FIFE Vegetation Biophysical Data from 43 Sites

NASA's Vegetation Biophysical Data (FIFE) set contains Leaf Area Index (LAI) measurements collected at 43 locations within the FIFE study area. Data were gathered from May 1987 to August 1989 using an optical technique to measure leaf surface area, providing a relative measure of plant biomass. This dataset was created as part of the FIFE Science effort to characterize the physical and biological properties of the experimental sites.

Use Cases

• Calibrating satellite-based LAI estimates using ground-truth optical measurements from 43 sites.
• Modeling temporal changes in plant biomass across a study area from 1987 to 1989.
• Analyzing relationships between canopy characteristics and ecosystem function parameters.
• Studying spatial variability in vegetation biophysical properties across a field experiment landscape.

Strengths

• Data collection spans over two years, from May 1987 to August 1989.
• Measurements were taken at 43 spatially distributed locations within the study area.
• Leaf Area Index was derived using a standardized optical measurement technique.

Limitations

• The exact row count, column names, and dataset size are unknown across all platforms.
• There is a conflict in the last updated date: Data.gov lists 2026-03 12, while NASA Earthdata lists 1989-08-18.
• Specific license details are unclear, only noted as 'other-license-specified' on some platforms.

Provenance

Source

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Collection Method

Optical technique measuring the area of a light beam obscured by plant material to calculate Leaf Area Index.

Time Range

May 1987 to August 1989

Freshness

2026-03-12 20:26:16.265573

Geography

FIFE study area (43 specific locations)