README file for dataset connected to paper

Title: Early-life seasonal, weather and social effects on telomere length in a wild mammal
Authors: van Lieshout SHJ, Badás EP, Bright Ross JG, Bretman A, Newman C, Buesching CD, Burke T, Macdonald DW, Dugdale HL
Journal: Molecular Ecology

Short abstract:
The paper investigates the effects of social conditions, season and weather variables on early-life telomere length in wild European badgers. The main conclusion of the paper is that there is no evidence social conditions in early adulthood, but we found effects of weather and social conditions in early life on telomere length. Furthermore we found seasonal declines and increases in telomere lenght, where telomere length represents the physiological consequences of conditions experienced.

Methods:
The data was collected at Wytham Woods, Oxford, UK as part of a long-term study in a wild population of European badgers initiated by the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford. We estimated used parametric bootstrapping to determine which variables had an effect on telomere length using linear mixed models in R3.3.1

"The first csv.file (""Data"") contains all the data from the badgers. A description of the variables can be found below:"
Number: unique number for each observation (to account for overdispersion)
Plate: the qPCR-plate the sample as analysed on
Well: the exact well on the qPCR-plate the samples was analysed in
Row: the row on the qPCR-plate the samples was analysed in
Tattoo.number: the unique tattoo number assigned to each individual
Exam.date: the date on which the badger was captured and measurements were taken
Month: the month in which the badger was captured
Season: the season in which the badger was captured
SG.capture: the sett in which the badger was captured
SG.calculated: the sett in which the badger was living based on dispersal rules
Total.group.size: all badgers in a social group
Total.adult.group.size: all adult badgers in a group
Total.cub.group.size: all cub badgers in a group
Same.sex.group.size: all same-sex badgers as focal badger in a group
Same.sex.group.size.Ne: all same-sex badgers as focal badger in a group (including surrounding groups for males)
Survival.to.one: whether the individual survived the first year
Sex: the sex of the badger
Year: the year in which the badger was captured
Cohort: the year in which the badger was born
Age.from.tooth.wear: whether the age of the badger was determined through tooth wear
Age.months: age of the badger in months
Lifespan: lifespan of the badger in years
Age.first.capture: the age of the badger when it was first captured
Age.last.capture: the age of the badger when it was last captured
Pfaffl.mean: the telomere length of the badger

The second csv file contains information on where each badger was caught in a year and thus to which social group it belonged and whether it had dispersed
The third csv file contains information on the calculated weather metrics for each year summarised over Spring
The fourth csv file contains information on the calculated weather metrics for each year summarised over Winter

This dataset is published in Dryad (https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.3r2280gf5) under a CC0 license.

If any questions about the dataset remain please contact Sil HJ van Lieshout (sil.vanlieshout@gmail.com)