These datasets contain raw data from adjacent mixed-conifer (Abies lasiocarpa and Picea engelmannii) and deciduous (Populus tremuloides) forest stands in the Elk Mountains at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colorado (38.9592◦ N, longitude: 106.9898◦ W and elevation of 2880 m). Ea

We collected data at three sites in Washington Gulch near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL, Gothic, Colorado, USA) from June to August 2021 and 2022. RMBL is located in the East River valley of the West Elk mountains, approximately 10 kilometers from Crested Butte, Colorado. Study site

Maternal characteristics, social dynamics, and environmental factors can all influence reproduction and survival as well as shape trade-offs that might arise between these components of fitness. Short-lived mammals like the golden-mantled ground squirrel (GMGS; Callospermophilus lateralis) tend to m

Data were collected as part of a study of population dynamics of solitary, cavity-nesting Hymenoptera. Nesting structures ("trap-nests") were established at five study sites along an elevational gradient around the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in 2013. Two additional study sites were added i

Previous studies have demonstrated that bird song is influenced by infection. We investigated how mounting an immune response by mountain white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha) affects specific aspects of territorial song and behavior. We used song playback to simulate a territoria

Many species are habitat specialists along environmental gradients as a result of contrasting selection pressures, but others maintain broad distributions along such gradients. Phenotypic plasticity explains the persistence of some generalists, but not the broad distributions of species with fixed t

Equilibrium-line altitudes (ELAs) were determined from reconstructions of 22 paleoglaciers at their extent during the local last glacial maximum (LGM) using the accumulation-area method. LGM ELAs thus derived ranged from 2980 to 3560 m and follow a statistically significant regional trend of rising

Much of global biodiversity is comprised of parasitic organisisms. It is well recognized that the selective pressures imposed by parasites shape host defenses and life-history strategies. Many studies suggest that human changes to the environment facilitate pathogen emergence by disrupting establish

I examined the effect of forest fragment area on bird species richness and abundance in high- elevation Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanni) and sub-alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) patches in Gunnison County, Colorado. Point counts were used to survey birds in 26 forest patches, ranging from 0.06 to 8.

At the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), revegetation is an important area of research because there are many areas of disturbed land that are more vulnerable to the spread of invasive species. In my project, I revisited a former student’s revegetation work in order to determine the long-

Sexually selected traits are often plastic and can thus provide information on infection status and parasite load. Mounting an immune response has been shown to require the diversion of energy and resources away from other life history functions. Previous studies have demonstrated that bird song may

As secondary cavity-nesters, mountain bluebirds are limited in their selection of nest sites by the choices of primary (excavating) cavity nesters. In the aspen forests of Colorado, red-naped sapsuckers are the primary excavators and several species depend on sapsucker nest cavities for their own ne

Riparian zones are widely recognized as important sources of high species diversity. High levels of food resources and habitat complexity in riparian zones attract large numbers of avian species, particularly in arid regions. However, less is known about the importance of riparian proximity in wet m

Tim Garvey. USDA Forest Service. May 2008.

Red-naped sapsuckers (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) are an integral part of the aspen (Populus tremuloides) ecosystem in the montane western U.S. They are a double keystone species, providing both shelter and nutrients to a variety of organisms within the system. Numerous studies have documented the importa

AbstractComparative analyses of survival senescence by using life tables have identified generalizations including the observation that mammals senesce faster than similar‐sized birds. These generalizations have been challenged because of limitations of life‐table approaches and the growing apprecia

This study presents 11 years of nesting success and phenology data for Black Swifts (Cypseloides niger) at Box Canyon in Ouray, Colorado. Nest data were recorded on a near-daily basis for 160 nest attempts. Nesting success was 72% and mean and extreme dates of nesting events, including arrival, egg-