Accurate in situ leaf area index (LAI) estimates of forest plots are required to validate currently-used LAI map products. Woody-to-total area ratio ( $\alpha$ ) is a crucial parameter in converting the plant area index estimates of forest plots obtained by optical methods into LAI. Although optical methods for estimating the $\alpha$ of forest canopy have been proposed, their performance has never been assessed. In this study, five Larix gmelinii Rupr. forest plots with contrasting plot characteristics (i.e., tree age, tree height, management activities, stand density, and site conditions) were selected. The performance of two commonly used optical methods, namely, multispectral canopy imager (MCI) and digital hemispherical photography (DHP), in estimating the $\alpha$ of L. gmelinii forest plots was evaluated by using the reference $\alpha$ of the selected forest plots. The reference $\alpha$ of forest plots was measured via destructive method by harvesting two or three representative trees in each plot. Large variations were observed amongst the reference $\alpha$ of the selected forest plots (ranging from 0% to 56%). These $\mathsf{\alpha }$ were also highly correlated with the site conditions and management activities in these plots. The effective $\alpha$ ( ${\alpha }_e$ ) or $\alpha$ estimated using the leaf-on and leaf-off periods MCI or DHP images with or without consideration of the clumping effects of canopy element and woody components were 1.57 to 4.63 times the reference $\alpha$ in the five plots. The overestimation of $\alpha$ or ${\alpha }_e$ was mainly caused by the preferential shading of woody components by the shoots in the leaf-on canopy. Accurate $\alpha$ estimates for the L. gmelinii forest plots with errors of less than 20% can be obtained from MCI when the clumping effects of canopy element and woody components are considered in the estimation.

The leaf inclination angle distribution function is a key determinant that influences radiation penetration through forest canopies. In this study, the needle and shoot inclination angle distributions of five contrasting Larix principis-rupprechtii plots were obtained via the frequently used leveled digital camera photography method. We also developed a quasi-automatic method to derive the needle inclination angles based on photographs obtained using the leveled digital camera photography method and further verified using manual measurements. Then, the variations of shoot and needle inclination angle distributions due to height levels, plots, and observation years were investigated. The results showed that the developed quasi-automatic method is effective in deriving needle inclination angles. The shoot and needle inclination angle distributions at the whole-canopy scale tended to be planophile and exhibited minor variations with plots and observation years. The small variations in the needle inclination angle distributions with height level in the five plots might be caused by contrasting light conditions at different height levels. The whole-canopy and height level needle projection functions also tended to be planophile, and minor needle projection function variations with plots and observation years were observed. We attempted to derive the shoot projection functions of the five plots by using a simple and applicable method and further evaluated the performance of the new method.

Optical methods are frequently used as a routine method to obtain the elementary sampling unit (ESU) leaf area index (LAI) of forests. However, few studies have attempted to evaluate whether the ESU LAI obtained from optical methods matches the accuracy required by the LAI map product validation community. In this study, four commonly used optical methods, including digital hemispherical photography (DHP), digital cover photography (DCP), tracing radiation of canopy and architecture (TRAC) and multispectral canopy imager (MCI), were adopted to estimate the ESU (25 m × 25 m) LAI of five Larix principis-rupprechtii forests with contrasting structural characteristics. The impacts of three factors, namely, inversion model, canopy element or woody components clumping index ( ${\Omega }_e$ or ${\Omega }_w$ ) algorithm, and the woody components correction method, on the ESU LAI estimation of the four optical methods were analyzed. Then, the LAI derived from the four optical methods was evaluated using the LAI obtained from litter collection measurements. Results show that the performance of the four optical methods in estimating the ESU LAI of the five forests was largely affected by the three factors. The accuracy of the LAI obtained from the DHP and MCI strongly relied on the inversion model, the ${\Omega }_e$ or ${\Omega }_w$ algorithm, and the woody components correction method adopted in the estimation. Then the best ${\Omega }_e$ or ${\Omega }_w$ algorithm, inversion model and woody components correction method to be used to obtain the ESU LAI of L. principis-rupprechtii forests with the smallest root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were identified. Amongst the three typical woody components correction methods evaluated in this study, the woody-to-total area ratio obtained from the destructive measurements is the most effective method for DHP to derive the ESU LAI with the smallest RMSE and MAE. In contrast, using the woody area index obtained from the leaf-off DHP or DCP images as the woody components correction method would result in a large LAI underestimation. TRAC and MCI outperformed DHP and DCP in the ESU LAI estimation of the five forests, with the smallest RMSE and MAE. All the optical methods, except DCP, are qualified to obtain the ESU LAI of L. principis-rupprechtii forests with an MAE of <20% that is required by the global climate observation system. None of the optical methods, except TRAC, show the potential to obtain the ESU LAI of L. principis-rupprechtii forests with an MAE of <5%.