3.2 Information and data collection
- The data contained in the data base is divided into site-specific information and that which has been extracted from relevant literature.
- With the intended focus on uses of tree and shrub species vis-a-vis their biophysical requirements, site-specific information forms the backbone of the data base.
- This approach sets apart ICRAF's MPTS data base from most others of a similar kind.
Site-specific first-hand information is obtained from:
(i) Volunteer informants working in the field or having access to people with site-specific knowledge about MPTS species;
(ii) Results of special country- or region-wide MPTS data collection miss- ions;
(iii) Hired contributors collecting data in multitude of geographically re- stricted localities with which they are familiar.
These MPTS data are collected and provided by means of a specially formated MPTS Data Sheet (see Appendix 1) containing standatciized descriptors.
- A supplementary source of information is other recognized and relevant publications (e.g. compendium-type books, species monographs,
- research results) from which the required information and data are extracted in the same format as described above.