ISLSCP II: Global Leaf Area Index Field Measurements, 1932-2000

Global field measurements of Leaf Area Index (LAI) compiled from over 300 scientific literature sources. This dataset supports the development and validation of MODIS satellite products by providing ground-truth LAI values for natural, semi-natural, and some crop ecosystems. It consists of a spreadsheet table and an extensive bibliography.

Use Cases

• Validating MODIS LAI satellite products based on compiled field measurements.
• Constraining LAI parameters for global biome models using typical minimum, maximum, and phenological values.
• Comparing point-based field LAI measurements with area-weighted satellite and model estimates.
• Studying LAI variation across natural ecosystems and specific crop development stages.

Strengths

• Compiles data from over 300 original-source references, providing a substantial literature foundation.
• Covers a long temporal range of field measurements from 1932 to 2000.
• Explicitly designed to support a major satellite mission (MODIS), ensuring relevance for validation.

Limitations

• Metadata conflicts exist: one platform lists a last update in 2026, while another indicates data ends in 2000, creating uncertainty about maintenance.
• Column names and exact row counts are not provided, limiting understanding of the data structure.
• Focuses on historical data up to the year 2000, which may not reflect recent vegetation changes.

Provenance

Source

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC), compiled from scientific literature.

Collection Method

Compilation from published field studies.

Time Range

1932 to 2000

Freshness

2026-04-10 02:03:44.189962 (from datagov), but data content ends in 2000.

Geography

Global, with measurements from various natural, semi-natural, and agricultural sites.