Data acquisitions for field studies include a weather station, mast catch nets (n = 20), and three Jones array pit-fall traps. The weather station provides year-around meterological data on air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, precipitation, soil temperature and moister in both a field and forest setting, wind direction and speed, and radiation.

The weather station is linked to the MBFS computer facilities for storage and is uploaded as an on-line data set. The mast catch nets are spread throughout the various community types of the MBFS and inventoried annually. These data are archived in the MBFS databases and field station web site. The pit-fall traps (two near ponds and one in the forest) are currently monitored seasonally with plans to monitor year-around herp and small mammal populations. The above data are designed to provide the background information necessary for field research projects involving plant and animal dynamics. Data will be archived in the MBFS databases and available on the web page.

MBFS houses a collection of plants in a herbarium specializing in western Tennessee wetland flora, maintained by PI Franklin, and a library of research conducted at the field station and related articles.

A GIS for the MBFS properties and selected regional locations is currently under construction. Much of this information will be on-line in the Summer of 2001. To date the MBFS property, its micro-habitats, pit traps, and deer rubs from 1994-1995 exist as layers in a GIS. If interested in this information please contact the MBFS Director.