= Leaf area index
{wiki=Leaf_area_index}
Leaf Area Index (LAI) is a dimensionless measure used in ecology and environmental science to quantify the leaf area of vegetation in a given area. Specifically, it represents the total leaf surface area per unit ground area and is defined as the one-sided leaf area of the plant canopy over a specific ground area. LAI is an essential parameter because it helps to estimate various ecological processes, including photosynthesis, transpiration, and energy exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere.
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