Remote sensing based mapping of leaf nitrogen and leaf area index in European landscapes using the REGularized canopy reFLECtance (REGFLEC) model

Leaf biochemistry and biophysical parameters are important for simulating soil-vegetation-atmosphere exchanges of energy, water, CO2 and ammonia. The accumulation of leaf nitrogen (N) in vegetation canopies is a major component of the ecosystem N balance, and leaf N concentration and leaf area index (LAI) are important determinants of the maximum CO2 uptake by plants and trees. In the EU project NitroEurope, high spatial resolution (10-20 m) remote sensing data from the HRG and HRVIR sensors onboard the SPOT satellites were acquired to derive maps of leaf N and LAI for 5 European landscapes. The estimations of leaf N, Cab and LAI soil reflectance parameters and canopy parameters are discussed in relation to the prevailing soil types and vegetation characteristics of land cover classes across the 5 European landscapes.