1. Current Status of TROPIS
New contributions to TROPIS during the past five months have numbered only 200 plots, so the total still stands around 11,000 plots with 2100 species in both plantation and natural forests. I am sure that is not because TROPIS now indexes all plots in the tropics; far from it, I suspect that this still represents a very small fraction of the permanent plots in existance. Thus I urge you to help make TROPIS more useful by asking your colleagues if they have information any permanent plots which could be included in TROPIS. While tropical forests remain a priority for CIFOR, TROPIS is not restricted to the tropics, and any remeasured plot may be included in the index. The success of TROPIS (and thus our ability to make tree growth research more efficient by eliminating duplication and maximizing use of existing data) depends on our ability to spread the word and urge colleagues to join in. Please help in this endeavour.
During the past 5 months, 5 search requests were received and processed. We had no information on Arbutus unedo, but the other 4 requests were satisfied by putting the originator in touch with as many as 8 researchers who had data of the kind requested. The 4 requests which were satisfied originated in 4 different countries, and were directed to potential collaborators in as many as 7 different countries. All the contributions and searches were received via email.
If you have internet access, you may be interested in the webpages of other agencies and projects working with permanent plots and ecological monitoring. Some relevant links are given here. Please tell me if you know of any other relevant sites that should be included on this list.
2. Searching TROPIS
A brief reminder that you can request a search of TROPIS at any time. Searches may involve any combination of the attributes available, including species, nature of stand, location, trial objectives, etc. For more details about searching, check out the TROPIS internet site, or look in the previous issue of TROPIS Update.
To request a search of the TROPIS index, simply email, fax or post your request to Rita Mustikasari at CIFOR (see address below), stating the nature of your request.
3. Bilingual MIRA database
The MIRA data management system has been upgraded, and is now available in bilingual form (Spanish & English). If you need a better system for maintaining your permanent plot data, consider using MIRA. Contact Luis Ugalde for more information.
4. Plantgro and Infer
A demonstration version of Plantgro is now available, and can be downloaded from the TROPIS webpage. You can also download the latest versions of Plantgro files for 40 species of trees, and get documentation and information on the Plantgro package. If you have no internet access, you can get the same material from me on diskette (address below).
Infer is an expert system that helps you construct your own Plantgro files. We hope to make infer available to TROPIS participants soon. If you have an urgent need for growth information on a particular species not represented in the existing database, contact me, and I will send you parts of the existing paper-based expert system.
5. Future Plans
The following activities are planned during the next few months:
- continue to solicit more information on permanent plots,
- verify information in TROPIS, seek corrections and missing details from original contributors (You may be approached about this soon),
- make TROPIS available on the internet for self-service searches
- make Infer available on the internet.
More details in the next issue of TROPIS Update.
6. More Information
For more information on any of these items, any other aspect of TROPIS, or for information on how to contribute an entry to the TROPIS database, contact Rita Mustikasari at the address below.
Regards
Rita Mustikasari
TROPIS coordinator
CIFOR, PO Box 6596 JKPWB, Jakarta 10065, Indonesia.
Tel +62 251 622622, Fax +62 251 622100.
Email: r.mustikasari@cgiar.org