CONDUCTING RESEARCH


KBS LTER/GLBRC/LTAR Site Use Policy

The KBS LTER, GLBRC, and LTAR field sites are maintained as national research facilities available to all scientists with a legitimate research interest. Access to the sites is limited in order to protect the integrity of existing experiments, but the projects welcome further experiments and sampling activities that:

  1. are relevant to the overall projects’ goals of understanding ecological interactions in agricultural systems and landscapes,
  2. that are best answered in a stable long-term experimental setting such as that provided by the LTER, GLBRC, and LTAR sites, and
  3. that meet the terms of use of each program as noted in the Site Use Request Form (SURF), below, and
  4. adhere to the special COVID-19 procedures in effect at KBS.

Site Use Request Form

Sampling and the installation of experiments usually requires the submission of a short LTER/GLBRC/LTAR Site Use Request Form (SURF). This form should be completed and submitted online through the portal at least four weeks prior to the desired starting date to allow time for review by the project staff, and (as warranted) the respective Executive Committees (quicker turnaround is possible, if requested).

It is not usually necessary to submit a SURF for one-time samplings for pilot experiments or other ad hoc purposes. These samplings can be arranged with the relevant Project Manager, listed at the top of the SURF. In most cases soil and plant samples collected as part of normal project activities (weekly to monthly samplings) can be provided immediately (stored samples) or on the next sampling date. If special sampling effort is required, the relevant Project Manager will consult with the relevant Project Director for permission to sample and complete an abbreviated site use request form for this sampling.

Investigators using the KBS LTER, GLBRC, or LTAR sites or samples or data from the site are obligated to acknowledge support from the NSF LTER Program, the DOE BER Program, or the USDA LTAR program.

Research Facilities

KBS and the LTER project provide a wide variety of research facilities including gas analysis capabilities both in the field and laboratory to assist in conducting your research.

Information Management

The KBS LTER provides facilities for long-term archiving and online access to scientific data through its Data Catalog. Researchers must adhere to policies for the submission of research data and metadata. For more information, contact Sven Bohm, LTER Information Manager.

Researchers are encouraged to submit published data to Dryad; many journals require access to the published data, it allows the researcher to cite their data package and it makes sharing your published data easy.   Click here for instructions on submitting your LTER or GLBRC publication data to Dryad.

Letter of Support for Grant Proposals

If you are submitting a grant proposal and would like to include a letter granting preliminary permission to use the site, please email KBS LTER Principal Investigator Nick Haddad noting the names of PIs, the tentative title of the proposal, the funding agency, and a brief description of the proposed project and sample requirements. Be sure to include a full mailing address and the date desired so the support letter can be appropriately detailed and therefore stronger. Include sample text in your request if you would like the letter to make specific points. Our return letter will be provided in pdf format via email. The letter will provide permission pending submission and approval of the Site Use Request Form (as noted above) once the project is funded.

Housing and Accommodations

Short and long-term housing is available for visiting researchers and staff. To request reservations, researchers must have an approved Site Use Request Form. Please visit the Kellogg Biological Station’s website for information on housing and accommodations at http://www.kbs.msu.edu/visit/conference-center/visiting-researcher-rates.

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