Douglas A. Kelt
Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology
University of California
Davis, CA 95616 USA
E-mail: dakelt@ucdavis.edu

Peter L. Meserve
Department of Biological Sciences
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115 USA

Julio R. Gutiérrez
Universidad de La Serena and Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Arids (CEAZA)
Casilla 599
La Serena, Chile y
Instituto de Ecologia y Biodiversidad (IEB)
Casilla 653
Santiago, Chile

W. Bryan Milstead
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Health and Environmental Effects Laboratory
Atlantic Ecology Division
Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882 USA

M. A. Previtali
Departamento de Ciencias Naturales
Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias
Universidad Nacional del Litoral y Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)
Santa Fe 3000 Argentina

Three data sets and associated metadata are presented in the following files.

Small mammals:

Data files --Fray_Jorge_Small_Mammals_198903-200512.txt

Metadata --Fray_Jorge_Small_Mammal_Metadata.php

Vegetation:

Data files --

Fray_Jorge_Annuals_1989-2005.txt

Fray_Jorge_Perennials_1989-2005.txt

Fray_Jorge_Seeds_1989-2002.txt

Fray_Jorge_Seeds_2003-2005 I.txt

Fray_Jorge_Seeds_2003-2005 II.txt

Metadata --Fray_Jorge_Plant_Metadata.php

Precipitation:

Data files -- Fray_Jorge_Precipitation_1989-2005.csv

Metadata -- Fray_Jorge_Precipitation_Metadata.php

The data set covers a 16-year period (1989–2005) of monthly small-mammal surveys and associated habitat and environmental data. Small mammals are trapped every month on all experimental plots, and both ephemeral and perennial plant cover and soil seed bank composition are measured at regular intervals. Rainfall is recorded and compiled annually (through 1998) or monthly; information on captured small mammals and on all vegetative and rainfall data are contained in associated files. These data have been applied to diverse population- and community-level analyses and remain useful for investigations of population dynamics, species interactions, and the relative influence of biotic and abiotic factors. Sampling is ongoing and data will be added over time.

Key words: biotic vs. abiotic interactions; climate; competition; ENSO; ephemeral plant cover; LTREB data; predation; semiarid ecosystem; shrub cover; small mammals.