Seasonal changes in vertical canopy structure in a temperate broadleaved forest in Korea

Abstract Field measurements of vertical canopy structure have been challenging for decades and still important for understanding forest ecosystems. We measured the vertical canopy structure and its seasonal changes in a temperate deciduous forest canopy in Gwangneung, Korea. Time‐series measurements of leaf area index (LAI) were collected in 2013 from a five story (4‐m vertical intervals) tower. We evaluated crown depth and species composition by height from a vegetation survey. The vertical distribution of leaf and woody area density was described from measurements taken during the leaf‐on and leaf‐off seasons, and averaged 0.18 and 0.04 m 2 m −3 , respectively. Three strata were characterized: (1) the dense upper crowns with large trees (>16‐m) of Quercus serrata , in which 29.3 % of the plant materials were distributed; (2) abundant foliage dominated by Carpinus laxiflora at about 16‐…