Seasonal elevational dynamics of Central Himalayan mammals and birds: occurrences, richness metrics, abundance centres, boundary shifts, traits, and phylogeny

This data package quantifies seasonal shifts in species diversity, traits,
and elevational distributions of mammals and birds in the Gyirong Valley,
Central Himalayas. Field surveys were carried out in two distinct climatic
periods—the warm season (May to September) and the cold season
(October to April)—along twelve contiguous 300 m elevational bands
spanning ~1 400–4 000 m a.s.l. For each band and season the
package provides: Species occurrences for every elevational band and
sample plot. Observed, interpolated, and Chao‑estimated species richness
for mammals and birds. Abundance centres (mid‑points of abundance
distributions) for 14 focal genera and all constituent species. Seasonal
upper and lower elevational limits and the corresponding boundary‑shift
values. Species‑level trait data (body mass, tiet, forest dependency,
habitat or breeding elevation, etc.). Time‑calibrated phylogenies of the
surveyed mammal and bird assemblages. All tabular datasets are supplied as
.csv files with explicit variable definitions; phylogenetic trees are
provided in .nex format. Important note: Analytical context, methods, and
interpretation are detailed in the associated Ecography article, “Seasonal
variation in community structure and elevational distributions of mammals
and birds in the Central Himalayas.” Users are strongly encouraged to
consult the paper when re‑using these data. Released under open‑data best
practices, the files support comparative macro‑ecological, biogeographic,
and conservation research on montane biodiversity and its response to
seasonal and climatic change.