Early developmental carry-over effects on exploratory behaviour and DNA methylation in wild great tits (Parus major)

Adverse, postnatal conditions experienced during development are known to induce lingering effects on morphology, behaviour, reproduction and survival. Despite the importance of early developmental stress for shaping the adult phenotype, it is largely unknown which molecular mechanisms allow for the induction and maintenance of such phenotypic effects once the early environmental conditions are released. Here we aimed to investigate whether lasting early developmental phenotypic changes are associated with post-developmental DNA methylation changes. We used a cross-foster and brood size experiment in great tit (Parus major) nestlings, which induced post-fledging effects on biometric measures and exploratory behaviour, a validated personality trait. We investigated whether these post-fledging effects are associated with DNA methylation levels of CpG sites in erythrocyte DNA. Individuals raised in enlarged broods caught up on their developmental delay after reaching independence and becam..., , , All data related to the paper \"Early developmental carry-over effects on exploratory behaviour and DNA methylation in wild great tits (Parus major)\"
by Bernice Sepers, Koen Verhoeven and Kees van Oers.

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Explanation of column names that are included in many data files: NIOO_ID = identity of an individual great tit (Parus major); NB_origin = brood of origin, the number of the nest box where an individual was born; NB_rearing = brood of origin, the number of the nest box where an individual was raised; Pair or CF_pair = cross-foster pair (individuals were swapped withing a pair of broods when they were nestlings); Treatment = brood size manipulation treatment, either reduced (i.e. raised in an experimentally reduced brood) or enlarged (i.e. raised in an experimentally enlarged brood) or other (not part of this experiment).

* \"CORLOC_WH_2018.xlxs\" includes the exploration scores and affiliated information about the juveniles involved in this study. Column explanations: aprilDayhatc...