Data from: Quantitative genetics of a carotenoid-based color: heritability and persistent natal environmental effects in the great tit

The information content of signals, such as animal coloration, depends on the extent to which variation reflects underlying biological processes. Although animal coloration has received considerable attention, little work has addressed the quantitative genetics of colour variation in natural populations. We investigated the quantitative genetics of a carotenoid-based colour patch - the ventral plumage of mature great tits (Parus major) - in a wild population. Carotenoid-based colours are often suggested to reflect environmental variation in carotenoid availability, but numerous mechanisms could also lead to genetic variation in coloration. Analyses of individuals of known origin showed that while plumage chromaticity ('colour') was moderately heritable, there was no significant heritability to achromaticity ('brightness'). We detected multiple long-lasting effects of natal environment, with hatching date and brood size both negatively related to plumage chromaticity at maturity. Our reflectance measures contrasted in their spatiotemporal sensitivity, with plumage chromaticity exhibiting significant spatial variation while achromatic variation exhibited marked annual variation. Hence, colour variation in this species reflects both genetic and environmental influences on different scales. Our analyses demonstrate the context-dependence of components of colour variation and suggest that colour patches may convey multiple aspects of individual state.

信号（如动物体色）所承载的信息含量，取决于变异在多大程度上反映了其背后的生物学过程。尽管动物体色已受到广泛关注，但针对自然种群中体色变异的数量遗传学（quantitative genetics）研究却寥寥无几。我们针对野生种群中的一类基于类胡萝卜素的色斑——成熟大山雀（Parus major）的腹部羽区——开展了数量遗传学研究。基于类胡萝卜素的体色通常被认为可反映类胡萝卜素可获得性的环境差异，但诸多机制同样可能导致体色的遗传变异。对已知起源个体的分析结果显示，尽管羽色色度（plumage chromaticity）具有中等程度的遗传力（heritability），但无彩色度（achromaticity）并未表现出显著的遗传力。我们还检测到出生环境存在多方面的持久影响：孵化日期与窝雏数均与成体的羽色色度呈负相关。我们的反射光谱测量结果在时空敏感性上存在差异：羽色色度表现出显著的空间变异，而无彩色变异则呈现出明显的年度变化。因此，该物种的体色变异同时受到不同尺度下遗传与环境因素的共同影响。我们的分析揭示了体色变异各组分的情境依赖性，并表明色斑可传递个体状态的多方面信息。