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To verify the cause of high productivity in Typha stand, leaf area index(LAI), leaf orientation and inclination, specific leaf area(SLA), and radiation interception profiles were determined in a natural Typha×glauca stand. Throughout the growing season, the leaf inclination has been kept at near-right angle and leaf orientation has been random. These chracteristics were responsible for an uniform spatial arrangement of the leaves within the canopy and could be explained by the SLA value, which increased in their higher strata. The extinction coefficient (K) of the canopy, 0.12 to 0.20, was one of the smallest value out of terrestrial plant communities. At least more than 25% of full radiation penetrated into the lowest stratum of the canopy. High productivity of the Typha would be attributed to efficient penetration of the radiation in virtue of the stiff and straight leaves even though rather small LAI.
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