GLASS LAI is the leaf area index product with the highest precision and longest time-series among the same type of LAI products globally, which has a time span of 1982~2013 with a spatial resolution finer than 5 km. GLASS LAI has a temporal resolution of 8-days and monitors 46 times in one year, which was first published in 2012 globally ( http://www.bnu-datacenter.com/, http://www.csi.gov.cn/, http://www.nrscc.gov.cn/ ).
This report uses Maximal Leaf Area Index ( MLAI ) and the Average Leaf Area Index ( ALAI ) as the representations of the growth condition of vegetation. Maximum Leaf Area Index ( MLAI ) means the annual maximum value of LAI, reflecting the growth condition of vegetation in the most eugenic period of plant growth annually; Average Leaf Area Index ( ALAI ) is the average value of LAI derived from remote sensing data over several periods during one year, reflecting the average level of annual vegetation growth.