Variation in DRD4 gene methylation in wild great tits is associated with behavioural tolerance for human disturbance but not with habitat urbanization

The increasing presence and activities of people in both urban environments and non-urban areas result in the exposure of many wild animal populations to persistent human disturbance. As a response, individuals in disturbed populations often become tolerant towards humans that can have significant ecological and societal consequences, for example by affecting ecosystem services and human-wildlife conflicts. Although several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the emergence and spread of disturbance tolerance, their biological bases are rarely investigated in natural populations. In this study, we investigated behavioural tolerance in great tits (Parus major) along urbanization gradients of two cities representing different levels of human disturbances. Specifically, we studied whether variation in disturbance tolerance is related to epigenetic variation in the DRD4 gene that are often linked to behavioural plasticity. We did not detect differences in DNA methylation at 23 CpG sites..., , # Variation in DRD4 gene methylation in wild great tits is associated with behavioural tolerance for human disturbance but not with habitat urbanization

We have submitted our raw data (**data_series_aghetal_JAB.csv**). Data were collected for a behavioural genetics project that studied tolerance to human disturbance in great tits (*Parus major*) breeding in various habitats.

## Descriptions

### data_series_aghetal_JAB_Data

* *ring_ID*: ring number ID of individual
* *site*: breeding site
* *plot*: subsite on the breeding site
* *region*: sample site region (Veszprem or Budapest)
* *urbcat*: habitat category of the plot of the breeding site
* urb = urbanized habitats
* sub = suburban habitats
* for = natural habitats (forest)
* *nestbox*: nestbox ID
* *broodID*: brood ID
* *blood_sample_date*: date of blood sampling
* *sampling*: date of blood sampling relative to behavioural data (before/after)
* *date*: date of behavioural sampling
* *year*: year of the behavioural sampling (...,