Extra-pair paternity enhances the reproductive fitness of urban Chinese blackbird
Data files
Jan 02, 2024 version files 96.94 KB
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GLM_model.xlsx
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LMM_models.xlsx
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README.md
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reproductive.xlsx
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SSR.xlsx
Abstract
Urbanization is a human-induced process of rapid habitat change that can affect the reproductive success of animals. The occurrence of extra-partial paternity (EPP) may be sensitive to changes in urban ecological conditions. In this study, the Chinese blackbird (Turdus mandarinus), a common breeding bird in southern Chinese cities, was selected as the focus species to explore the EPP patterns of monogamous birds in developing cities and their relationship. Over four breeding seasons, 316 Chinese blackbird nestlings and 20 adults in both urban and rural areas were monitored and genotyped for 11 microsatellite loci to determine progeny affinity. We confirmed that both the brood size and hatching rate of EPP nests were significantly larger than those of within-pair paternity (WPP) nests. The body mass, beak length, head length, and body length of 12-day age extra-pair offspring (EPO) were significantly greater than those of within-pair offspring (WPO) suggesting important benefits of EPP. However, according to the analyses of nest ecological variables, we concluded that EPP occurs most often in areas with low urbanization levels indicating some constraints for this reproductive strategy in cities. Our findings provide interesting new insights into how this growing human-induced landscape change affects mating behavior in birds, an important aspect of avian ecology and evolution.
README
This README.txt file was generated on 2023-12-25 by Zhang Xueli
GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Title of Dataset: Data from: Extra-pair paternity enhances the reproductive fitness of urban Chinese blackbird
Date of data collection: 2017 -- 2022
Geographic location of data collection: We monitored the breeding of Chinese blackbird in Nanchang city (Qianhu Campus of Nanchang University, 28°10’ – 29°11’N,115°27’ – 116°31’E) and Yugan County of Shangrao City (including Dashandi village, Chaijiashan village, and Dongjiadian village; 28°21’ – 29°3’N, 116°13’ – 116°54’E), Jiangxi Province, China, during the 2017 – 2020 breeding seasons.
DATA & FILE OVERVIEW
1. Description of dataset
A total of 164 breeding nests (≥ 1 egg) were located and traced until the breeding activity. Parent analysis was performed on 316 nestlings from 89 successful breeding nests (≥ 1 nestling) and 20 parental individuals (11 females and 9 males) from 17 breeding nests. A dataset of 20 nests was removed from further analyses as they had only one nestling per nest. Subsequently, a total of 284 nestlings were used for the relatedness analysis. In total, 50 EPO were detected in 44 EPP nests.
2. File List:
File 1 Name: GLM model
File 1 Description: The comparative estimation of nest habitat variables between Chinese blackbird's extra-pair paternity (EPP, n=44) nests and within-pair paternity (WPP, n=24) nests is based on independent sample t-test data.
File 2 Name: LMM model
File 2 Description: offspring type: 1 = extra-pair offspring, 0 = within-pair offspring. When the nestlings reached 5 day of age, six physical parameters (including body mass, body length, head length, wing length, tarsus and body length) of the nestlings were measured.
File 3 Name: Reproductive
File 3 Description: The comparison of reproductive parameters between the Chinese blackbird's extra-pair paternity (EPP, n=44) nest and within-pair paternity (WPP, n=25) nest is based on the original data of independent sample t-test.
File 4 Name: SSR
File 4 Description: All amplification products were analyzed on an ABI 3100 capillary DNA automatic sequencer. Fragment sizes were determined using ABI GENESCAN software based on the internal lane standard GeneScan 500 [Rox]. Allele sizes were scored by ABI GENEMAPPER 3.7.
ID = offspring.
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: GLM mode
1. Number of variables: 9
2. Number of cases/rows: 69
3. Column List: num, type, NTV, HV, SSUS, LSUS, NV, CV, RV
4. Missing data codes: none
5.abbreviations used:
- num = ordered
- Type = 1 for extra-pair paternity nests and 0 for within-pair paternity nests
- NTV = nest tree variables. It includes Ground diameter, Nest tree height, Nest height and Diameter of the tree canopy.
HV = hidden variables. It includes Percent of canopy cover, Concealment and Percent crown cover of nest.
- Percent of canopy cover is Projection ratio of nest tree crown on the ground.
CV = competition variables. It was minimum spacing of the intraspecific nest.
SSUS = Small-scale urbanization score. To obtain SSUS at nest sites, we measured the degree of urbanization with the following relevant components for birds : number of floors, building coverage, vegetation coverage, percentage of impervious surfaces, and distance of nest from light. For SSUS, we examined circular samples with the nest site as the centre, using the minimum intraspecific nest spacing of the bird (40 m) as the diameter of the circle. According to an analysis of satellite tracking data of Chinese blackbirds during their breeding period, their domain range was estimated to be a circular area approximately 400 m in diameter.
LSUS = Large-scale urbanization score. To obtain LSUS at the nest sites, we examined circular samples with the nest site as the centre and the home range diameter of the bird as the diameter, and calculated building coverage, vegetation coverage, and percentage of impervious surfaces (Liker et al. 2008).
RV = Resource variables. It is distance of nest from water sources.
NV = Nest variables. It includes Position of the nest, Nest outside diameter, Nest inside diameter and Nest depth.
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: LMM model
1. Number of variables: 8
2. Number of cases/rows: Sheet1:Body mass 74, Sheet2: Beak length 74, Sheet3: Head length 73, Sheet4: Tarsus length 74, Sheet5: Wing length 74, Sheet6: Body length 74
3. Variable List: body mass(g), beak length(mm), head length(mm), tarsus length(mm), wing length(mm), and body length(mm), offspring type, nest ID.
4. Missing data codes: none
5. abbreviations used: none
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: Reproductive
1. Number of variables: 7
2. Number of cases/rows: 70
3. Variable List: clutch size, brood size, fledgling number, hatching rate (%), hatching rate (%), reproductive success rate (%)
4. Missing data codes:
5. abbreviations used:
num = ordered
DATA-SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR: SSR
1. Number of variables:25
2. Number of cases/rows: 317
3. Variable List: area, year, ID, Tgu11a, Tgu11b, Calex-8a, Calex-8b, Pava14a, Pava14b, Tgu02a, Tgu02b, TG12-015a, TG12-015b, Pava10a, Pava10b, Ase50a, Ase50b, PATMP2-43a, PATMP2-43b, TG02-120a, TG02-120b, Cuu28a, Cuu28b, DkiB119a, DkiB119b.
4. Missing data codes: none
5. abbreviations used: none