Terms and Conditions for the Use of BCI Forest Census Plot Data

Data request: Raising funds to continue censuses of the BCI 50 ha plot is easier if usefulness can be demonstrated. For this reason, we ask that users submit the data request form, which creates a record in our user database. The prospective investigator should resubmit the form for each substantially different project.

Non-transferability: So that we can vouch for the accuracy of the data, and so we get a record of every use, we ask that the prospective investigator not share the BCI data with other parties not included on the Request for Data Access Proposal.

Citation: Publications using BCI data should include the following citations:

Hubbell, S.P., Condit, R., and Foster, R.B. 2005. Barro Colorado Forest Census Plot Data. URL http://ctfs.si.edu/PanamaAtlas/datasets/bci.

Condit, R. 1998. Tropical Forest Census Plots. Springer-Verlag and R. G. Landes Company, Berlin, Germany, and Georgetown, Texas.

Hubbell, S.P., R.B. Foster, S.T. O'Brien, K.E. Harms, R. Condit, B. Wechsler, S.J. Wright, and S. Loo de Lao. 1999. Light gap disturbances, recruitment limitation, and tree diversity in a neotropical forest. Science 283: 554-557.

Copies of articles: Copies of articles should be sent to the BCI PIs: Drs. Stephen Hubbell (shubbell@eeb.ucla.edu) and Richard Condit (conditr@gmail.com) prior to submission. Unless stated otherwise, the PIs will not be involved as collaborators, but reserve the right to request authorship. Once published, any manuscript making use of the BCI data should be sent to the PIs.

Acknowledgments: Publications should also include an acknowledgement of the support of the Center for Tropical Forest Science of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the primary granting agencies that have supported the BCI plot:

"The BCI forest dynamics research project was made possible by National Science Foundation grants to Stephen P. Hubbell: DEB-0640386, DEB-0425651, DEB-0346488, DEB-0129874, DEB-00753102, DEB-9909347, DEB-9615226, DEB-9615226, DEB-9405933, DEB-9221033, DEB-9100058, DEB-8906869, DEB-8605042, DEB-8206992, DEB-7922197, support from the Center for Tropical Forest Science, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Mellon Foundation, the Small World Institute Fund, and numerous private individuals, and through the hard work of over 100 people from 10 countries over the past two decades. The plot project is part the Center for Tropical Forest Science, a global network of large-scale demographic tree plots."