We appreciate the opportunity to upgrade and expand our research instrumentation. The proposed equipment will allow us (a) to monitor the effects of livestock grazing on net primary production on a daily or even shorter basis, (b) to expand our network of precipitation measurements for better accounting of subregional variability, and (c) to replace necessary laboratory equipment used to process samples for long-term datasets. In addition, we request funding (d) to support greater involvement by Susan Stafford for development of a long-term plan for data management at SGS-LTER.