DOI: 10.5061/dryad.t4b8gtj3h
title: Ruffed grouse stress-scape dataset

description: Context Variability in temperature and snow cover are characteristics of
 high-latitude environments that impose significant pressures on
 overwintering species. To cope with increased energetic demands and
 decreased resources, species occupying seasonal environments often seek
 out refugia that buffer them from inclement conditions. Ruffed grouse
 (Bonasa umbellus) roosting in the thermally stable microhabitat beneath
 deep snow are buffered from negative effects of cold temperatures on
 physiological stress (glucocorticoid hormone levels). Objective Despite
 physiological advantages of accessing warmer refugia during winter, it is
 unknown how land cover and winter climate promote the occurrence of such
 refugia over space and time. Analogous to the landscape of fear, which
 mediates how prey navigate spatial variation in predation risk, mapping a
 landscape of stress, or stress-scape, may identify hotspots where
 metabolic challenges persist. Methods We assayed droppings for fecal
 corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) collected from radio-tagged ruffed
 grouse over three winters and developed a spatial model of FCM
 concentrations across the extent of our study area, thus quantifying a
 stress-scape. Results FCMs increased with shallower snow depths, less
 dense snow, colder ambient temperatures, and more open habitat. However,
 despite considerable spatiotemporal variation in snow depth, snow density,
 and temperature, the regions across the landscape where grouse had
 elevated FCM levels were consistent and predictable across years.
 Conclusions Stress-scapes offer a new tool for understanding and
 quantifying indirect effects of stressors and can identify areas of the
 landscape where there may be consistent hotspots of stress that are the
 result of multiple ecological and environmental challenges.  
description: Data were collected at Sandhill Wildlife Area in central
 Wisconsin. Individual ruffed grouse (<em>Bonasa umbellus</em>)
 were radio-collared, and their roost behavior was monitored and fecal
 samples were collected for three winters: 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and
 2017-2018. Fecal samples were processed to measure corticosterone
 concentrations (ng/g) in the lab. We used maps of snow and temperature
 characteristics that we prepared on a daily or biweekly basis during the
 study period, and extracted snow and temperature data, as well as land
 cover data, from the locations where fecal samples were collected to
 create a generalized additive mixed model that describes how winter
 weather and land cover influence ruffed grouse physiological stress (i.e.,
 corticosterone concentrations, ng/g). The dataset "Stress-scape
 Dataset.csv" consists of multiple observations of each individual
 grouse over the course of three winter seasons. We include variables that
 were included in the final model. For each observation, we show the UTM
 location of the roost site (i.e. where the fecal sample was collected),
 the year, the individual bird ID, the roost type, the time of day that the
 sample was collected, and snow, temperature, and land cover variables that
 we extracted from previously created maps (see manuscript for additional
 details).
description: Columns in this dataset are: BirdName: a
 unique identifier for each individual ruffed grouse
 Easting: UTM Easting (m) Northing: UTM
 Northing (m) ng.g2: concentration of fecal
 corticosterone metabolites (ng/g), log-transformed
 year: 1 = 2015-2016, 2 = 2016-2017, 3 = 2017-2018
 RoostType: SNOW = snow bowl or snow burrow; OTHER = all other
 roost types (see manuscript for further details) STime:
 the time of day the fecal sample was collected, measured as minutes from
 midnight, scaled Sroostsnow: snow depth at the roost
 site (cm), scaled Sroostden: snow sink depth at the
 roost site (cm), scaled. Snow sink depth is an index of snow density.
 Larger values indicate more powdery snow. SNorthing:
 scaled version of Northing SEasting: scaled version of
 Easting SminT: minimum daily temperature (°C),
 scaled SMFa: the area of the largest patch of Mature
 Forest within 309 m of each roost site, scaled SDCa:
 the area of the largest patch of Dense Cover within 309 m of each roost
 site, scaled SOPa: the area of the largest patch of
 Open habitat within 309 m of each roost site, scaled
 SyrminTvar: annual variance of minimum temperature,
 scaled