Carcass size, not source or taxon, dictates breeding performance and carcass use in burying beetle

This repository contains the data and R code for analyzing the breeding outcomes, carcass use, and larval growth of the burying beetle as well as the nutritional composition of carcass tissue. (Information below is also provided in the README file.)

01_Data_Raw: This folder contains three original datasheets recorded during data collection.

File "Breeding_Data_All.xls": This file contains the raw data on carcass attributes, parent sizes, breeding outcomes, and carcass use from the breeding experiments. Each row represents an observation from one breeding pair.

File "Nutrition_Data.xls":  This file contains the raw data on the tissue nutrient content of lab and wild carcasses from the nutritional composition analysis. Each row represents an observation from one carcass tissue sample.

File "Larval_Growth_Data.xls": This file contains the raw data on the larval weight from the feeding experiments. Each row represents an observation from one larva.

02_R_Code: This folder contains the R scripts for data analyses and visualization.

File "01_Data_Cleaning.R": This script cleans and organizes the raw datasheets in the folder "01_Data_Raw" and saves the cleaned datasheets in the folder "03_Outputs > Data_Clean" for data analyses and visualization.

File "02_Models_by_Carcass_Source.R": The script analyzes the relationships between carcass size vs. breeding outcomes and carcass use efficiency on lab and wild carcasses.

File "03_Models_by_Carcass_Taxon.R": The script analyzes the breeding outcomes on wild carcasses (mammals, birds, and reptiles).

File "04_Models_Nutrition_and_Larval_Growth.R": This script analyzes the tissue nutrient content of lab and wild carcasses as well as the larval growth on these carcasses.

File "05_Figures.R": This script generates the figures in the study.

03_Outputs: This folder contains a subfolder "Data_Clean", which contains three cleaned datasheets used for data analyses and visualization.

File "Breeding_Data_Clean.csv": This file contains cleaned data on carcass attributes, parent sizes, breeding outcomes, and carcass use from the breeding experiments. Each row represents an observation from one breeding pair.

File "Nutrition_Data_Clean.csv": This file contains the cleaned data on the tissue nutrient content of lab and wild carcasses from the nutritional composition analysis. Each row represents an observation from one carcass tissue sample.

File "Larval_Growth_Clean.csv": This file contains the cleaned data on the larval weight from the feeding experiments. Each row represents an observation from one larva.

Column descriptions

File "Breeding_Data_Clean.csv":

1. date: The starting date of the breeding experiments.

2. carcass_sp_Chinese: The Chinese name of the carcass animal.

3. carcass_type: The source of the carcass (lab or wild).

4. carcass_taxon: The taxon of the carcass (mammal, bird, or reptile).

5. carcass_weight: The initial weight of the carcass (g).

6. parent_generation: The generation number of the breeding parents.

7. pair_id: The ID of the breeding pair.

8. generation_pair_id: The combined ID of the generation number and breeding pair.

9. male_size: The pronotum width of the male parent (mm).

10. female_size: The pronotum width of the female parent (mm).

11. clutch_size: The number of eggs laid by the female.

12. n_larvae: The number of larvae.

13. total_larval_mass: The total weight of the larvae.

14. carcass_weight_loss: The difference between the initial carcass weight and the carcass weight at the end of the breeding experiments.

15. breeding_success: Whether there was at least one larva in the breeding container.

16. prop_eggs_developed: The proportion of eggs that developed as larvae, calculated as the number of larvae divided by clutch size.

17. average_larval_mass: The average weight of each larva, calculated as the total larval weight divided by the number of larvae.

18. larval_density: The density of larvae on the carcass, calculated as the number of larvae divided by carcass weight.

19. prop_carcass_used: The proportion of carcass tissue used by the larvae, calculated as carcass weight loss divided by the initial carcass weight.

File "Nutrition_Data_Clean.csv":

1. block_id: The ID of the analysis.

2. carcass_id: The ID of the carcass.

3. carcass_type: The source of the carcass (lab or wild).

4. carcass_taxon: The taxon of the carcass (mammal, bird, or reptile).

5. tissue_type: The type of the carcass tissue sampled (muscle or viscera).

6. tissue_replication: The replication number of the tissue sample from each carcass.

7. wet_mass_g: The wet weight of the tissue sample (g).

8. water_mass_g: The water weight of the tissue sample (g). 

9. dry_mass_g: The dry weight of the tissue sample (g).

10. protein_mass_g: The protein weight of the tissue sample (g).

11. fat_mass_g: The fat weight of the tissue sample (g).

12. total_mass_g: The total water, protein, and fat weight of the tissue sample (g).

13. prop_protein: The proportion of protein content in the tissue sample, calculated as the protein weight divided by the total weight.

14. prop_fat: The proportion of protein content in the tissue sample, calculated as the fat weight divided by the total weight.

File "Larval_Growth_Clean.csv":

1. block_id: The ID of the experimental block (two rounds of feeding experiments were conducted).

2. carcass_id: The ID of the carcass (nested within the experimental block).

3. carcass_type: The source of the carcass (lab or wild).

4. carcass_taxon: The taxon of the carcass (mammal, bird, or reptile).

5. tissue_type: The type of the carcass tissue sampled (muscle or viscera).

6. larva_replication: The larva replication number (nested within each tissue type and carcass ID).

7. tissue_mass_g: The weight of the carcass tissue fed to the larva.

8. family_id: The family ID of the parents of the larva. 

9. success: Whether the larva survived.

10. initial_larval_mass_g: The larval weight at the start of the experiment (g). 

11. end_larval_mass_g: The larval weight at the end of the experiment (g). 

12. larval_weight_gain_g: The difference between the initial larval weight and the end larval weight (g). 

13. mean_prop_protein: The average protein content of the three tissue samples from each carcass.

14. mean_prop_fat: The average fat content of the three tissue samples from each carcass.