Data from: Plasticity of cold tolerance and body composition in response to varying warming conditions in a temperate wolf spider
Data files
Sep 16, 2025 version files 32.07 KB
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carbohydrates.csv
2.45 KB
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ctmin.csv
2 KB
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lipids.csv
2.38 KB
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protein.csv
1.57 KB
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README.md
4.16 KB
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scp.csv
1.83 KB
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weight.csv
17.68 KB
Abstract
Here, we assessed plasticity in cold tolerance and body composition in the wolf spider S. stridulans exposed to three distinct simulated winter temperature regimes: one that reflects current conditions, one that reflects a warmer winter, and one that reflects a warmer winter with increased diurnal variation. We found that the critical thermal minimum (CTmin; the lowest temperature a spider can remain active) was plastic. Specifically, CTmin was lowest at the coldest time of the simulated winter, and it was lowest in spiders exposed to current winter conditions compared to spiders exposed to warmer simulated winters. In contrast, the supercooling point, or the temperature at which spiders spontaneously freeze, was invariant across time and winter conditions. Growth rates also depend on winter conditions, with spiders from warmer and more variable winters exhibiting significantly higher growth rates. Protein and lipid contents, however, were not affected by winter environment, indicating that spiders can maintain these macronutrients at the same proportional level regardless of growth rate. In contrast, the carbohydrate content was slightly but significantly lower in spiders maintained in a warmer and more variable winter environment. The provided dataset includes raw data for cold tolerance measurements, growth rates, and body composition.
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.k6djh9wkq
Description of the data and file structure
Spiders were exposed to one of three simulated winter conditions, a current winter, a warmer winter, and a warmer and more variable winter. At various time points, spiders were sampled from these environments, and we assessed their critical thermal minimum, supercooling points, body size, and energy store content (lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins).
Files and variables
File: carbohydrates.csv
Description: Raw data for carbohydrate content (Figure 3D in the manuscript)
Variables
- treatment: the winter treatment spiders were exposed to
- time: the time point spiders were sampled as a categorical variable
- time_numeric: the time points spiders were sampled as a continuous variable in weeks
- weight: the weight of the spider in milligrams
- Measured Content : the carbohydrate content of each spider in micrograms
File: ctmin.csv
Description: Raw data for critical thermal minimum measurements (Figure 2A in the manuscript)
Variables
- treatment: the winter treatment spiders were exposed to
- time: the time point spiders were sampled as a categorical variable
- time_numeric: the time points spiders were sampled as a continuous variable in weeks
- ctmin: the critical thermal minimum of each spider in degrees celsius
File: lipids.csv
Description: Raw data for lipid content (Figure 3C in the manuscript)
Variables
- treatment: the winter treatment spiders were exposed to
- time: the time point spiders were sampled as a categorical variable
- time_numeric: the time points spiders were sampled as a continuous variable in weeks
- weight: the weight of the spider in milligrams
- lipids: the lipid content of each spider in micrograms
File: protein.csv
Description: Raw data for protein content (Figure 3B in the manuscript)
Variables
- treatment: the winter treatment spiders were exposed to
- time: the time point spiders were sampled as a categorical variable
- time_numeric: the time points spiders were sampled as a continuous variable in weeks
- weight: the weight of the spider in milligrams
- protein: the protein content of each spider in micrograms
File: scp.csv
Description: Raw data for supercooling point measurements (Figure 2B in the manuscript)
Variables
- treatment: the winter treatment spiders were exposed to
- time: the time point spiders were sampled as a categorical variable
- time_numeric: the time points spiders were sampled as a continuous variable in weeks
- scp: the critical thermal minimum of each spider in degrees Celsius
File: weight.csv
Description: Raw data for body weight measurements (Figure 3A in the manuscript)
Variables
- treatment: the winter treatment spiders were exposed to
- time: the time point spiders were sampled in weeks
- spider: the identity of each spider, which was measured repeatedly
- weight: the weight of the spider in milligrams
Code/software
All statistical models were conducted using R v. 4.2.3 implemented in RStudio 2023.03.0+386. For the cold tolerance measurements, data were analyzed using a generalized linear model (GLM) with the ‘lme4’ package, with time, treatment, and their interaction as predictors. The effect of each factor was tested using a type II ANOVA using the “Anova” function from the ‘car’ package. Pairwise comparisons between specific combinations of groups were conducted using ‘emmeans.’ Energy store data were analyzed similarly, with weight included as a covariate. For body size, data were analyzed with a generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) using the “lmer” function, with treatment, time, and their interaction as fixed effects, with time as a continuous variable, and spider ID as a random effect.
Access information
Other publicly accessible locations of the data:
- NA
Data was derived from the following sources:
- NA