Virtual Museum of Canada
Jardin botanique de Montréal 
Centre for Forest Research

Alain Cogliastro


My tools

Linear probe

I use the linear probe to evaluate the amount of light passing through the foliage of trees or shrubs that are present on my study sites. The long white rod that comes out of the probe is used to measure the brightness on a length of a metre. It gives a general idea of the ambient light of the environment, rather than taking the measure at a specific point which might not be truly representative of the environment.

This information is useful to me because it lets me know if the young trees we plant are receiving enough light or not.

Photo of a linear probe

A linear probe (© Alain Cogliastro)