DOI: 10.5061/dryad.n8pk0p33s
title: Data from: microhabitat selection by the Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk (Neotamias quadrivittatus oscuraensis): an old growth pinyon-juniper woodland specialist

description: Habitat specialists have been largely overlooked in old growth
 pinyon-juniper woodlands, despite specialists exhibiting heightened
 sensitivity to anthropogenic habitat loss. Furthermore, small mammal
 relationships within pinyon-juniper woodlands have most commonly been
 investigated via species abundance or habitat use, rather than habitat
 selection, thereby providing limited management metrics. We used the
 Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk (Neotamias quadrivittatus oscuraensis)
 as a model organism to evaluate whether old growth conditions drive
 resource selection by small mammals associated with pinyon-juniper
 woodlands. The goal of our study was to determine resources important to
 the chipmunk to inform management decisions. We evaluated microhabitat
 selection by testing a priori predictions based on natural history
 characteristics of the chipmunk and the woodlands. We grouped predictions
 into habitat characteristics affiliated with or not affiliated with old
 growth. We tested predictions under a multi-stage modeling framework using
 generalized linear mixed models with a binomial response variable of use
 versus availability. Probability of selection by chipmunks increased with
 increasing mean juniper diameter and increasing variation of pinyon
 diameter and decreased with increased distance to rocky escape terrain and
 increased mean percent grass cover. Our findings support the
 classification of the Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk as an old growth
 pinyon-juniper specialist, as the chipmunk displayed disproportionate
 preference for old growth microhabitat conditions. We recommend management
 policies that conserve old growth multi-age stands of pinyons and
 junipers.  Old growth conditions near outcroppings, escarpments,
 and large boulders are of particular conservation concern. Further,
 thinning resulting in increased grass cover may be detrimental to this old
 growth pinyon-juniper specialist.
description: Habitat variables were collected in the field and from a
 geographic information system at locations where the Oscura Mountains
 Colorado Chipmunk was detected and at paired random sites.
description: # Microhabitat selection by the Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk
 (Neotamias quadrivittatus oscuraensis): an old growth pinyon-juniper
 woodland specialist
 [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.n8pk0p33s](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.n8pk0p33s) The dataset was used in the manuscript **Microhabitat selection by the Oscura Mountains Colorado chipmunk (*Neotamias quadrivittatus oscuraensis*): an old growth pinyon-juniper woodland specialist**, submitted to the Journal of Mammalogy ## Description of the data and file structure The data are contained in an Excel file with two tabs. The first tab is a definition of the 129 variables grouped by hypotheses related to old growth woodland conditions (82 variables representing the 4 old growth habitat characteristics) and factors not related to old growth woodland conditions (47 variables representing 8 non-old growth habitat characteristics). The second tab contains the dataset including site names and variables. Data were collected in the field and from a geographic information system at locations where the chipmunk was detected and paired random locations. *The taxon is listed as threatened by the state of New Mexico. The specific locality has been removed from the online record. These data may be supplied to researchers on request.*