DOI: 10.5061/dryad.7pvmcvf34
title: Data from: Variation in the thermal plasticity of avian embryos is produced by the developmental environment, not genes

description: Limited evidence suggests that variation in phenotypic plasticity within
 populations may arise largely from environmental sources, thereby
 constraining its evolvability. This is of concern for
 temperature-sensitive metabolism in the face of climate change. We
 quantified the relative influence of the developmental environment versus
 genes on the metabolic plasticity of avian embryos to temperature. We
 partially cross-fostered 602 house sparrow eggs (Passer domesticus),
 measured the heart rate plasticity of these embryos to egg temperature,
 and partitioned variance in plasticity. We found that the foster
 (incubation) environment was the sole meaningful source of variance in
 embryonic plasticity (not genes, pre-laying effects, or ambient
 conditions). In contrast to heart rate plasticity, nestling growth was
 influenced by the foster environment, genes/pre-laying parental effects,
 and ambient conditions. Although embryonic plasticity to temperature
 varied in this population, these results suggest that it is unlikely to
 evolve quickly. Nevertheless, the expression of this plasticity may be
 able to shift between generations in response to changes in the
 developmental environment. Whether the multidimensional plasticity of
 heart rate to both current temperature and the developmental environment
 is itself an adaptive, evolved trait allowing avian embryos to optimize
 their metabolic plasticity to their current environment remains to be
 tested.
description: In this study, we cross-fostered the eggs of house sparrows in a
 free-living nest box population located at the University of Kentucky.
 Nests were paired into dyads, and two eggs were reciprocally swapped
 between the two nests within the dyad upon the completion of egg laying.
 We then repeatedly measured the heart rate, egg temperature, and egg mass
 for all individual eggs. Upon hatching, we repeatedly measured the tarsus
 length of nestlings until they fledged the nest. Data is presented as it
 was entered.
description: # **Variation in the thermal plasticity of avian embryos is produced by
 the developmental environment, not genes** **Description of the data
 collection** In this study, we cross-fostered the eggs of house sparrows
 in a free-living nest-box population located at the University of
 Kentucky. Nests were paired into dyads, and two eggs were reciprocally
 swapped between the two nests within the dyad upon the completion of egg
 laying. We then repeatedly measured the heart rate, egg temperature, and
 egg mass for all individual eggs. Upon hatching, we repeatedly measured
 the tarsus of nestlings until they fledged the nest. Data is presented as
 it was entered. **Description of the data and file structure** Data is
 included as an excel file. Here is a description of the contents of each
 column: * eggID: individual egg identity * originID: nest of origin
 identity * fosterID: foster nest identity * dyadID: experimental dyad
 identity * order: lay order for each egg * stage: whether the individual
 is an embryo or a nestling * hr: embryonic heart rate in bpm * temp: egg
 temperature in degrees celsius * incduration: days between incubation
 onset (clutch completion) and hatching * eggage: days since incubation
 onset (clutch completion) * mass: egg mass in grams * chickage: days since
 hatching * tarsus: nestling tarsus length in mm * swap: indicates whether
 the individual was swapped into a foster nest (yes) or remained in natal
 nest (no)