Two figures in, a clear answer out. The leaves on tree calculator uses leaves area index (lai), bag volume, tree crown projection diameter, average mass of one leaf, number of squashed leaves, number of trees, pile height, pile diameter, number of leaves on a plate, plate diameter, number of leaves in a ball, ball diameter and squashed ball diameter to produce tree canopy projection area, number of leaves on a tree and number of leaves in a pile, applying the standard relationship for this problem in the order the calculation actually needs it.
What Is the Leaves on Tree Calculator?
The leaves on tree calculator works out tree canopy projection area, number of leaves on a tree and number of leaves in a pile from leaves area index (lai), bag volume, tree crown projection diameter, average mass of one leaf, number of squashed leaves, number of trees, pile height, pile diameter, number of leaves on a plate, plate diameter, number of leaves in a ball, ball diameter and squashed ball diameter.
Biological relationships are usually approximations rather than exact laws, so the output is best treated as an estimate with a sensible range around it.
How the Leaves on Tree Calculation Works
The calculation applies the relationship as published, step by step, so each intermediate value can be checked against the underlying theory.
Keep the units consistent throughout. Mixing a percentage with a proportion is the single most common source of an answer that is out by a factor of a hundred.
Assumptions Worth Knowing
Any relationship used here assumes a constant rate, a representative sample, or a stable population. Real populations rarely meet those conditions for long, so treat the answer as a guide.
Where the inputs are field measurements, a single misread value can shift the result noticeably. Measure carefully and record what you used.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with leaves area index (lai) set to 10, bag volume set to 5, tree crown projection diameter set to 2, the calculator returns plate area of 19.63495, and tree canopy projection area of 3.14159, and number of leaves on a tree of 16. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out tree canopy projection area?
Enter leaves area index (lai), bag volume, tree crown projection diameter, average mass of one leaf, number of squashed leaves, number of trees, pile height, pile diameter, number of leaves on a plate, plate diameter, number of leaves in a ball, ball diameter and squashed ball diameter. The calculator then works through the relationship and reports tree canopy projection area, number of leaves on a tree and number of leaves in a pile.
What does the leaves on tree actually calculate?
It takes leaves area index (lai), bag volume, tree crown projection diameter, average mass of one leaf, number of squashed leaves, number of trees, pile height, pile diameter, number of leaves on a plate, plate diameter, number of leaves in a ball, ball diameter and squashed ball diameter and converts them into tree canopy projection area, number of leaves on a tree and number of leaves in a pile using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter leaves area index (lai)?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.
Do I have to fill in every field?
Only the fields a particular result depends on. If you leave one blank, the results that need it simply show a note instead of a number, and everything else still works.