Amber S. Born Kara S. Gibson Derek A. Uhey Anita J. Antoninka Nancy E. Karraker Rachel A. Loehman Todd G. Wojtowicz 20250930 tabular digital data Reston Virginia U.S Geological Survey https://doi.org/10.5066/P1MU8RYY Data containing field observations of potential Jemez Mountains salamander (JMS; Plethodon neomexicanus) cover objects and characteristics of underlying soils, concurrent with arthropod data collected from pitfall traps beneath selected cover objects in salamander historic habitat located in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico from 2023-2024. We sampled potential salamander prey items beneath potential cover objects and measured abiotic characteristics of likely importance to JMS and soil arthropods. Wildfires in Jemez Mountains salamander historic habitat can affect cover availability, alter soil abiotic factors, and influence prey base. We collected data on the effect of fire severity on salamander potential cover objects with an emphasis on Coleoptera (beetles), a main prey item, across a burn severity gradient. Furthermore, we investigated how cover object characteristics influence arthropod communities by deploying novel pitfall traps beneath potential cover objects. Pitfall traps deployed underneath selected cover objects were re-sampled biweekly across a fire severity gradient of unburned, low, and medium/high severity sites within historic JMS range, throughout two consecutive summer monsoon seasons, when salamanders are likely to be more active on the soil surface This data release includes arthropod data and cover object characteristics collected solely from 2023, including supplementary soil data that was collected in 2024. The data release includes 3 .csv files related to field observations: 1) Potential salamander cover object characteristics including type of cover, cover object size, embeddedness, decay class, canopy cover, soil moisture, soil C:N ratio (cover_object_data.csv), 2) Pitfall trap count data in which arthropods were identified to the coarsest taxonomic unit (varies by taxa; coarse_arthropod_data.csv), 3) Pitfall trap beetle count data identified to the lowest practical taxonomic unit (beetle_lptu_data.csv). These data were used to assess abundance and diversity of potential salamander prey concurrent with cover object characteristics, and to support Jemez Mountains salamander habitat and species conservation efforts. 20230501 20240913 publication date Complete None planned Jemez Mountains, New Mexico -106.7966 -106.4397 35.9736 35.7185 ISO 19115 Topic Category biota USGS Thesaurus Soil sciences Fires Endangered species Entomology Arthropods Wildlife Natural resource management None Salamander Beetles Microenvironment Jemez Mountains USGS Metadata Identifier USGS:6876cfded4be020e2024198f Common geographic areas New Mexico Bandelier National Monument Santa Fe National Forest None Valles Caldera National Preserve Biocomplexity Thesaurus Amphibians Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) 2025 ONLINE_REFERENCE Washington, D.C. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) http://itis.gov expert knowledge Kingdom Animalia Subkingdom Bilateria Infrakingdom Deuterostomia Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata Infraphylum Gnathostomata Superclass Tetrapoda Class Amphibia Order Caudata Family Plethodontidae Subfamily Plethodontinae Genus Plethodon Species Plethodon neomexicanus TSN: 173663 No access constraints. Please see 'Distribution Information' for details. These data are marked with a Creative Common CC0 1.0 Universal License. These data are in the public domain and do not have any use constraints. Users are advised to read the dataset's metadata thoroughly to understand appropriate use and data limitations. Todd G Wojtowicz USGS - MIDCONTINENT REGION Biologist mailing address

2327 University Way

Bozeman MT 59715 US 928-856-0076 406-994-6556 twojtowicz@usgs.gov Samantha Seawright for data collection and support. Ana Theresa Miller-ter Kuile for data analysis. Once arthropods were identified to the coarsest taxonomic unit, samples were counted and reviewed by two people for potential mistakes, replicates and miscounts. There are missing samples due to mislabeling post- field collection. Few samples were excluded also due to high concentration of debris/soil within the pitfall trap. Data represent field and laboratory observed information on collected specimans and environmental conditions. We deployed pitfall traps of novel construction to capture potential salamander prey across a fire severity gradient throughout historic Jemez Mountains salamander habitat. We placed traps at sites with known historical salamander detection throughout Valles Caldera National Preserve, Bandelier National Monument, and Santa Fe National Forest. Salamander detections were referenced by the Natural Heritage New Mexico database. A total of ten traps were deployed at each of our twelve sites across a fire severity gradient (4 unburned, 4 low, 4 medium/high) with 4 sampling periods. The historical occupation data was compared to fire history data using Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity (MTBS; https://www.mtbs.gov ), a program that maps burn severity of large fires in the U.S. Low severity and medium/high severity sites were chosen that had burned in either the Las Conchas (2011) or Thompson Ridge (2013) fires. At each site, an approximately 50 x 50 meter (m) plot was chosen to include the majority of the associated burn class characteristics. 20230715 At each of the twelve sites, we placed 10 pitfall traps beneath potential cover objects (i.e., rocks and logs). Cover objects were selected by choosing the nearest suitable rock or log at 5m increments along a 50m transect line within the plot. Typically, this transect line ran at a 45-degree angle from one corner of the plot toward the opposite plot corner, but transect orientation was modified in cases of irregular plot dimensions. We excluded rocks and logs that were not at least partially in contact with the soil, which had ant nests beneath them that could not be avoided when sampling, or which were smaller than approximately 5 centimeter (cm) in diameter at their widest point. Soil arthropods were sampled every other week, concurrent with salamander surveys. 20230715 We designed novel pitfall traps to minimize soil disturbance beneath cover objects, prevent inadvertent capture of salamanders, and exclude arthropods too large for most JMS to ingest. Potential salamander cover objects (i.e., rocks and logs) were selected as representative of those associated with salamander occupancy. Pitfall traps consisted of a centrifuge tube filled with propylene glycol (a non-toxic preservative) nested inside a PVC pipe. Each pitfall trap was constructed from a 50 milliliter (ml) centrifuge tube covered with 3 millimeter (mm) mesh hardware cloth, inserted into a 13 cm tall, 3.18 cm internal diameter schedule 40 PVC pipe sheath. We selected mesh with 3 mm openings because Cummer (2005) reported that arthropods wider than 3 mm in diameter were rarely encountered in the gut contents of 79 JMS specimens preserved in museum collections. To ensure that trap entrances were not blocked by cover objects, three 18-gauge nails were hammered into the tops of each trap to maintain 5 mm of clearance. To install each trap, we used a 5 cm diameter auger to excavate a 13 cm deep hole to accommodate the PVC sheath, inserted the sheath so that it was level with the soil surface, and backfilled around it with excavated soil. We then inserted the centrifuge tube containing propylene glycol and carefully reconstructed the litter layer surrounding the trap. Finally, we returned the cover object to its original position and replaced any surrounding litter and soil we had disturbed during installation. We then tied a loop of fishing line with flagging tape on the lid, so that we could pull the vial out of the PVC pipe without dislodging the entire trap and causing more disturbance. At two-week intervals (+/- 3 days), we removed the centrifuge tubes containing collected arthropods from each trap and replaced them with new tubes containing fresh propylene glycol. Cummer, M. R. 2005. The effect of wildfire on populations of the Jemez Mountains salamander (Plethodon neomexicanus) with consideration to arthropod prey availability following the Cerro Grande Fire of northern New Mexico (Master’s thesis, Utah State University). Edited by Edmund D. Brodie. 20230715 When deploying pitfall traps, we recorded cover object characteristics such as soil moisture, object dimensions/decay class/canopy cover, and embeddedness. We measured soil moisture using a ML3 ThetaProbe (Delta-T Devices, Cambridge, UK) beneath each pitfall trap cover object at each timepoint and immediately prior to soil sampling. We also measured the length, width, and height of rock cover objects and the length, small end diameter, and large end diameter of log cover objects. For rock cover objects, we estimated the embeddedness (i.e., what percentage of the cover object lay beneath the soil surface) and noted whether they were layered or not; for log cover objects, we additionally recorded the decay class. Log decay class was determined using a rank-based system to assess decomposition in woody fuels (Maser et al. 1979; Loehman and Karraker 2025a, Loehman and Karraker 2025b). We photographed the ground cover within a 0.56m2 cover frame centered on each cover object and measured the canopy cover above each cover object. To measure percent canopy cover, two wide angle (0.5x) photos offset by 90 degrees were taken with a camera placed on the center of the cover object and held level. Percent canopy cover was then measured using the Percent Cover ecological monitoring app (Public Interest Enterprises 2021). Within the app the detection level for each photo was adjusted to include all tree branches and exclude any cloud cover. Lastly, at the conclusion of our study, we collected soil to a depth of 3 cm from beneath our pitfall trap cover objects for analysis of total carbon and nitrogen content. Soil samples were sieved and sent to Brigham Young University Environmental Analytical Lab (Provo, UT) for analysis. Loehman, R.A., Karraker, N.E. 2025a Evaluating slash piles as habitat for a threatened salamander. Fire Ecology 21, 36 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-025-00381-4 Loehman, R.A., and Karraker N.E. 2025b. Slash pile characteristics and their relationship to habitat for Sacramento Mountain salamanders New Mexico USA: U.S. Geological Survey data release. https://doi.org/10.5066/P1QUOZPS. Maser, C., R.G. Anderson, K. Cromack Jr., J.T. Williams, and R.E. Martin. 1979. Dead and down woody material. USDA Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 533: 78–95. Washington D.C. 20230715 We transferred arthropod samples from propylene glycol to 80% ethanol to prevent decomposition. We sieved samples with a 500 micrometer (µm) sieve in order to clear out debris and separate out the larger arthropods, then backwashed with ethanol into a petri dish for scanning. The backwashed samples, or greater than 500 µm arthropods, were then imaged using a Epson 500 photo scanner following the SoilBon Foodweb protocol for taking images of arthropods (Potapov et al. 2022). We scanned the petri dish twice so the specimens could be photographed from two different angles to make identification easier. We then analyzed the photoscans, categorizing each arthropod to the coarsest taxonomic resolution. We pinned and mounted the hard-bodied arthropods (Hymenoptera and Coleoptera). After all samples were identified to order, we identified beetle specimens to the lowest practical taxonomic unit. Each unidentified beetle morphospecies was pinned/point mounted, photographed, and uploaded to online databases (bugguide.net) where experts helped identify specimens. Potapov, A.M. (2022), Multifunctionality of belowground food webs: resource, size and spatial energy channels. Biol Rev, 97: 1691-1711. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12857 20230715 cover_object_data.csv Comma Separated Value (CSV) file containing data. Producer Defined Plot_ID Each of our 12 sites are classified into 3 burn severity categories (Un: Unburned, Lo: Low severity, MoHi: Medium/High severity. There are 4 sites within each burn severity category. Producer Defined Un1 Unburned, site 1. Producer defined Un2 Unburned, site 2. Producer defined Un3 Unburned, site 3. Producer defined Un4 Unburned, site 4. Producer defined Lo5 Low severity, site 5. Producer defined Lo6 Low severity, site 6. Producer defined Lo7 Low severity, site 7. Producer defined Lo8 Low severity, site 8. Producer defined MoHi9 Medium/high severity, site 9. Producer defined MoHi10 Medium/high severity, site 10. Producer defined MoHi11 Medium/high severity, site 11. Producer defined MoHi12 Medium/high severity, site 12. Producer defined Trap_ID There are 10 pitfall ("P") traps at each of the 12 sites, totaling 120 traps. Producer Defined This column represents pitfall traps 1-120. Cover Type This column represents cover object/ potential salamander microhabitat type, such as rock or log. Producer Defined L Log cover object. Producer defined R Rock cover object. Producer defined Cover Attribute This column represents cover object characteristics measured in the field, some may repeat across collection weeks. Producer Defined Canopy cover 1 (%) Canopy cover percentage measured using a mobile app (Percent Cover ecological monitoring app). Canopy cover was measured by taking two wide angle (0.5x) photos offset by 90 degrees from directly above the center of cover object. Producer defined Canopy cover 2 (%) Canopy cover percentage measured using a mobile app (Percent Cover ecological monitoring app). Canopy cover was measured by taking two wide angle (0.5x) photos offset by 90 degrees from directly above the center of cover object. Producer defined Log small end diameter (cm) The smaller end of the selected log cover object was recorded using a tape measurer. Producer defined Log large end diameter (cm) The larger end of the selected log cover object was recorded using a tape measurer. Producer defined Log total length (cm) The total length of the selected log cover object was recorded using a tape measurer. Producer defined Log decay class (1-5) Selected log cover objects were classified into decay class of 1-5 Producer defined Pre-collection soil moisture Soil moisture immediately recorded while traps were deployed. Producer defined Post-collection soil moisture Soil moisture when first traps were collected. Producer defined Week 1 Soil moisture Week 1 soil moisture is the average of pre and post deployment/collection of first pitfall traps. Producer defined Week 2 soil moisture Soil moisture recorded while traps were collected. Producer defined Week 3 soil moisture Soil moisture recorded while traps were collected. Producer defined Week 4 soil moisture Soil moisture recorded while traps were collected. Producer defined Rock length (cm) The length of the selected rock cover object was recorded using a tape measurer. Producer defined Rock width (cm) The width of the selected rock cover object was recorded using a tape measurer. Producer defined Rock height (cm) The height of the selected rock cover object was recorded using a tape measurer. Producer defined Rock embedded (%) Estimated percentage of embeddedness was estimated and reported. Producer defined Rock layered? (binary 0/1) It was noted whether (1) or not (0) selected rock cover object was layered with multiple rocks. Producer defined Value This column represents the numerical value for each corresponding cover object attribute. Values have different units for different metrics. Producer Defined NA No Data Producer defined 0 1700 coarse_arthropod_data.csv Comma Separated Value (CSV) file containing data. Producer Defined Plot_ID Each of our 12 sites are classified into 3 burn severity categories (Un: Unburned, Lo: Low severity, MoHi: Medium/High severity. There are 4 sites within each burn severity category. Producer Defined Un1 Unburned, site 1. Producer defined Un2 Unburned, site 2. Producer defined Un3 Unburned, site 3. Producer defined Un4 Unburned, site 4. Producer defined Lo5 Low severity, site 5. Producer defined Lo6 Low severity, site 6. Producer defined Lo7 Low severity, site 7. Producer defined Lo8 Low severity, site 8. Producer defined MoHi9 Medium/high severity, site 9. Producer defined MoHi10 Medium/high severity, site 10. Producer defined MoHi11 Medium/high severity, site 11. Producer defined MoHi12 Medium/high severity, site 12. Producer defined Trap_ID There are 10 pitfall ("P") traps at each of the 12 sites, totaling 120 traps. Producer Defined This column represents pitfall traps 1-120. Collection_Week This section represents the collection week of pitfall traps (1-4). Producer Defined 1 4 Arthropod This column represents the collected arthropod orders, or coarsest taxonomic unit (includes class) within pitfall traps. Producer Defined Diptera Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Araneae Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Coleoptera Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Arachnida Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Collembola Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Hemiptera Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Hymenoptera Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Psocodea Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Polyxenida Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Diplopoda Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Opiliones Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Thysanoptera Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Orthoptera Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Chilopoda Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Mollusca Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Pseudoscorpiones Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Lepidoptera Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Diplura Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined ITIS_TSN Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number for listed Arthropod Producer Defined ITIS Taxonomic Serial Number https://www.itis.gov/ Count This column represents the number of arthropods found across all orders present in collected pitfall traps. There are many zero values in this column to indicate no presence of listed taxon in the pitfall trap. Producer Defined 0 76 beetle_lptu_data.csv Comma Separated Value (CSV) file containing data. Producer Defined Plot_ID Each of our 12 sites are classified into 3 burn severity categories (Un: Unburned, Lo: Low severity, MoHi: Medium/High severity. There are 4 sites within each burn severity category. Producer Defined Un1 Unburned, site 1. Producer defined Un2 Unburned, site 2. Producer defined Un3 Unburned, site 3. Producer defined Un4 Unburned, site 4. Producer defined Lo5 Low severity, site 5. Producer defined Lo6 Low severity, site 6. Producer defined Lo7 Low severity, site 7. Producer defined Lo8 Low severity, site 8. Producer defined MoHi9 Medium/high severity, site 9. Producer defined MoHi10 Medium/high severity, site 10. Producer defined MoHi11 Medium/high severity, site 11. Producer defined MoHi12 Medium/high severity, site 12. Producer defined Trap_ID There are 10 pitfall ("P") traps at each of the 12 sites, totaling 120 traps. Producer Defined This column represents pitfall traps 1-120. Collection_week This section represents the collection week of pitfall traps (1-4). Producer Defined NA No Data Producer defined 1 4 Beetle Lowest practical taxonomic unit for observed beetle species. Some taxa were classified into morphospecies with descriptive labels. Producer Defined Acrotrichis Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Leiodinae Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Anisotoma Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Hylastes Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Otiorhynchus_Ovatus Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Caenoscelis Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Cryptophagus Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Pterostichus_restrictus Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Curimopsis Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Elateridae Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Epuraea Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Alticini Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Anthicidae Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Cucujoidea Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Aleocharinae Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Staphylinidae Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Quedius Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Astenus Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Pselaphinae Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Colon Refer to ITIS_TSN Producer defined Morphotype Descriptive text for various morphotypes observed Producer Defined Observer provided visual traits of morphotypes ITIS_TSN Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Taxonomic Serial Number for listed Beetle Producer Defined ITIS Taxonomic Serial Number https://www.itis.gov/ Count This column represents the number of beetles found within each represented morphospecies. Producer Defined 0 181 U.S. Geological Survey - ScienceBase mailing address

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Denver CO 80225 1-888-275-8747 sciencebase@usgs.gov Unless otherwise stated, all data, metadata and related materials are considered to satisfy the quality standards relative to the purpose for which the data were collected. Although these data and associated metadata have been reviewed for accuracy and completeness and approved for release by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), no warranty expressed or implied is made regarding the display or utility of the data for other purposes, nor on all computer systems, nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Digital Data https://doi.org/10.5066/P1MU8RYY None 20250930 GS-NOROCK Data Steward U.S. Geological Survey Data Steward mailing address

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Bozeman MT 59715 United States 406-994-5034 406-994-6556 norock_data_steward@usgs.gov FGDC Biological Data Profile of the Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata FGDC-STD-001.1-1999