Data from: Urban environment shortens telomere length in nestling great tits, Parus major

Urban environments are expanding rapidly, and with urbanization come both challenges and opportunities for wildlife. Challenges include combating the anthropogenic disturbances such as light, noise and air pollution and lower availability of natural food sources. The benefits are many, including the availability of anthropogenic food sources, breeding boxes and warmer temperatures. Thus, depending on the context, urbanization can have both positive and negative effects on fitness related traits. It is well known that early-life conditions can have lifelong implications on fitness; little is however known about development in urban environments. We reciprocally cross-fostered urban and rural nestling great tits (Parus major L.) to study how growing up in an urban versus rural habitat affected telomere length (TL)—a suggested biomarker of longevity. We show, for the first time, that growing up in an urban environment significantly shortens TL, independently of natal origin (i.e. urban or rural). This implies that the urban environment imposes a challenge to developing birds, with potentially irreversible effects on lifespan.

城市环境正快速扩张，伴随城市化进程而来的，是野生动物面临的各类挑战与发展机遇。其中挑战包括应对光污染、噪声污染、空气污染等人为干扰，以及天然食物资源可获得性的降低；其带来的益处则较为丰富，例如人为食物资源的供给、人工巢箱的设置以及更高的环境温度。因此，结合具体情境来看，城市化对野生动物适合度相关性状可产生正向或负向调控作用。学界早已证实，早期生活环境对个体适合度具有终身性的影响，但目前针对城市环境中野生动物发育状况的研究仍较为匮乏。本研究通过对城市与乡村生境中的大山雀（*Parus major* L.）雏鸟开展交互交叉抚育实验，探究在城市还是乡村生境中成长对其端粒长度（telomere length, TL）的影响——端粒长度被认为是寿命的潜在生物标志物。本研究首次证实，无论雏鸟的出生地为城市还是乡村，在城市环境中成长都会显著缩短其端粒长度。这一结果表明，城市环境对发育中的鸟类构成了生存挑战，并可能对其寿命产生不可逆的影响。