Leaf optical properties: a state of the art

ABSTRACT – Although leaf optical properties encompas an extensive subject, reviews are rare and generally tackle questions closer to plant physiology than remote sensing. Different ways these properties are measured and used in inversion models to estimate leaf biophysical properties are described in this paper. We examine critically the most common methods according to the type of leaf material (broad leaves or needles), to the available measurements, and to the ensuing applications. This paper is intended to review the state-of-the-art of a domain that is of prime interest to optical remote sensing. As leaves represent the main surfaces of plant canopies where energy and gases are exchanged, their optical properties are essential to understanding the transport of photons within vegetation. Because of the importance of photosynthetic function, leaf optical properties have bee