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1. Leaf nutrients, not specific leaf area, are consistent indicators of elevated nutrient inputs

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-018-0790-1  

   Firn, Jennifer; McGree, James M.; Harvey, Eric; Flores-Moreno, Habacuc; Schütz, Martin; Buckley, Yvonne M.; Borer, Elizabeth T.; Seabloom, Eric W.; La Pierre, Kimberly J.; MacDougall, Andrew M.; et al (March 2019, Nature Ecology & Evolution)
2. Hubbard Brook Nitrogen Oligotrophication (HBNO): Leaf mass per area

   https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/a62a4261c79ab2de38bc564828582de9  

   Fahey, Timothy J; Cleavitt, Natalie L (January 2024, Environmental Data Initiative)

   This data set encompasses leaf area and dry weights for collected freshly shot leaves (early August) and fallen leaves (entire leaf fall period) along the elevation gradient of 14 sites used for the nitrogen oligotrophication study at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. This data will be used to calculate nutrient resorption along the elevation gradient for sugar maple (collection years: 2020-2022) and American beech (2021-2022). These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station. 

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3. From the Arctic to the tropics: multibiome prediction of leaf mass per area using leaf reflectance

   https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16123  

   Serbin, Shawn P.; Wu, Jin; Ely, Kim S.; Kruger, Eric L.; Townsend, Philip A.; Meng, Ran; Wolfe, Brett T.; Chlus, Adam; Wang, Zhihui; Rogers, Alistair (September 2019, New Phytologist)

   Summary Leaf mass per area (LMA) is a key plant trait, reflecting tradeoffs between leaf photosynthetic function, longevity, and structural investment. Capturing spatial and temporal variability in LMA has been a long‐standing goal of ecological research and is an essential component for advancing Earth system models. Despite the substantial variation in LMA within and across Earth's biomes, an efficient, globally generalizable approach to predict LMA is still lacking.We explored the capacity to predict LMA from leaf spectra across much of the global LMA trait space, with values ranging from 17 to 393 g m⁻². Our dataset contained leaves from a wide range of biomes from the high Arctic to the tropics, included broad‐ and needleleaf species, and upper‐ and lower‐canopy (i.e. sun and shade) growth environments.Here we demonstrate the capacity to rapidly estimate LMA using only spectral measurements across a wide range of species, leaf age and canopy position from diverse biomes. Our model captures LMA variability with high accuracy and low error (R² = 0.89; root mean square error (RMSE) = 15.45 g m⁻²).Our finding highlights the fact that the leaf economics spectrum is mirrored by the leaf optical spectrum, paving the way for this technology to predict the diversity of LMA in ecosystems across global biomes. 

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4. Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Leaf Area Index (LAI) Watershed 1

   https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/e902cd609d6b56260e133124615dd317  

   Fahey, Timothy; Cleavitt, Natalie (January 2022, Environmental Data Initiative)

   Leaf area index (LAI) of the mature deciduous forest on WS1 at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is estimated on the basis of leaf litterfall collections; the raw data for litterfall are posted in the EDI data package – Fine Litterfall Data at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, 1992 – present (https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?scope=knb-lter-hbr&identifier=49). This watershed was treated with a calcium silicate mineral (wollastonite) in 1999 to gradually replace Ca lost as a result of acid deposition. Leaf litterfall is collected in 0.097 m2 litter traps raised 1.5 m above ground level and is sorted by species. The number of leaves of each species is counted. The counts are multiplied by the average area per leaf for each species in each plot to estimate LAI. Litter traps are located randomly within each of three plots that are arranged along the elevation gradient within the deciduous forest zone. 

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5. Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest: Leaf Area Index (LAI) Throughfall Plots

   https://doi.org/10.6073/pasta/e04b3901593cc240829c89360393840b  

   Fahey, Timothy; Cleavitt, Natalie (January 2022, Environmental Data Initiative)

   Leaf area index (LAI) of the mature deciduous forest adjacent to WS6 at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest is estimated on the basis of leaf litterfall collections; the raw data for litterfall are posted in the EDI data package – Fine Litterfall Data at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, 1992 – present (https://portal.edirepository.org/nis/mapbrowse?scope=knb-lter-hbr&identifier=49). These plots are designated TF, referring to throughfall chemistry collections performed at these plots many years ago (Lovett et al. 1996). Leaf litterfall is collected in 0.097 m2 litter traps raised 1.5 m above ground level and is sorted by species. The number of leaves of each species is counted. The counts are multiplied by the average area per leaf for each species in each plot to estimate LAI. Litter traps are located randomly within each of three plots that are arranged along the elevation gradient within the deciduous forest zone. These data were gathered as part of the Hubbard Brook Ecosystem Study (HBES). The HBES is a collaborative effort at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is operated and maintained by the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station. Gary M. Lovett, Scott S. Nolan, Charles T. Driscoll, and Timothy J. Fahey. Factors regulating throughfall flux in a New Hampshire forested landscape. Canadian Journal of Forest Research. 26(12): 2134-2144. https://doi.org/10.1139/x26-242 

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