These results indicate that the supra-optimal leaf area, rather than maximum canopy carbon gain, makes P. lobata was outcompeted by a competing alien weed, Solidago altissima (tall goldenrod). Ultimately, the field results revealed that even with a nearly optimal LAI, P. In the following year, a field experiment was conducted where a nearly optimal LAI was maintained throughout the growth period by regularly clipping the leaves of P. With the aid of a canopy photosynthesis model and a sensitivity analysis, it was revealed that the actual LAI was 2.2–3.0 times higher than the optimal LAI for maximizing canopy photosynthesis. In the present study, the influences of the high LAI on light interception and canopy photosynthesis, as well as on the inter-specific competition was investigated on a roadside P. Interesting to note is that the high LAI also increases self-shading, thereby decreasing its own photosynthesis processes. The high LAI casts heavy shade over neighboring plants, making their survival difficult. The LAI of an invasive woody vine Pueraria lobata (kudzu) is one of the highest among plant species, sometimes attaining nearly 10 m 2 m −2. Leaf area index (LAI) measured for the actual plant canopy is higher than the LAI that maximizes canopy photosynthesis (referred to as optimal LAI) because each individual can increase its light interception by unilaterally producing more leaf area.
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