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Expectations to share data underlying studies are increasing, but research on how participants, particularly those in qualitative research, respond to requests for data sharing is limited. We studied research participants’ willingness to, understanding of, and motivations for data sharing. As part of a larger qualitative study on abortion reporting, we conducted interviews with 64 cisgender women in two states in early 2020 and asked for consent to share de-identified data. At the end of interviews, we asked participants to reflect on their motivations for agreeing or declining to share their data. The vast majority of respondents consented to data sharing and reported that helping others was a primary motivation for agreeing to share their data. However, a substantial number of participants showed a limited understanding of the concept of “data sharing.” Additional research is needed on how to improve participants’ understanding of data sharing and thus ensure fully informed consent. 

Prairie dogs (Cynomysspp.) are important ecosystem engineers in North America's central grasslands, and are a key prey base for numerous predators. Prairie dogs have declined dramatically across their former range, prompting reintroduction efforts to restore their populations and ecosystem functions, but the success of these reintroductions is rarely monitored rigorously. Here, we reintroduced 2,400 Gunnison's prairie dogs (C. gunnisoni) over a period of 6 years to the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, in central New Mexico, U.S.A., a semi‐arid grassland ecosystem at the southern edge of their range. We evaluated the population dynamics of prairie dogs following their reintroduction, and their consequent effects on grassland vertebrates. We found postrelease survival of prairie dogs stabilized at levels typical for the species (ca. 50%) after approximately 1 month, while average annual recruitment was ca. 0.35 juveniles per female, well below what was required for a self‐sustaining, stable population. Extreme drought conditions during much of the study period may have contributed to low recruitment. However, recruitment increased steadily over time, indicating that the reintroduced colony may simply need more time to establish in this arid system. We also found well‐known associates of prairie dog colonies, such as American badgers (Taxidea taxus) and burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia), were significantly more common on the colonies than off. After 7 years, we have yet to meet our goal of establishing a self‐sustaining population of Gunnison's prairie dogs in this semi‐arid grassland. But despite the uncertainty and challenges, our work shows that reestablishing keystone species can promote ecosystem restoration.