2000, Waterbody Fraction Map of Canada, available via Cihlar J., Latifovic R., Beaubien J., Guindon B., Palmer M., 2003, Thematic mapper (TM) based accuracy assessment of a land cover product for Canada derived from SPOT VEGETATION (VGT) data; Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing, Vol. 29, pp LAI Difference LAI Difference