Data from: Data for: Variation in animal personality traits across a metal pollution gradient in a free-living songbird

Anthropogenic contaminants could alter traits central to animal behavioral types, or personalities, including aggressiveness, boldness and activity level. Lead and other toxic metals are persistent inorganic pollutants that affect organisms worldwide. Metal exposure can alter behavior by affecting neurology, endocrinology, and health. However, the direction and magnitude of the behavioral effects of metal exposure remain equivocal. Moreover, the degree to which metal exposure simultaneously affects suites of correlated behavioral traits (behavioral syndromes) that are controlled by common mechanisms remains unclear, with most studies focusing on single behaviors. Using a model species for personality variation, the great tit (Parus major), we explored differences in multiple behavioral traits across a pollution gradient where levels of metals, especially lead and cadmium, are elevated close to a smelter. We employed the novel environment exploration test, a proxy for variation in personality type, and also measured territorial aggressiveness and nest defense behavior. At polluted sites birds of both sexes displayed slower exploration behavior, which could reflect impaired neurological or physiological function. Territorial aggression and nest defense behavior were individually consistent, but did not vary with proximity to the smelter, suggesting that metal exposure does not concurrently affect exploration and aggression. Rather, exploration behavior appears more sensitive to metal pollution. Effects of metal pollution on exploration behavior, a key animal personality trait, could have critical effects on fitness.

人为污染物可改变动物行为类型（即个性）的核心性状，涵盖攻击性、大胆性与活动水平。铅与其他有毒金属属于持久性无机污染物，对全球范围内的生物均造成影响。金属暴露可通过影响神经系统、内分泌系统与机体健康，进而改变动物行为。然而，金属暴露所引发的行为效应的方向与强度仍尚无定论。此外，现有多数研究仅聚焦于单一行为，而金属暴露能否同时影响由共同调控机制支配的一系列相关行为性状（行为综合征，behavioral syndromes），其相关程度仍未明确。本研究以鸟类个性变异的模式物种——大山雀（Parus major）为研究对象，探究了沿污染梯度下多种行为性状的差异；该污染梯度下，距离冶炼厂较近的区域金属（尤其是铅与镉）含量显著升高。我们采用新型环境探索试验（作为个性类型变异的替代评价指标），同时测定了领域攻击性与筑巢防御行为。在受污染的样地中，雌雄个体均表现出更为迟缓的探索行为，这一现象或可反映其神经系统或生理功能受损。领域攻击性与筑巢防御行为在个体间具有一致性，但并未随与冶炼厂的距离变化而出现显著差异，这表明金属暴露并未同时影响探索行为与攻击性。相较而言，探索行为对金属污染的敏感性更高。作为核心动物个性性状的探索行为，其受金属污染影响的效应，可能对动物的适合度产生关键作用。