Photon-Vegetation Interactions deals with the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with vegetation canopies. The approach to the various aspects is mainly theoretical and consequently the subject is being treated as a special branch of mathematical physics. A major emphasis is on the development of theoretical methods for determining the reflection function of vegetation canopies in optical remote sensing. Furthermore, the coupling of the radiative transfer theory with leaf photosynthesis to evaluate the productivity of vegetation canopies is treated as well as the theory of photon transport in phototropic and other biological media.

1 Introduction

2 Fundamental Equations of Radiative Transfer in Leaf Canopies, and Iterative Methods for Their Solution
1 Boundary Problem for the Transfer Equation
2 Separation of First-Order Scattering
3 Iterative Methods
4 Concluding Remarks
3 Discrete Ordinates Method for Photon Transport in Leaf Canopies
1 Introduction
2 The Leaf Canopy Transport Problem
3 Angular Approximations
4 Solution of the Discrete Ordinates Equations
5 Convergence Acceleration
6 Convergence Criteria
7 Numerical Errors
8 Canopy Architecture
9 A Test Case
10 Inclusion of the Hot Spot Effect
11 Concluding Remarks
References
4 Principles of Statistical Phytoactinometry
1 Basic Concepts
2 Imitation Modeling of Sunfleck Statistics
3 Statistical Moments Transfer Theory
4 A Model for the Penetration of Direct Solar Radiation
5 Model for Sky and Scattered Radiation
References
5 The Hot Spot Effect in Plant Canopy Reflectance
1 Introduction
2 The Hot Spot Effect in Different Media
3 The Hot Spot Effect in the Leaf Canopy
4 The Phase Function of the Crown of a Single Tree
5 Aureole Around the Laser Beam in the Vegetation Canopy
6 Model Validation
7 Canopy with Large Inhomogeneities
References
6 Approximate Analytical Methods for Calculating the Reflection Functions of Leaf Canopies in Remote Sensing Applications
1 General Considerations
2 Derivation of Approximate Algorithms of Canopy Reflectance
3 Some Examples of Canopy Reflectance Models
4 Comments on Further Development of Canopy Reflectance Models
References
7 Polarization of Light by Vegetation
1 Introduction
2 Scattering by Single Leaves
3 Scattering from Plant Canopies
4 Conclusion
References
8 Leaf Optical Properties
1 Introduction
2 Discussion- Leaf Reflectance and Transmittance
3 Future Research
References
9 Photon Transport in Leaf Tissue: Applications in Plant Physiology
1 Introduction
2 Methods of Plant Photophysiology
3 Methods of Leaf Optics
4 Solutions of Problems in Leaf Optics
5 Conclusions
References
10 Photon Transport in Phototropic Organisms
1 Introduction
2 Non- and Weakly-Scattering Phototropic Organisms
3 Photon Transport in Intensely Scattering Finite Cylindrical Media
4 Applications of the Theory
5 Action Spectroscopy
6 Summary
References
11 Radiative Transfer in Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Vegetation Canopies
1 Introduction
2 3-D Model Description
3 Field Measurements
4 Model Applications and Results
5 Conclusions, Implications, and Future Directions
References
12 Photon Transport in Discontinuous Canopies: A Weighted Random Approach
1 Introduction
2 Basis of the Nonrandom Model
3 Calculating Noninterceptances
4 Canopy BRDF Calculations
5 Model Verification
6 Summary
References
13 Geometric-Optical Modeling of Forests as Remotely-Sensed Scenes Composed of Three-Dimensional, Discrete Objects
1 Introduction
2 Shape, Size, and Spacing of Objects
3 Modeling Forest Signatures
4 Inversion Strategy
5 Component Radiances
6 Two-Stage Models
7 Conclusions
References
14 Monte Carlo Methods
1 Introduction
2 The Radiation Regime of a Coniferous Tree
3 The Radiation Regime of Plant Canopy
4 Numerical Experiments
5 Conclusions
Appendices
References
15 Radiation Regime and Photosynthesis of Coniferous Stands
1 Introduction
2 Stand Architecture and its Mathematical Modeling
3 The Radiation Field Inside a Stand
4 Radiation and Photosynthesis
5 Discussion
References
16 Joining LeafPhotosynthesis Models and Canopy Photon-Transport Models
1 What is Needed
2 Dispersion in Leaf Placement: Binomial Penetration Functions
3 Lateral Inhomogeneities in the Canopy - How Important are They?
4 Finite Size of Leaves: Penumbral Effects
5 Solar Tracking by Leaves, or Heliotropism
6 Variation of Leaf Photosynthetic Capacity with Canopy Position
7 Transients in Irradiance, Especially from Leaf Movement
8 Micrometeorology
9 Some Effort-Reducing Mathematical Procedures
10 Conclusions
References
17 Applications of Radiative Transfer Models for Remote Sensing of Vegetation Conditions and States
1 Introduction
2 Past and Present Applications
3 Present and Future Applications
4 Commercial Instruments
5 Future Directions
6 Mission to Planet Earth
References.