Canopy closure

n. The proportion of the sky hemisphere obscured by vegetation when viewed from a single point (Jennings and others 1999).

• Discussion

Canopy closure is a point estimate of the coverage of a forest canopy, and is measured in the field with a spherical densiometer (also called a mirror optometer) or by analyzing upward-looking hemispherical photographs. Canopy closure is almost always greater than canopy cover measured at the same point.

Canopy closure is not synonymous with the silvicultural term crown closure.

• Units

   

  Canopy closure is most commonly expressed as a percent of ground area, but may in some papers be expressed as a fraction. Multiply the canopy cover fraction by 100 to express it as a percent.

   

• See Also

  • Canopy cover

  • Crown closure

   

• References

   

  Jennings. 1999.

• Notes

  • Author 

    Joe Scott, Research Forester

    Systems for Environmental Management

     

  • Last update

    August 2007