Rapson GL2024-01-082024-07-252017-12-032024-01-082024-07-252018-01-08Rapson GL. (2018). Changing methodology results in operational drift in the meaning of leaf area index, necessitating implementation of foliage layer index.. Ecol Evol. 8. 1. (pp. 638-644).2045-7758https://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/70530Leaf area index (LAI) was developed to describe the number of layers of foliage in a monoculture. Subsequent expansion into measurement by remote-sensing methods has resulted in misrepresentation of LAI. The new name foliage layer index (FLI) is applied to a more simply estimated version of Goodall's "cover repetition," that is, the number of layers of foliage a single species has, either within a community or in monoculture. The relationship of FLI with cover is demonstrated in model communities, and some potential relationships between FLI and species' habit are suggested. FLIcomm is a new formulation for the number of layers of foliage in a mixed-species' community. LAI should now be reserved for remote-sensing applications in mixed communities, where it is probably a nonlinear measure of the density of light-absorbing pigments.(c) 2017 The Author/sCC BY 4.0https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/agriculturechlorophyllcover repetitiongrowth analysisleaf areashade‐lightJournal article10.1002/ece3.36622045-7758journal-article638-644https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29321900ECE33662