How this calculator works
Leaf area index (LAI) is one-sided leaf area divided by ground projection area. Cover a circular plate once without overlaps: plate area divided by leaf count estimates a mean leaf area. A circular crown and supplied LAI then give leaf count. No universal species LAI is assumed. A counted spherical sample estimates leaves per packed volume; it must have the same compaction and moisture as the pile or bags. Pile mode assumes a cone. Mass uses your measured mean leaf mass, and whole bags round up. These are sampling estimates, not an exact census.
Formula
N = LAI x (crown diameter / plate diameter)² x leaves on plate. Sample volume = pi d³/6. Conical pile volume = pi D²h/12. Bags = ceiling(total leaves / packing density / bag volume).
Worked example
A 20 cm plate with 10 leaves and a 10 m crown at LAI 2 gives 50000 leaves. Two trees give 100000 leaves, or 100 kg at 1 g per leaf. A 10 cm spherical sample holding 100 leaves implies about 0.524 m³ of packed leaves, needing 11 bags of 50 L.
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Frequently asked questions
Why must I enter LAI?
LAI changes with season, tree health, site and measurement convention. A tree name alone cannot determine it reliably.
Can I mix wet and dry samples?
No. Use the same moisture and packing state for the counted sample, bag volume and mean leaf mass.
What does plate coverage mean?
Use a single non-overlapping layer of representative leaves. Avoid gaps or measure their covered area separately; a plate full of overlapping leaves biases the mean area.