BOREAS Aspen Bark and Leaf Pigment Density Measurements

1994 data on pigment density in aspen bark and leaves, collected during three intensive field campaigns from May to September. The BOREAS TE-08 team sampled one to nine trees from four sites in the BOREAS Southern Study Area, analyzing bark from five distinct locations and a limited number of leaves. Pigment measurements include Chl a, Chl b, Total Chl, Carotenoids, and their ratios, normalized to mg/m².

Use Cases

• Analyzing seasonal variation in chlorophyll and carotenoid levels across different bark and leaf tissues.
• Modeling pigment ratios (Chl a/b, Total Chl/Carotenoids) as indicators of plant stress or photosynthetic efficiency.
• Correlating ground-measured pigment density from specific sample locations (e.g., basal stem, 1-year branch) with satellite-derived vegetation indices.
• Studying intra-tree pigment distribution across five defined bark sample locations and limited leaf samples.

Strengths

• Data covers three distinct seasonal intervals (IFC-1, IFC-2, IFC-3) from May to September 1994.
• Samples are identified by Site, date, Tree number, and five specific Sample Location categories, enabling detailed spatial and temporal analysis.
• Pigment density values are provided for six specific metrics, including ratios, all normalized to a standard unit (mg/m²).

Limitations

• Exact row count, file size, and complete column names are not provided by any source.
• Sources conflict on the last updated date: one lists 2026-03 13, while another lists 1994-09-08, suggesting potential metadata inconsistency.
• The dataset includes only a limited number of leaf samples compared to the more systematic bark sampling.

Provenance

Source

BOREAS TE-08 team, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Samples removed from tree stems, transported to UNH, and analyzed by spectrophotometer.

Time Range

1994-05-24 to 1994-09-19

Freshness

2026-03-13 12:10:12.790731

Geography

Four sites within the BOREAS Southern Study Area (SSA)