MEASURING UNDERSTORY LEAF OBSTRUCTION IN ECOLOGICAL STUDIES: A COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO METHODS

The square wooden frame and the digital photography are methods widely used to measure density or foliar obstruction of understory (FOU) in structurally complex habitats. Here we compared these two by measuring FOU grids Garrafão, an area Atlantic Forest Serra dos Órgãos National Park, state Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Measures obtained were described calculating mean, median, minimum maximum values. between using Mann-Whitney U tests for independent samples. Spearman correlations compare methods. We found that measurements through correlated, suggesting both provide a reflects FOU. advantages disadvantages each method discussed.