This package archives the core data used for analysis and inference in 'Abiotic influences on continuous conifer forest structure across a subalpine watershed' (Worsham et al., 2025). All data were collected in the East River, Washington Gulch, Slate River, and Coal Creek watersheds of Colorado. In

This package archives the core data used for analysis and inference in 'Abiotic influences on continuous conifer forest structure across a subalpine watershed' (Worsham et al., 2025). All data were collected in the East River, Washington Gulch, Slate River, and Coal Creek watersheds of Colorado. In

This dataset contains abundance and range size data for angiosperm communities at three sites in Washington Gulch near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL, Gothic, Colorado, USA) for 2021 and 2022. RMBL is located in the East River valley of the West Elk mountains, approximately 10 kilome

This dataset contains solute chemistry data and GPS coordinates for surface water samples collected in the East River watershed in the Elk and West Elk Ranges of Colorado from August 3rd through August 11th, 2022. Samples were collected from streams and groundwater seeps as part of a comprehensive a

High-alpine ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Thus, many ecosystem patterns are shifting due to warming temperatures, extreme weather events, and seasonal changes. This becomes an issue for birds that breed and live in high-elevation environments, as they may not be able to c

Ecologists are interested in studying the factors that affect the abundance of a species. Disturbances, such as avalanches, could affect the populations of small mammals. Live trapping has been a traditional method to study abundances of small mammals; however, it has some downsides. A new, non-inva

Thermoregulation is an important factor for bee flight which ultimately contributes to an individual’s ability to forage and produce offspring. Rising temperatures could benefit insects by increasing their efficiency in reproduction and provisioning. However, warming could negatively impact floral r

Human recreation can lead to changes in behavior and distribution patterns of wildlife populations. This project aims to (1) evaluate the effectiveness of the Hunt trap, a novel non- invasive technique used to estimate small mammal abundance (2) determine the distance from trails at which we see an

As global temperatures rise due to climate change, aquatic ecosystems, such as alpine ponds, become more at risk of drying earlier than normal. These changes in pond hydrology have the potential to alter not only the aquatic ecosystems, but also terrestrial and riparian ecosystems, through resource

The identities of avian nest predators remain unknown in many systems. The Mountain White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) is a high-elevation ground-nesting passerine for which only 4 of 15 suspected nest predator species have been confirmed. In this short communication, we confirm

While it is generally accepted that social isolation has detrimental effects on social species, little is known about the importance of social interactions in less social species-particularly for wild reproductive females. We studied socially-flexible yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) and

Ecologists are always interested in studying populations of a certain area. There are many reasons for this, but two reasons include to see the change in distribution over time and because it can help tell about interactions between species. A traditional way of studying small mammal populations tha

Osmia is a genus of solitary, cavity-nesting bees which will readily nest in artificial nest- blocks. Nest-blocks (or “trap-nests”) have long been used to study cavity-nesting bees and have recently been popularized for conserving bees in urban and agricultural systems. What attributes of the nest-b

Mountain white-crowned sparrows’ (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha; hereafter MWCS) diet fluctuates across seasons given their changing nutrient requirements across life stages and environment. Insect population densities may influence the daily nest survival of MWCS who depend upon these organisms a

The cumulative cost of reproduction hypothesis predicts that reproductive costs accumulate over an individual's reproductive life span. While short-term costs have been extensively explored, the prevalence of cumulative long-term costs and the circumstances under which such costs occur alongside or

Humans in strong social relationships are more likely to live longer because social relationships may buffer stressors and thus have protective effects. However, a shortcoming of human studies is that they often rely on self-reporting of these relationships. By contrast, observational studies of non

The Gunnsion Basin Focus area encompasses the upper Gunnsion watershed. The Basin lies entirely on the west side of the Continental Divide. Geographically the area includes most of Gunnsion County, the northern third of Hinsdale County, and the north western third of Saguache County. The total land