Data from: Nest size is predicted by female identity and the local environment in the blue tit, but is not related to genetic or foster mother's nest size
Data files
Mar 07, 2018 version files 158.86 KB
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BT analysis 17-11-27.R
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Final BT nest data LON 2017-5-10.csv
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genetic depth.csv
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README_for_Final BT nest data LON 2017-5-10.xlsx
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rearing depth.csv
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Mar 12, 2018 version files 159.60 KB
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Final BT nest data LON 2018-2-6.csv
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Final BT nest size analysis code.R
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genetic depth2.csv
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README_for_Final BT nest data LON 2018-2-6.xlsx
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rearing depth2.csv
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Abstract
The potential for animals to respond to changing climates has sparked interest in intraspecific variation in avian nest structure since this may influence nest microclimate and protect eggs and offspring from inclement weather. However, there have been relatively few large-scale attempts to examine variation in nests or the determinates of individual variation in nest structure within populations. Using a set of mostly pre-registered analyses, we studied potential predictors of variation in the size of a large sample (803) of blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) nests across three breeding seasons at Wytham Woods, UK. Whilst our pre-registered analyses found that individual females built very similar nests across years, there was no evidence in follow-up (post hoc) analyses that their nest size correlated to that of their genetic mother or, in a cross-fostering experiment, to the nest where they were reared. In further pre-registered analyses, spatial environmental variability explained nest size variability at relatively broad spatial scales, and especially strongly at the scale of individual nestboxes. Our study indicates that nest structure is a characteristic of individuals, but is not strongly heritable, indicating that it will not respond rapidly to selection. Explaining the within-individual and within-location repeatability we observed requires further study.