Data from: Variation at phenological candidate genes correlates with timing of dispersal and plumage morph in a sedentary bird of prey

Polymorphic genes involved in the conserved molecular signalling of circadian and circannual clocks may play important roles in governing the timing of breeding and dispersal and thereby affect fitness in vertebrates. However, relatively few studies have explored associations between phenological candidate genes and behaviour, and these are somewhat biased towards particular taxonomic groups such as passerine birds and salmonid fish. Consequently, we assayed microsatellite polymorphisms within the exonic and 3’ untranslated regions of the regulatory genes CLOCK, NPAS2, ADCYAP1 and CREB1 in the common buzzard (Buteo buteo), a polymorphic raptor species with three plumage morphs that differ in key life history traits including lifetime reproductive success. In contrast to studies of passerines, CLOCK poly-glutamine (poly-Q) was found to be monomorphic in 976 common buzzard nestlings as well as in three other Buteo species. Moreover, none of the candidate genes were significantly associated with fledging dates, although intermediately melanised females were found to lay earlier on average than light or dark morph individuals, and their offspring carried longer ADCYAP1 alleles. In contrast, all three candidate genes explained significant variation in one or more measures of juvenile buzzard dispersal (resighting probability, timing of dispersal and distance dispersed). Our findings contribute towards a broader body of work on the adaptive significance of CLOCK polymorphism, while also building upon previous studies that have documented links between ADCYAP1 variability and the timing of migration.参与昼夜节律（circadian）与年周期节律（circannual）时钟的保守分子信号通路的多态性基因，可能在调控脊椎动物的繁殖与扩散时机，进而影响其进化适合度方面发挥重要作用。然而，目前探索物候候选基因与行为之间关联的研究相对较少，且此类研究存在一定的类群偏向性，多集中于雀形目鸟类与鲑科鱼类等特定分类类群。为此，我们针对普通鵟（Buteo buteo）——一种具有3种羽色形态的多态性猛禽，其不同羽色形态在包括终身繁殖成功率在内的关键生活史特征上存在差异——的调控基因CLOCK、NPAS2、ADCYAP1及CREB1的外显子区域与3'非翻译区（3'UTR）内的微卫星多态性进行了检测。与雀形目鸟类的相关研究结果不同，我们在976只普通鵟雏鸟以及另外3种鵟属（Buteo）物种中均发现，CLOCK基因的多聚谷氨酰胺（poly-Q）区域呈单态性。此外，尽管中等黑化型雌性个体的平均产卵时间早于浅色或深色形态个体，且其后代携带更长的ADCYAP1等位基因，但所有候选基因均未与雏鸟出飞日期呈现显著关联。与之形成对比的是，3种候选基因均对幼年普通鵟扩散的多项指标（重捕概率、扩散时机与扩散距离）的变异具有显著解释度。本研究成果不仅为CLOCK基因多态性的适应性意义相关研究提供了更多实证支撑，同时也拓展了此前关于ADCYAP1变异与迁徙时机之间关联的相关研究。