Talus Subsurface and Surface Temperature Data from Southwestern Montana, USA, 2010-2020

Between 2010 and 2020, temperature data loggers (HOBO, Onset Computer Corporation) were deployed in rocky ‘talus’ within territories of the American pika (Ochotona princeps) near active pika haypiles (food caches) at five sites within Gallatin Canyon and one site in the Crazy Mountains in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest near Bozeman, Montana. Data loggers were placed between 20 and 40 cm beneath the surface of the talus to measure subsurface temperatures. Four additional data loggers were paired with four of the subsurface data loggers at the Gallatin Canyon sites to collect ambient temperatures. Ambient temperature data loggers were placed near the subsurface data loggers, approximately two meters above the ground, on the trunk of a tree and in a plastic case to shade the data logger from direct sunlight. Data from ambient temperature loggers derive from files containing ‘AMB’ in the file name.