File Name(s)
------------
There is only one data file in this particular data set and two associated 
companion files. The data file is named "ornl_point_lai.dat" and is provided in 
its original tab-delimited tabular format. This file contains Leaf Area Index 
(LAI) data for 1008 worldwide point measurements compiled from the literature 
with associated ancillary information (See below for a full description of 
column headings and file contents).

The two companion files are named "ornl_lai_refs.txt" and "LAI_TM.pdf". The 
ornl_lai_refs.txt file contains a bibliography of over 300 references used in 
the compilation of this data set, in ASCII, or text format. The LAI_TM.pdf file 
is a copy of an ORNL Technical Memorandum which contains additional information 
on data set production and graphics that the user will find useful. This file is 
in Portable Document Format (PDF).


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ASCII File Format
------------------
All of the files in the ISLSCP Initiative II data collection are in the ASCII, 
or text format. The data file ornl_point_lai.dat has a total of 1009 rows and 19 
columns all separated by a single tab character. Both numerical and text fields 
are included as described below. A value of -999 denotes a missing numerical 
value (-99.99 for Latitude and Longitude fields). "N/A" means that a particular 
text field was not available.

Below is a list of column headings used in the LAI data set in the order in 
which they occur. Also listed are the 15 biome / land cover classes and their 
descriptions. 

File Contents:
-------------

Variable                 Definition
--------------------     ---------------------------------------------------
Sitename                 Unique common name for study site, where reported
Country                  Country of study
Latitude                 Latitude (decimal degrees) to two decimal places
                         (South is negative by convention)
Longitude                Longitude (decimal degrees) to two decimal places
                         (West is negative by convention)
LAI                      Leaf area index, as reported (m2/m2 or dimensionless)
Time of Measurement      Season, month, occasionally exact date
Year_LAI                 Year of original study, where reported (otherwise
                         assumed to be equal to Year_pub)
Methodology/ Comments    Methodologies: A - destructive harvest; B - litterfall; 
                                  C - allometry; D - point quadrat/plumb line; 
                                  E - Indirect non-contact (LAI-2000 or other);
                                  X - unknown
Further comments provided where additional information was reported
                         N.B. SLA x wt. = specific leaf area multiplied by leaf
                         weight

Biome                    biome / land cover type, as reported
Biomecover               biome / land cover type assigned to one of 15 classes
                         *(see below)
Dominant species         Major species/ genus/ family, where reported
Author                   Name of first author of original reference
Year_pub                 Year of publication
ANPP                     Above-ground net primary productivity (g/m2/year dry
                         matter)
BNPP                     Below-ground net primary productivity (g/m2/year dry
                         matter)
TNPP                     Total net primary productivity (ANPP + BNPP) (g/m2/year
                         dry matter)
Elevation (m)            Elevation of study site in meters, as reported
Age                      Age of vegetation stand in years (mostly reported for
                         forests)
Remarks/Original source  Additional remarks about peculiarities of the study;
                         references to previous or related studies


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*List of 15 biome / land cover classes used in the LAI data set

Acronym                  Biome / land cover
-------                  ------------------
Tundra                   Tundra, circumpolar and alpine
Desert                   Deserts
Wetland                  Wetlands, temperate and tropical
Grassland                Grasslands, temperate and tropical
Crops                    Crops, temperate and tropical
Shrub                    Shrubland, heath or Mediterranean-type vegetation
Plantation               Plantations (managed forests); temperate deciduous
                         broad-leaf, temperate evergreen needle-leaf and 
                         tropical deciduous broad-leaf
Forest / BoDBL           Forest, boreal deciduous broad-leaf
Forest / BoENL           Forest, boreal evergreen needleleaf
Forest / BoTeDNL         Forest, boreal/temperate deciduous needle-leaf
Forest / TeDBL           Forest, temperate deciduous broad-leaf
Forest / TeENL           Forest, temperate evergreen needle-leaf
Forest / TeEBL           Forest, temperate evergreen broad-leaf
Forest / TrDBL           Forest, tropical deciduous broad-leaf
Forest / TrEBL           Forest, tropical evergreen broad-leaf